New marketing insights
Instagram Updates
A lot is currently happening in the world of Instagram. The app has announced various new updates that could benefit the user experience. Firstly, Instagram made the ‘swipe up’ option on Stories available to anybody. This feature used to be reserved for users with over 10,000 followers. This update comes as a blessing for many. Whether you want a quick link to your work, products your business is selling, or any services you offer – the swipe up feature can help users do this more seamlessly.
The second update worth mentioning is that users can now delete images from their carousel posts. These posts typically earn 1.4 times more reach than a singular post, so this newfound flexibility surrounding carousels is very welcome. If you’ve noticed a typo within one of your images or you simply don’t like the picture anymore – you can get rid of it easily with this new feature. The update only works on posts with more than two images in its carousel. Another great option from Instagram!
The third notable update is the announcement that Instagram will be testing new feed display options, meaning the chronological feed could be returning. Many users have been vocal about their annoyance with their feed display, mentioning that they rarely see the posts of those they follow in favour of ads or ‘suggested posts’ after an Instagram algorithm update. The app announced that they ‘want people to have meaningful control over their experience. We’ve been experimenting with Favourites, a way for you to decide whose posts you want to see higher up, and we’re working on another option to see posts from people you follow in chronological order.’
The company claimed they wanted to give people options, not switch everyone to one particular way of looking at their feed. They hope that this will improve the user experience for everybody on Instagram, no matter how they prefer to view their feed.
Lush is Ditching Social Media
Lush, the popular soap and cosmetics company, made the announcement last month that it would be retreating from social media on November 26th.
This is not the first time Lush has attempted to be social-media free, as they announced a similar message in 2019. Ultimately, with the closure of all in-person stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lush harnessed the power of social media again to keep up awareness of their brand over this difficult time. The company was particularly successful on TikTok, creating a range of funny short clips that were loved by the millions.
So, when Lush was riding such a social media high, it came as a shock that they decided to go cold turkey again. Lush has dedicated their brand to help people relax and unwind. With the stress and anxiety that often comes with doom scrolling, the company felt their values no longer aligned with social media.
Though perhaps an admirable decision, it does leave us to wonder, will this be successful? So many of us rely on social media to find news and products instantly. So, in this digital age, will Lush benefit from this decision? Will a lack of social media use affect Lush achieving its marketing objectives?
Jack Constantine, the Chief Digital Officer at Lush, said, ‘with social media, it’s easy to get stuck in a honey trap and get lazy, and now we are going to have to think outside the box. […] When you take away the reliance on those platforms, you have to get creative.’
We are excited to see how Lush approaches advertising in the future!
Video Content Marketing Takes Over 2021
The pandemic meant that many marketers had to get creative with the way they communicate to potential customers. As we were all stuck at home, many were spending more time on social media. One app that particularly thrived during this time was TikTok – a video-focused social media service. The app currently has over 600 million active users, including video content creators, and has been downloaded over two billion times. Unlike its famous predecessor, Vine, which only allowed for six-second videos, TikTok allows three minutes of video footage.
But, as we are slowly making our way back toward normality, people have less time for long-form videos. TikTok research has revealed that over 60% of ads that showcase their product or service in the first three seconds get the highest click-through rate. This information does not mean marketers should disregard video ads, as video typically exceeds image ads in terms of engagement. We simply need to adapt the way we create video content. You can achieve this by showing the consumers exactly what you want them to know and finishing with a strong call-to-action that will entice users to make a conversion.
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