Posts tagged “TikTok”

Top Social Media Trends To Watch In 2025

Posted on 5th December 2024

Social Media Marketing is constantly evolving, and with the end of 2024 fast approaching we can now predict some of the trends that we may be seeing in the next year. Staying ahead of the curve, keeping updated and implementing these strategies and tips into your 2025 plan can boost your marketing performance.

Here’s a look at the trends to watch in 2025.

Short Form Content

Short Form Content, thanks to TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts, has been on the rise in the last couple of years, and now is the content being pushed more and more across social media. Attention Spans have been decreasing, and with the fast-pace style of social media nowadays if you’re not hooking people in straight away, they’ll just move on to the next thing – which is why you need to ensure your short form content impresses in just a few seconds.

There are no signs that audiences are shifting away from short form content, so having it as part of your marketing strategy in 2025 can boost your performance and unlock new avenues and new platforms your business may not have considered before.

AI-Powered Content

AI has slowly been on the rise the last few years, but saw it’s first big boom in 2024 after social sites, scheduling tools, and search platforms integrated it into their models. Whilst there are ethical concerns around using AI, and many complaining that it removes the personalised feel that users on social media are craving in recent years, it hasn’t stopped the big social platforms from pushing its usage more and more. ChatGPT was the first real significant sign of change after it’s release in 2022, and things have only sped up since. McKinsey research suggests Generative AI usage has increased by 32% in 2024, and whilst you don’t have to use it many marketers are now looking at how they can use AI features to boost their content output, design and ideas.

Don’t just use AI because you can though – really get to grips with what the platforms you are on are offering, learn how to use them best for your business and then discuss with your team before implementing it as part of your business model. As we’ll see later, consumers are actually leaning towards more ethical marketing practices – which could make using AI tricky, especially with concerns about the environmental impact of using sites such as ChatGPT – but it doesn’t seem like there will be an uprising against it any time soon, so if you feel like it’s right for your business, use it responsibly. You could always keep going with the plan you have now to – if AI isn’t something that will enhance your marketing that’s currently performing well for you, don’t just bring it in because everyone else is. It could just become your niche to be the business that doesn’t rely on artificial intelligence!

Social Commerce

More and more people are using social media for finding products and services than they are with search – and with Gen Z now becoming the star generation for targeted marketing, social media is the way to go for advertising. Gen Z have now reached a point where they’ll be earning their own money, and as the first generation to grow up with the social media we know today at their fingertips, they are far savvier with what they’ll purchase, and what marketing speaks to them. If they’re your target audience, think about the types of content that is popular with this generation – short form video content, general video marketing and influencer marketing – and what platforms they’re most likely to frequent – TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram. TikTok, Facebook and Instagram all allow you to have your own in-platform digital stores, which will help you sell and advertise products without having to take your audience off these social platforms. Utilising paid advertising is also a great way to sell through social media – though this may lead people off the platform, it will help you to connect with your audience and boost conversions.

Ethical Marketing

Ethical Marketing is a technique based on your company’s values and principles, focusing on honesty, transparency, user privacy, responsibility, and sustainability. Now more than ever, audiences are conscious about data protection and the impacts company’s and products are having on the earth, and will often look for businesses that meet their own values, and those who are completely transparent about their products and services. Being honest about your practices, how you’re working to become a more sustainable business and how data is used will all help to build trust whilst also making your commitment to being a more ethically and environmentally conscious clear.

Niche Influencer Marketing

Big Influencers are no longer the go-to for audiences, as niche influencers are on the rise. Whilst they may cultivate a smaller audience pool, they allow you to connect with influencers who’s content revolves around the same audience you are looking to reach out to. It’s a highly targeted form of advertising through using influencers to promote your products, which unlike using big names who have potentially irrelevant audiences to your business in their followers, the niche influencers will be talking to people who need a product just like yours. It’s a great way to boost sales, and with many audiences gravitating to these smaller, authentic influencers finding ones that align with your business can be great to use in your strategy for 2025.

