Throughout the month of September, Instagram began testing new content features and Facebook outlined the impact of Apple’s data tracking app. We rounded up this month’s most important industry news to ensure your brand is caught up on all things digital marketing.
Social Media
TikTok Reaches a Billion Active Users, the Latest Milestone for the App
The popularity of TikTok just keeps growing and doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon. This month, the video platform reported it had surpassed over 1 billion active users, making its’ popularity on par with Instagram. Many social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, have quickly adapted to popular trends created by TikTok to keep up with the platform’s demand and popularity. As TikTok continues to dominate the digital world, brands should take advantage of the opportunities the social media app has to offer, if they haven’t already.
Survey Reveals That UGC Can Drive Improved Trust and Loyalty for eCommerce Brands
The pandemic drastically changed consumer shopping behaviors and preferences. A recent data report by Stackla revealed that consumers seek content that is authentic and personalized. According to the study, 79% of consumers reported that user-generated content (UGC) highly impacts their purchasing decision. This content allows consumers to learn more about product details that aren’t provided online and offers an outside opinion. This research will help brands who are looking to improve their content and boost engagement.
Instagram is Developing a New ‘Montage’ Feature to Convert Stories to Reels
To keep up with the video content demand created by TikTok, Instagram recently introduced a ‘Montage’ option that will allow users to convert Stories into Reels. With this new feature, users’ Story frames will be generated in sequence and automatically edited to showcase highlights from each story. The platform will then recommend audio to go along with the clip. Currently, this feature is in the testing phases and is not available to the public.
Industry Updates
“About This Advertiser” Initiative Now Includes Advertisers Page for Google Ads
Online shoppers are now able to learn more about the advertisements they are served. Last year, in attempt to improve overall advertising transparency, Google introduced its advertiser identity verification program and “about this ad” feature. This month, Google further improved transparency by introducing the “about this advertiser” option, that provides consumers with in-depth details about advertisers. The new feature generates all advertisements that specific brand has run in the last 30 months, as well as any relevant brand information.
Earlier this year, Apple launched its new data tracking app that allows users to limit activity tracking for specific apps. While this update improves user privacy, it greatly impacts targeting for advertisers. Facebook revealed that the new iOS update has affected their ability to track conversion rates, making it difficult for advertisers to understand what ad is successful for their target audience. Facebook revealed they are currently developing new privacy technology that will protect user’s personal information while still allowing them to provide personalized advertisements.