Welcome to Social Media Buzz Weekly, your weekly bulletin of the latest social media updates. With the social media landscape evolving with each passing day, it can be challenging to keep a tab on the rapid developments. Well, not anymore, as we have taken it upon ourselves to keep you abreast of every happening in the social media space.
So, without any further ado, let’s look at some of the most significant developments from the last week in the world of social media.
1. Meta Launches New Engaged View Attribution Option for Video Ads
Meta has announced a new video ad performance measurement, which will take into account delayed response actions, like visiting a website in a follow-up session, as opposed to tapping through on an ad directly.
Called “Engaged View”, Meta says that the option will enable advertisers to measure for conversions that occur within one day of a video ad play, so long as they’ve viewed at least 10 seconds (or 97%) of a video ad. Meta’s been working to improve its conversion tracking, particularly for video ads, as more users consume more video content in-stream. The more data that Meta can provide, the better it can connect the dots between ad spend and results, though Apple’s iOS tracking changes have impacted its capacity in this regard.
2. Meta Announces New Program To Share Data With Academic Researchers
Meta has announced a new research partnership with the Center for Open Science (COS), which will provide COS analysts with selected, privacy-protected Facebook and Instagram engagement data, to facilitate research into behavioral and engagement trends.
As COS notes, the main focus of the initial research will be on user well-being, and the impacts of social media connection on broader interactive and behavioral trends. Each research project will be vetted via peer review, with researchers required to submit a proposed research question and methodology, which will then be assessed for viability before proceeding to the data collection stage.
3. TikTok Is Still Sharing US User Data with China-Based Staff, According to New Reports
According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, based on internal reports from TikTok employees, the platform is indeed still providing U.S. user data to the staff at ByteDance, its Chinese parent, even as it goes about siloing U.S. user data as part of “Project Texas”, which it pitched to U.S. regulators as a key measure that should dissuade a full ban of the app.
Under Chinese cybersecurity laws, TikTok, like all Chinese-owned apps, is bound by an agreement to share all user data with the CCP on request. There’s no record of any such request being made, but concerns around this element, along with questions about potential interference with TikTok’s algorithmic recommendations, have seen cybersecurity experts repeatedly sound the alarm about the harmful potential of the app.
4. TikTok Announces Programming for Black History Month
TikTok has announced a new slate of programming for Black History Month, which will also include a new cohort of #BlackTikTok Visionary Voices, showcasing some of the top talent in the app.
TikTok’s been running its Visionary Voices initiative for the past three years, which provides an opportunity for the app to put the spotlight on some of its most influential creators. The list includes creators in various fields, including beauty, education, health, fashion, and music. TikTok will highlight their work throughout the month, while the selected participants will also be part of a new TikTok cinema advertising campaign, in partnership with Screenvision.
5. Instagram Tests New Option to Preview Feed Post Placement Before Publishing
Instagram is currently testing a new option with some users that enables you to view how your feed posts will look on your profile grid before you publish, so you can ensure that each update fits into your overall IG aesthetic.
Some users are now seeing a new “Show preview” button within the post composer process. Tap on it, and it’ll then give you a preview of where the post will fit into your current profile format, including pinned posts. This could make it easier to maintain the overall theme and feel of your profile, and ensure that everything that you post aligns with the approach that you’re taking to your main IG presence.
6. LinkedIn Launches ‘Website Actions’ Tracking to Simplify Ad Response Measurement
LinkedIn has launched a new “Website Actions” ad tracking option, which uses the LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website to better connect in-stream activity to web response, helping to optimize ad measurement.
Website Actions provides an easier way to track multiple response activities on your site, without the need for unique coding for each. You can then select the actions you’re most interested in, and use them to create ad audiences and track specific data points.
7. X Makes Its Vertical Video Feed Ads Available to All Advertisers
X is expanding access to its new vertical video ads, which are displayed within its dedicated video feed, that’s activated when a user taps through on a specific video clip in-stream.
X says that, based on testing, Vertical Video Ads are the most engaging ad format that it’s ever released, though whether that incorporates the history of X and Twitter, or just X, is unclear. Previous insights from Twitter showed that tweets with video generate 10x more engagement than non-video posts, while X claims that, on any given day, vertical video now accounts for more than 20% of total platform usage.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of this week’s Social Media Buzz. We’ll be back next week with more news and updates for you from the social media world. Till then, stay tuned!
If you want to read more on the latest developments taking place in the social media space, take a look at ClickInsights’ Social Media Buzz, wherein we bring to you monthly reports on everything going on in social media, ranging from platform updates to policy changes that influence the way we market.