Social Media Marketing is always changing and evolving, and keeping up can be difficult when you’re also trying to run your business. Using these trends, you can prepare in advance and enter 2025 with the experience and knowledge in these growing, popular digital marketing efforts.

Social Media & Digital Marketing November 2024 Roundup

Posted on 28th November 2024

The end of November is here, and before we move into the Christmas period, we’ll be taking a look back at the biggest and most relevant social media news from this month!

Here’s the latest news from the last month…

Following Hashtags Removed on Instagram

After a surge in unrelated content being used under hashtags on Instagram, Meta have announced that users will no longer be able to follow hashtags on the platform. Whilst they’re still able to be used in posts, users will now have to search a specific hashtag instead of seeing it pop up on their feed as it would if they were following it – a potential limitation to marketers who rely on hashtags for visibility.

Reddit Overtakes LinkedIn & X in The UK

Reddit has become one of the UK’s most used social media sites, overtaking both LinkedIn and X. Why? Well, Google updated their search function this year, giving Reddit a huge boost in organic search traffic. Ads on Reddit appear in threads and on the homepage as if they’re part of the conversation or just another post, which is great for functionality and for getting the attention of users. Whilst the 97 million global user mark is smaller than some of the big-hitter platforms, it still remains one to keep an eye on over the coming year.

Bluesky On The Rise After US Election

After Donald Trumps Victory in the 2024 US Presidential Election, the announcement of Elon Musk’s new position in Government has caused a stir in the world of Social-Media. Musk, owner of X, has had a controversial run since taking over the platform – removing the way blocking works, adding in a subscription-based service, de-boosting posts with links, changing link reviews, pushing his own content onto timelines, and of course, changing the name from Twitter to be more in line with his own brand. Due to his affiliation with the US Government, many users have been looking for an alternative, with Bluesky emerging and growing at an incredible rate.

The app was in development before Musk took over X, and was created by developers who were behind Twitter in 2019, including former CEO Jack Dorsey (who left the project recently). It was an invite-only platform up until February 2024, and saw an uptake of users after X was banned in Brazil this year. Now, it’s growing beyond expectations – gaining over a million users a day, it’s completely overtaken another alternative – Threads – in both usage and growth. Bluesky shot to the top of the Appstore charts after the election, with X continuing to struggle, and whilst it’s still very much in development users haven’t yet been put off by some of the missing parts that made X an attractive platform originally.

TikTok Launches AI Studio

In order to help you with marketing 24/7, TikTok have launched their new Symphony Creative Studio – which they have explained by saying: “Input the information and assets for your brand or product, or import them directly from a URL. Symphony Creative Studio generates a range of video options with unique layouts and scripts. These videos draw inspiration from TikTok’s top-performing content and incorporate licensed assets - videos, images, sounds, and avatars sourced from partners like Billo and Getty Images - all cleared for commercial use to help make your content TikTok-ready.”

Whilst the use of AI has been debated, especially when it comes to marketing and the shift in audiences favouring authenticity, the new system has proved popular in China – so TikTok will be hoping that success translates worldwide.

That’s all for November! Have a great Christmas if you’re celebrating, and keep an eye out for any updates over the festive season in the social media and digital marketing world.

Finally, your social media tip for this month is: Anyone can create an ad campaign...

Doesn't mean it's going to be any good though

Any business owner can log into an ad account, click a few buttons and launch their first campaign

I'm not going to tell you that you can't... because you absolutely CAN

You may even get a few quick wins

But you'll likely get nothing or results that aren't as successful as you need them to be

But it's OK because you can then say that "paid ads don't work for my business"

But do you truly believe that?! Or is it just to save face from the failed campaign

It took me years of learning (you never really even stop learning). I've spent hundreds of thousands on paid ads but I've got the results to back up any claims I make

Endless split tests, creative testing’s, analysis

Evenings spelt learning new ways, testing different things

Thats the difference...

