Social media is always evolving and it can be difficult to stay on top of the latest trends. Every month we release an update covering the most impactful news and trends social media. Here’s what changed and how you can adapt your social strategy to take advantage.
How to boost posts and influence people
Instagram debuted the “paid partnership” feature two years ago as a way for users to know when they are being advertised to, and by whom. The tag helped brands gain quality control on the content that influencers were producing by enabling a “Partner Approval” setting. This new update takes that one step further: brands can now put ad dollars behind paid partnership posts to expand their reach.
![examples of paid partnership ads on instagram](gif/paid-partnership-video924a.gif)
Adding this functionality is a win/win for brands and creators. Content now has the opportunity to deliver value beyond the organic newsfeed, and influencers can now reach an even wider audience by allowing a brand to boost their posts for them. This may not seem like a huge deal, but this update has the potential to foster stronger bonds between brand and creator.
What can you do?
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool, so use it wisely. The best results come from partnering with someone that aligns so well with your brand that it feels like they’re a natural extension of it. Getting the most out of this update requires a higher level of trust and communication than simply paying someone to pose with your product and copy-and-pasting ad copy. For more information on paid partnerships and how to set up your business’ Instagram profile to enable them, head over to Instagram’s announcement page.
Advertising on Tik Tok is about to get interesting
Tik Tok has been not-so-secretly dominating the short-span video market. The emerging social media giant has seen incredible engagement from its Gen-Z and Millenial fanbase (66% of its estimated 500 million users are under 30). The question that’s been on most marketers minds is, is it a viable platform to advertise?
![examples of tiktok videos](gif/downloadc072.gif)
Currently, brands need to apply for access to buying ads. However, Tik Tok is gearing up to release a self-serve ad platform sometime in July. It’s rumored to function on a bid system similar to other social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. The usual targeting parameters such as age, location, and age all expected to be available. The latest news is that Tik Tok will allow advertisers to target people based on their interests, segmenting them in a similar manner as other social media platforms.
Realistically, we don’t expect Tik Tok to reinvent the wheel when it comes to their ad platform. They only need to deliver a familiar ad buying experience to start capitalizing on their popularity. One thing is certain, if your target audience is under 30 then Tik Tok will be a crucial part of your digital marketing plan.
What can you do?
Find out why Tik Tok’s taking off and how to use it by checking out our recent post outlining the app’s in and outs. Every social media platform has its own culture and on Tik Tok authenticity and playfulness reign supreme. Brands should be embracing the app’s quirkiness and capitalizing on its unique features (such as duets and challenges). Get creative instead of simply duplicating content from your other social channels. Just because buying ad space is in beta right now doesn’t mean you can’t have a presence on the app or tap into the numerous influencers who use the platform today!