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 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.” 

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. 

 

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. 

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. 

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.” 

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.