You can go learn it yourself if you want results in a few months or even years (but you more than likely want those results now)

How To Do Video Marketing Right

Posted on 14th November 2024

Video Marketing has been booming for the last decade thanks to YouTube, TikTok and Reels – 91% of businesses use video as part of their strategy, with 88% seeing it as an important part of their strategy overall.

There are things you need to keep in mind when using video marketing – from your budget to your audience, crafting the perfect plan for your videos will help to set you up for success. Here are all the things you need to consider in order to do video marketing right.

What Do Your Audience Want?

Statistics show that videos that are educational and instructional videos are what engages audiences, along with testimonials. This doesn’t mean you have to stick rigidly to this style – your audience is unique, and you may find a different video style matches what they’re looking for more so than something that educates them, so when you first start test our a few different ones – testimonial, behind scenes, teasers, demonstrations etc. – and go for the one that brings in the best engagement from your audience.

Balance Your Budget

Investing tonnes of money into your video marketing may seem like the way to go, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get results. Having a high production may look good, it may look professional, but that doesn’t mean the viewers will watch. Funnelling money into video marketing that doesn’t work leaves less resources for the areas of your marketing that does work. You can build your budget over time, but when you start out you may not have the most-fancy equipment, confidence or style you’ll eventually acquire – and that’s not a problem. The better you get, the better your videos get, and you may even find your viewers engage more with lower produced videos than they do the ones made with more budget, allowing you to find your niche.

Have A Goal

What do you want your videos to achieve? If you have an idea of what you want to create, the next thing you need to think of is the goal of creating them. Providing value to the audience is a must, but what steps do you want your audience to take? 90% of marketers have said videos have increased brand awareness so this could always one of the things you aim for, alternatively you could want videos to instead push your audience to purchase a product, you may want to generate leads, you could increase your web traffic, or you could get more engagement on your social media pages. Whatever it is, make sure this goal is clear and defined – follow the SMART model and make sure your team are all on the same page. SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound.

Use Live

Your videos don’t all have to be pre-recorded! Mix things up by going live and speak directly to active audience members. You can get them involved beforehand by asking them what they want to see and answer any questions they have instantly by engaging with the live chat. Most platforms offer a live feature – whether that’s video or audio – and are great ways to put a face or voice to the name and display your expertise and knowledge beyond text-based posts or pre-recorded content.

Creation Of Videos

Make sure your videos are clear, concise and edited before going out on your chosen platform. If desired, create an eye-catching thumbnail that draws in your viewers. Answer any pain-points your audience have and show them how your business is the solution – display what your products can do, using slick transitions and text on screen to add extra details where needed. Creating a map of how you want your videos to look before you start creating them will give you an idea on the direction to take.

Use The Right Format

The right format is key to ensuring your videos are displayed properly. Most platforms now support both vertical and landscape videos, but working out which format you’re more likely to go for will be great when setting up your content. If you’re thinking of vertical videos, then TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts are great options. If you’re business leans more towards landscape, then YouTube, Facebook, and X are the right ways to go, and Instagram potentially too.

Videos are a powerful marketing source, and one that requires time & attention from you an your team to perfect. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating fantastic videos that play a key role in your marketing.

Social Media & Digital Marketing Roundup August 2024

Posted on 30th August 2024

We’re at the end of August, which means it’s time for another social media and digital marketing updates round up!

Here’s all you need to know…

TikTok Leans Into AI Use

Want to give your TikTok video a voiceover but don’t have the time?

Well, thanks to a new TikTok feature you now don’t have to worry about this, as they’re now letting users create their own digital AI simulation of their own voices to use in clips. All you have to do is record a couple of lines of yourself speaking, and TikTok will generate a private, AI version of your voice from what you’ve provided. edit it.

Updates To Threads

Threads has had a huge update, with new features and upcoming features being tested that will be extremely useful for those using social media for their marketing efforts. Here’s everything added to the Meta’s newest social media platform this month…

Firstly, they’re introducing an analytics tool, which includes:

• View counts

• Interaction insights

• Overall Like, Reply, Repost and Quote counts

• A follower growth chart

• Audience demographics

This will help marketers on the platform figure out a content strategy, as they’ll now have the information available to them to grow an audience and make the needed improvements to get their business on user’s radars.

