Weekly social roundup
Hello, February!
Well, the groundhog has seen his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter (cries), and I can’t help but wonder what social media is going to look like in a few short weeks.
From the US TikTok being a bit … on the fritz to more countries talking about a social media ban to Meta going in hard on its Smart Glasses, it really seems like we’re in a bit of a turning point when it comes to the little world we’ve created for ourselves online.
Whenever I am asked why I love social media and marketing, it’s for this exact reason: It’s forever changing, and you have to quickly pivot at all times. It’s exciting! It’s scary! And, dare I say, it’s still a lot of fun for me (even when some of the changes make me go 😬).
With that in mind, let’s deep dive into the headlines this week because there was quite a bit!
Is it time to say goodbye?
Could this be the end of US TikTok? 😭
The uninstallations of TikTok have increased by 150% this past week after the US TikTok deal officially took place. It seems like people truly aren’t happy and are seeking other platforms to use and connect.
I mentioned last week that the Terms and Conditions were making people leave the platform (again, even though they were the same T&Cs), but it seems that moderation is getting worse, views are less than ever before, and there are creators claiming their creator rewards were wiped from their accounts.
Plus, and I’ve seen this for myself on my own US TikTok account, a fair amount of content seems to be suppressed or unsearchable on the platform. And as soon as I switch over to my UK account, I can magically search for it.
Now, I won’t put my tin foil hat on too tight, as this could be a result of the transition causing bugs and errors, but it does seem a bit … suspicious.
Users are now downloading a TikTok alternative called UpScrolled, which has seen an increase in downloads of 2,850%. Sheesh.
It will be interesting to see if these downloads increase or if they slow down, and people will remain on TikTok, much like REDnote.
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Extra, extra! Read all about it!
Top Meta news from the week
@alex193a
Meta Creator Marketplace now shows which influencers follow your brand on social media. This is huge for brands looking to collaborate and partner with influencers in the future.
Meta’s Smart Glasses are improving their accessibility features even further. Its newest wristband allows paralyzed users to move virtual hands, making computer interactions more accessible to everyone.
The Zuck thinks a future without smart glasses is “hard to imagine.” Weird, almost like he’s putting all of his money towards making his Smart Glasses work.
Premium Subscriptions are coming to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp soon. The subscription will give users access to special features and more ways to control how they share and connect.
No longer want to be part of someone’s ‘Close Friends’ list? You can now remove yourself.
New insights alert: Instagram is displaying how many people have reshared your Story.
Extra, extra! Read all about it!
Top TikTok news from the week
@theahmedghanem
TikTok Studio has released ‘Smart Split’: an AI tool that helps you create short-form content from your long-form content.
A strange feature, but sure. TikTok now adds a link to a movie or TV show to your post if you’re talking about it in your video.
Yikes. TikTok US is ending independent shipping on TikTok Shop, and sellers are leaving the platform because of it.
Last week, TikTok settled a lawsuit saying that social media companies manipulated their platforms to make children and teens addicted to their product.
The TikTok microdramas are becoming more and more popular, and could make up to billions this year on the app.
Is the US TikTok deal even legal? Possibly not.
Extra, extra! Read all about it!
Top other social media news from the week
RIP: Pinterest. You really were that girl. Pinterest is laying off 15% off its workforce as it adds more and more AI into the platform.
Snapchat is about to launch its first pair of AR glasses this year and last week invited users to get a sneak peek at what to expect.
Woof. 149 million logins and passwords were exposed as part of an ENORMOUS data breach online. I would highly suggest changing your password for all accounts if you haven’t already.
Let’s check in with the ban in Australia. Is it actually working, or are teens finding ways to bypass the ban? I would say it’s definitely the latter…
Want to advertise on OpenAI? You have to commit to $200K in spending up front.
Read of the week
Is the era of free social media over?
Something I have been thinking a lot about recently, and of course, Social Media Today explains it much better than I do. With the rise of subscription-based social media (YouTube Premium, Snapchat+, Meta Subscriptions, and more), it does beg the question: Are we finished with free social media?
It’s pretty effective and simple
Want to increase engagement on Instagram? Reply! ✍️
It truly is that easy, and not enough brands and influencers are doing it currently. If you want to increase your engagement online by up to 21%, start replying to comments on your Instagram posts.
Buffer recently pulled data from their own users and analyzed over 700,000 posts, and the results were clear: if you actually engage with your audience, your engagement will increase.
Quel surprise!
Take this as your sign to ask questions, reply to questions, and really connect with your online community this year!
Let’s check in
Do social media bans actually work?
We’re still in the infancy stages of social media bans in countries for teens. The main one being Australia, whose ban went into place last month, and according to the Australian government, it is doing amazing.
More than 4.7 million accounts have been restricted or deleted in Australia, but does that mean more teens are going outside and enjoying the world … or have they found other ways around the ban?
According to the BBC, it seems a lot of them have found ways around the ban by using VPNs, changing their birthdates on the apps, and turning to other apps to chat and remain in contact with their friends.
Social Media Today also reported that teens are still accessing the platforms after the ban, and the information the Australian Government is releasing about the ban working well might not actually be the real picture.
As other countries are looking to ban social media for teens as well, it still seems we have a long time ahead of us to see if these bans actually work, because at the moment, they most definitely aren’t.
Until next Tuesday!
Thank you, as ever, for supporting and reading! It always means a lot. I’ll talk to you all next week!
Mackenzie
