Social Swipe Roundup: October
The world of social evolves at lightning speed. Want to keep up? Social Swipe delivers the latest need-to-know news, so you’re always out in front.
Brands and agencies must stay ahead of the game when it comes to social, reacting fast to remain competitive. Knowledge is power, and that’s what our Social Swipe supplies.
Each month, Digital Natives give you bite-sized updates on social developments. Take a look at what hit the headlines this October, from additional ad placement on Insta to live stream shopping events on YouTube.
TIKTOK
It’s official: TikTok has hit one billion active users. Quite a milestone. In just over three and a half years, the platform has gained some 950 million sets of eyes.
At TikTok World, the app’s first business showcase event, we were introduced to a range of new features and options designed to help brands make the most of the platform. We were also briefed on some exciting e-commerce updates, where TikTok is set to see the most growth.
You can now schedule upcoming IG Live broadcasts with an advance feed post and new Stories Sticker - users can tap for a reminder notification. Instagram is also extending ad placement into reels, broadening brands’ paid content creation options. All of this opens up brilliant opportunities for brands to push their social strategies further.
As Insta continues its shift towards video, it’s trialling longer Stories of up to 60 seconds, along with a new function that redirects users to full Reels clips from Stories.
Finally, all businesses can now connect their WhatsApp accounts to Instagram, facilitating rich in-app networking opportunities.
Thanks to some shiny new Marketplace features, it’s now even easier to sell and spend on Facebook. One triggers notifications for new listings matching searchers - similar to the feature on eBay - for a more seamless shopping experience.
Facebook has launched Reels for US-based users. They’ll have the ability to share Reels in their news feed and groups in which they are a member.
SNAPCHAT
Snapchat has rolled out ad targeting features aimed at strengthening user engagement by delivering more personalised content experiences. This will be based on how people currently interact with the app - for example, the features they love the most. A great opportunity for brands looking to expand their reach.
YOUTUBE
Another promising e-commerce development, one we’ll be watching with interest. YouTube has launched a series of live-stream shopping events called The YouTube Holiday Stream and Shop. People watching will be able to purchase products with limited offers and interact with the hosts and creators through live Q&A and polls.