Whilst Ads still may be way into the future for Threads, Meta has started laying the foundations to introduce monetisation to the platform. Promoted posts could be one of the first steps they take into a Pay-Per-Click system, with App Researchers releasing images of how a sponsored post could appear - although nothing is set in stone just yet.

Custom Feeds, Cross Posting to Instagram and Facebook and a Media tab have also all been added, or are due to be rolled out.

Google Updates Trending Tool

Google has now launched an update to its “Trending Now” tool. This is a feature of Google Trends, providing more information on which search terms are seeing an increase in volume. This is helpful for planning SEO updates and assists with campaign building.

This update now gives users more insight into each trend, such as the length of time a topic has been trending and the total search volume. You can hover over the trend for a snapshot of the information, or click to expand it for more detailed insights.

Google has offered further detail:

“A cutting-edge trend forecasting engine is behind our upgraded Trending Now tool. It detects 10 times as many emerging trends as before and refreshes every 10 minutes on average, so you see the latest upward Search swings right as they take off. You can even compare multiple trends and easily export their data for a closer look.”

Meta Labels Business Chats in Messenger

To make it clearer to those messaging with businesses on Messenger, Meta has introduced a “Business Chat” label and a “Business chats and Your privacy” shortcut link, which gives users information on how Meta uses said chats to improve experiences – explained in their own words: “We’re giving people more information about how their business messages may be used to improve their experience. Depending on where people live, this could include improved product experiences such as faster response, personalized ads, and improved AI quality.”

That’s all for August! Have a great September and remember to keep an eye out for more social media news over the coming month.

Finally, your social media tip this month is… 5 Reasons Your Facebook Ads Are Wasting Money – And How to Fix It 🔥

❌️Targeting the Wrong Audience

If your ads aren’t reaching the right people, they’re bound to fail. Use Facebook’s targeting options to narrow down your audience. Focus on demographics, interests, and behaviours that align with your ideal customer.

❌️Weak Ad Creative

Bland or generic ad creatives don’t catch attention. Invest time in creating visually appealing and compelling ad content. Use high-quality images, engaging videos, and strong copy to make your ads stand out.

❌️ Poorly Defined Objectives

If you don’t know what you want to achieve, your ads won’t deliver. Clearly define your campaign objectives—whether it’s brand awareness, lead generation, or sales—and tailor your ads to meet these goals.

❌️ Neglecting A/B Testing

Sticking with one ad variation is a missed opportunity. Run A/B tests to compare different headlines, images, and calls-to-action. This helps identify what resonates best with your audience and improves performance.

❌️ Ignoring Analytics

Data is your best friend. Regularly monitor your ad performance and make data-driven adjustments. Look at metrics like CTR, CPC, and conversion rates to understand what’s working and what isn’t.

🔥 What to Do About It: 🔥

✅️ Refine Your Targeting

Continuously tweak and refine your audience targeting based on performance insights. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different segments.

✅️ Enhance Your Creatives

Invest in professional design and copywriting if needed. Your ad creative is often the first impression and the reason people stop scrolling — make it count.

✅️Set Clear Goals

Define clear, measurable objectives for every campaign. Align your ad content and targeting to these goals.

✅️Embrace A/B Testing

Continuously test different elements of your ads. Use the insights gained to optimise and improve your campaigns.

✅️Analyse and Adjust

Regularly review your analytics and be ready to pivot. Successful campaigns are built on continuous improvement.

Social Media & Digital Marketing May 2024 Roundup

Posted on 30th May 2024

We’ve come to the end of May, meaning it’s time for this months Social Media Roundup!

There has been a couple of new things that may be handy for you to make note of in the digital marketing world this month. Here’s everything you need to know…

New Ad Tools On TikTok

The TikTok World Event 2024 took place this month, and there were some new things announced regarding the TikTok Ads system.

