Generative AI
Meta and Snap Jump on the AI Chat Wagon
Snap and Meta both announced AI-fueled chat features this week. For Meta, that takes place within WhatsApp and Messenger. For Snap, it involves a new chatbot altogether. We dive into both.
Pro Features
TikTok Adds Sound to the SMB Marketing Mix
The latest addition to TikTok’s SMB marketing mix is sound. Specifically, its new Sounds for Business program is a library of audio files that are available to SMBs to ease the process of content creation. We examine drivers & dynamics.
Pro Features
Subscriptions Take the Revenue Diversification Lead
Subscription revenue seems to be the new shiny thing in the tech and media worlds. This trend reached critical mass this week when Meta revealed that it will follow Twitter Blue’s footsteps with a paid tier for users to authenticate their profiles. We examine the landscape.
brandmuscle
Social Media Trends That Will Define 2023
From the metaverse to the Elonverse, the tech and media worlds had a volatile 2022. Things were particularly action-packed in the social media subsector, including the continued rise of TikTok and the creator economy. We tap the Localogyverse for insights.
Pro Features
Snapchat+ Taps Into Social Personalization
After launching and racking up a million+ paid users, Snapchat + has rolled out a set of new features, letting users personalize the look and feel of the app, including styling icons and the camera capture button.
Pro Features
Can Social Media Revive Revenue Through Subscriptions?
The headline from the past week of Q3 earnings is tough times for ad-supported tech giants. Given those headwinds, can social players create more defensibility through revenue diversification. And could subscription revenue be the answer?
eCommerce
Is TikTok Hatching a Logistics Power Play?
TikTok may be following the Amazon playbook. Clues have emerged to signal its intentions to build out a shipping and logistics network. This would elevate its social commerce efforts and signal more about its business model plans.
KOA
SOCi Ventures Outdoors with Kampgrounds Deal
Multi-location marketing firm Soci has announced a new deal with outdoor hospitality brand Kampgrounds of America (KOA). Soci now becomes the platform of choice for KOA. We examine drivers and dynamics
hyperlocal
Meta Walks Back Hyperlocal Efforts
Meta’s hyperlocal play, Facebook Neighborhoods, recently took a step back. It was meant to be Facebook’s answer to NextDoor but it turned out to be too onerous and unfocused, so Meta is pulling the plug on October 1.
Instagram
Instagram Leans Into QR Codes
Instagram is the latest to jump on the latest wave of QR code interest. It has begun to quietly roll out QR codes as an option to share content such as posts, Reels, profiles and locations.
Pro Features
TikTok Raises its Local Game
TikTok’s new “Nearby” feed spotlights local content that’s been location-tagged near a given user, such as local businesses. Does this signal a more targeted local strategy, with monetization to come next?
Pro Features
Snapchat+ Racks Up One Million Paid Users
Snap has announced that its new paid tier Snapchat+ has reached 1 million users. This comes about 45 days after the service’s launch, signaling demand for premium social apps… and diversification from advertising models in the privacy era.
Pro Features
Twitter Rolls Out Location Spotlight Globally
Twitter announced that its new Location Spotlight feature is available to any business. This lets SMBs add listings-esque content to their profiles, including location, contact info, and hours of operation.
Pro Features
Yelp Redesigns its UX For Food Discovery
Yelp last fall launched a new mobile interface that was focused on restaurant discovery. But there was one big limitation… it was only available on iOS. This week, it extends these updates to Android devices. We examine.
Instagram
Instagram Joins the Mapping Party
Meta is the latest to join the mapping party with Instagram’s new map feature. This lets users explore popular places around them, and filter locations by business categories – everything from bars to barbers.
Pro Features
Snap Launches Snapchat+
Snapchat jumped on the paid-teir wagon with today’s launch of Snapchat+. Joining the emerging crop of paid tiers in the social world – such as Twitter Blue – the subscription offers premium perks for power users.
Mapping
Snap Map Launches Restaurant Recommendations
Snap has fired the latest shot in the mapping wars with restaurant recommendations in Snap Map. This represents the second integration in Snap’s new Map “layers” format for thematic local discovery. We examine strategic implications.
Pro Features
TikTok Gets More Social
TikTok is getting more social. It’s rolling out a “friends” tab in the bottom menu of the app, which highlights content from friends. Will this bring it from more of a content graph to a social graph? We examine.
Pro Features
TikTok Continues World Domination
To validate TikTok’s ongoing growth trajectory, its latest milestone came in its Q1 dominance. Sensor Tower reports it was the most downloaded mobile app globally, to the tune of 175 million downloads. We examine.
eCommerce
Instagram Extends Product Tagging for Peak Shoppability
Instagram has expanded its pilot product tagging feature to everyone in the U.S. This lets Instagram users, influencers, and creators tag products in their posts to share credit in any resulting commerce.