It seems that Elon Musk and Twitter have their second wind. After a whirlwind of changes and news in November, there was a bit of calm as we finished out last year and hit the first week or so of January. Though, unlike the earlier news of users and brands considering jumping ship, the latest round looks like more structural and even … dare I say, advertiser-friendly?
If you missed any previous posts, visit this list of ICYMI social platforms recaps.
Latest on using social media platforms
Twitter hopes to make it safe(r) to tweet
Twitter’s new brand safety controls, developed with Integral Ad Science and DoubleVerify, examine posts immediately above and below ads and promoted tweets to spot objectionable content, assign suitability scores and measure ad performance. The tool will roll out first to US advertisers and focus on Twitter’s home timelines and be expanded to profile and search content. See TechCrunch and Ad Age for more details.
Musk tasks Twitter engineers to remedy reach glitch
Twitter engineers are working to remedy a drop in reach and engagement, reports RubinReport’s Dave Rubin, following the launch of a swipeable Following feed and increased push of recommended tweets into For You timelines. Musk likened the system to a Jenga tower and a single mistake could make the whole system collapse, Rubin tweeted. More details at Social Media Today.
- Editor’s take: Elon Musk’s monkeying with Twitter code in seemingly real time is not giving users NOR potential advertisers confidence. I don’t need to be part of Mr. Musk’s trial and error. I want to see the finished product. I’ll forgive post-launch tweaks but not overhauls.
Instagram to balance focus between videos, photos
Instagram has made internal adjustments to avoid last year’s more myopic focus on videos and Reels, and will deliver a more even balance between photos and videos for users, says platform head Adam Mosseri. The platform also is taking steps to address a rise in platform bot accounts and spam. Learn more at The Verge and Social Media Today.
YouTube testing violation support tools
YouTube is testing a timestamps display among select creators that shows when the policy was violated, along with links for more policy details and options to launch an appeal or delete the segment. YouTube also is trialing a new guided resolution process for violations to help creators understand and address issues. Social Media Today has more.
Quick hits
- Spotted: You may be able to send images in original resolution through WhatsApp, via TechRadar
- Twitter aims to boost transparency in paid partnerships, via Social Media Today
- Discord is boosting support for improved platform streaming, via Tom’s Hardware
- Twitter tests ad format for in-app keyword searches, via Social Media Today
- Door closed on YouTube Music’s “Listening Room,” via 9to5Google
- TikTok gives users more DM controls, via The Verge
Trends, studies & how-tos
TikTok turns up the “heat” for some videos
TikTok and ByteDance employees use a manual “heating” process to boost video distribution and view counts of select contributors to entice influencers and brands into platform partnerships, per Forbes sources. TikTok spokesperson Jamie Favazza says it promotes select videos to mix the content and “introduce” rising creators and new celebrities, and said that content comprises 0.002% of For You videos. See also Insider Intelligence for details.
The secrets to successful Facebook ads
Your small business can drive sales through ads on Facebook, but it’s critical to perform market research, create an appealing offer and understand customer lifetime value, writes Adam Petrilli, CEO and founder of NetReputation at Entrepreneur.
Quick hits
- Reddit beefs up leadership, via BNN Bloomberg (Canada)
- TikTok’s 2023 calendar helps brands with planning, via Social Media Today
- Meta advertisers generally unfazed by Trump’s probable platform return, via Reuters
- Elon Musk & Twitter fine with censorship request from India, via The Wrap
- Number of Twitter advertisers up Q4 over Q3, via Next TV/Broadcasting+Cable
- Q&A: Pinterest priorities include engagement, monetization, via Emerging Tech Brew
Business news
Will TikTok suffer from recent scrutiny?
A rising tide of TikTok bans among US institutions and reports of internal “heating” to boost visibility for select contributors aren’t great optics but won’t preclude platform use among digital marketers, say experts. “Until there’s a radical shift in the regulatory environment or a truly massive scandal, I don’t see the compounding dissatisfaction affecting the fact that this will be an important channel for both brands and creators,” Gartner’s Matt Moorut tells Digiday.
Which phone is best for your social videos?
Digital Camera World offers the pros and cons of seven smartphones and where you could purchase them. The brands reviewed are Apple iPhone, Sony Xperia, Google Pixel, RealMe GT, Samsung Galaxy, Oppo Find and Xiaomi.
Quick hits
- Lawmakers seek to stop TikTok downloads in US, via The Hill
- LinkedIn posts revenue, engagement increases, via Social Media Today
- Audiovisual entertainment startup adds Twitter co-founder to board, via TechCrunch
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