First of all, they’re continuing to utilising AI to help creators with their advertising. This new suite is called ‘Symphony’, and is made for ad partners who will receive AI assistance with things such as writing scripts, producing videos, creating ideas, and more. TikTok began introducing all these features separately last year, but will be collecting them all into one place to make it easier for ad partners to access and use to their full potential.

They’re also bringing in a platform for marketing named TikTok One, which will act as a replacement for the current Creative Centre. TikTok One will make it easier to access TikTok’s built in marketing tools and new creation elements. As explained by TikTok: “Brands will be able to tap into this one-stop-shop to access TikTok creators, production partners, and insights, including TikTok Creator Marketplace and TikTok Creative Challenge. With TikTok One, advertisers will be able to access nearly 2 million creators, discover top agency partners and leverage our creative tools to implement and scale successful TikTok campaigns, all with a single log-in.” It will launch later in 2024.

They’re also improving AI and machine learning for Ad Targeting, and improving optimisation tools for those selling on TikTok Shop.

They’re also launching something called ‘Unified Lift’, putting all existing campaign measurement options into a single performance measurement – with TikTok saying “[Unified Lift will] empower advertisers to confidently maximize the results of their investments on TikTok. Unified Lift combines the power of Brand Lift Studies and Conversion Lift Studies to give businesses a comprehensive view of their total TikTok campaigns’ impact.”

Also announced were ad functions ‘Interactive Add-Ons for TopView’ and ‘Duet with Branded Mission’, both to help boost ad engagement and performance.

Chat Option To Close On Google Business Profiles

Google will shut down the chat and call history features on Google Business Profiles in July.

The tools were underutilised, but allowed users on Google Search, Maps and Shopping to get in touch with your business directly from listings by starting a chat from the display. The closure of this feature is being done as Google streamlines its business tools. Chat will be disabled in mid-July, with the feature shut down entirely at the end of July.

YouTube Rolls Out New Video Function

For those who use YouTube often, the platform will now be able to identify specific sections of videos where demonetisation or restrictions have been triggered so you can remove content that flags up on the system. They’ll also let you know if the problem lies with your thumbnail or title, as per YouTube “The way this will work is that when a creator uploads a video using our Self-Certification process on web uploads, and that video receives a yellow icon, they’ll have the option to appeal, and have one of our experts review the video. When that review is complete, the issues our expert found that led to a yellow icon (for either Limited or No Ads) will appear for the creator in Studio, alongside timestamps of where in the video they appeared.”

TikTok Management System Launched

Finally, we end this month on another TikTok update – they’ve launched a Management dashboard for Creators to use for analysis. It includes all of their analytics in one place, and is called TikTok Studio – another section that has been taken from the original Creative Centre. They said of the launch: “Whether you’re a seasoned creator, a newbie debuting your first video, or a small business balancing content creation while managing a business, TikTok Studio provides free, easy-to-use creation tools and centralized operational capabilities designed to efficiently streamline content workflow. Using their TikTok account to log in or sign up, creators can upload, film, edit, and post to TikTok directly from TikTok Studio and use tools like auto caption, photo editor, and autocut to polish their content with professional finesse.”

That’ all for May! Have a wonderful June and keep an eye out for more news in the digital marketing world next month.

Your social media tip for this month is: "I dont get many likes" 😢

"No one engages with my content"

All excuses people use to not post on social.

But you see likes, comments and shares can be vanity metrics.

Yes the more engagement you get the more reach you get, but there is also "lurkers". People who watch your content, value your content and consume it but they never engage.

To you it seems that no one is watching... but they are.

So, stop getting caught in the trap of craving social media engagement and instead concentrate on offering value, showing your expertise and knowledge and showcasing your ability as the best in your industry.

Reach vs Impressions: Which Is More Important?

Posted on 19th April 2024

If you’ve looked into marketing your business on social media, chances are you’ve heard of the terms ‘Impressions’ and ‘Reach’.

If you’ve never come across them before, it may be difficult to know what they both exactly mean, and how important they are to your overall Marketing efforts, but that doesn’t mean you should totally ignore what the numbers are saying.

Here’s more information on reach vs impressions.

Social Media & Digital Marketing February 2024 Roundup

Posted on 22nd February 2024

We’re coming to the end of February, meaning there’s been a couple of updates in the world of social media and digital marketing.

Here’s all the news this month…

Updates For Threads

Threads has hit 130m users, and with the app now becoming available to those within the EU growth has become steady. Mark Zuckerberg has said: “Threads now has more people actively using it today than it did during its initial launch peak, so that one’s I think on track to be a major success.” Whilst Threads still has a long way to go with development if it wants to really challenge X, it’s expansion of users since launching in mid-2023 has been impressive.

Social Media & Digital Marketing January 2024 Roundup

Posted on 25th January 2024

Happy 2024! As we enter the New Year, we can expect lots of updates coming to social media as 2024 progresses, and have started to see updates being rolled out this January.

Here’s all the social media news this January.

Detailed Targeting Options To Be Removed For Facebook Ads

Meta have announced certain targeting options are to be removed from Facebook Ads due to low usage, being too specific and causing issues due to sensitive topics such as race, ethnicity and health.

Social Media & Digital Marketing November 2023 Roundup

Posted on 23rd November 2023

As we head towards the end of 2023, there’s been some updates to social media platforms over November that could be helpful to make note of, especially as you approach reviewing or creating your digital marketing strategy for 2024.

Here’s all the updates from November!

Link Previews Returning To X

It was just last month that Elon Musk decided to remove link previews from articles when posted to X, meaning the article image was the only thing displayed to users, meaning they’d have to click the image to find the article, and marketers would have to try and cram enough information into their copy in order to let their audiences know what they were sharing. Now, Musk is said to have done a U-Turn, with the article titles returning to the display of links when they’re posted on X.

Discover The Power Of Video Marketing On Social Media

Posted on 13th October 2023

Video marketing has become a powerful and important part of marketing on social media – with the rise of TikTok at the start of the 2020s resulting in more video content being pushed on other platforms – most recognisably the reels feature on Facebook and Instagram – it’s transformed the way businesses market towards their audience and potential customers.

82% of the global internet traffic came from videos in 2022, with an audience reach of 97% worldwide. Videos can help to add context, give more information and introduce audiences to the faces behind the business – in fact, 96% of people use video to learn more about a product or service.

The power of video marketing cannot be underestimated – here’s how you can use video for your business on social media.

Social Media & Digital Marketing June 2023 Roundup

Posted on 29th June 2023

We’ve had a lot of updates for social media platforms this June, from new features to monetisation opportunities.

Here’s the latest updates in the world of social media this month….

Instagram Tests AI Chatbot in DMs

Meta are currently experimenting with using AI, and over on Instagram they have introduced a new AI chatbot. This works similarly to Snapchats ‘My AI’, where users can ask questions and get instant responses. By @’ing the AI in your DMs, you can incorporate the feature into discussions.

Mark Zuckerberg spoke of Meta’s current decision to focus on developing AI features: “In the short term, we’ll focus on building creative and expressive tools. Over the longer term, we’ll focus on developing AI personas that can help people in a variety of ways. We’re exploring experiences with text, with images, and with video and multi-modal experiences.”

Social Media & Digital Marketing May 2023 Roundup

Posted on 25th May 2023

This May has seen lots of new updates appear for social media platforms, allowing businesses to take advantage of new features to maximise their reach and engagement.

Let’s take a look at the latest news…

Community Posts Available For All Channels

YouTube has made community posts available for all YouTube channels, allowing even smaller creators to have interactions with their audiences more directly.

Initially posts were only available for channels with over 1,000 subscribers, but have now given all users the opportunity to take advantage of the feature in the hopes it will help creators be able to build their presence on the site.

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