Category: SOCIAL MEDIA

Looking to get ahead of the next big trends in social media marketing?

This will help. The team from Emplifi recently shared their predictions for 2024, based on insights from thousands of brands that utilize its Emplifi Social Marketing Cloud service.

Analyzing these trends, Emplifi has come up with six predictions of note, all of which it expects to become bigger considerations for social media marketers over the next year.

Could be helpful in your strategic thinking – you can check out Emplifi’s full trends overview here.

As Threads continues to gain momentum, especially among journalists, a next key step will be the development of an API, which will then enable direct publishing to Threads, as well as scheduling, third-party analytics, and more.

And the Threads team is working on this, with Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently noting that they’re building a write API to begin with.

A write API would enable third-party publishing to Threads, which will be a big help for social media managers looking to manage yet another platform within their remit. But it wouldn’t facilitate analytics and other types of insight options as yet.

The Threads write API is already in live testing, so it’s close to launch, with the Threads team now looking to expand testing to partner and independent developers for further examination.

Threads will also look to eventually integrate the ActivityPub API as well, facilitating more open connectivity, but it’s not developing that option at this stage.

Threads has had a big year, racing to 100 million sign-ups in record time, then reaching 100 million monthly active users months after launch. Though much of that success has come on the back of its connection to Instagram, and the massive amplification that Meta can provide through cross-promotion of Threads to Facebook and IG.

Without that, it’s not clear that Threads would be such a success, while the divisive decisions undertaken by Elon Musk at the platform formerly known as Twitter have also played a part in Threads’ rising popularity.

But is it a good, sustainable platform in the long term?

The Threads team has already shown that it’s looking to take a different approach to app development, eschewing the usual pathway of amplifying the most engaging posts based on raw metrics, and not adding Trending Topics, or even hashtags as we know them.

Meta believes that it has a better pathway to develop the next billion-user app, but it’ll be interesting to see whether Threads can maintain its momentum in 2024 and beyond.

But either way, at 100 million or more users, it is likely a consideration for businesses already, and an API would be a big help on this front.  

Good news for X live-streamers, with the platform announcing a new integration with StreamYard which will enable you to display X comments in streams via StreamYard’s platform.

StreamYard is a live-stream management platform, which provides more control and broadcasting options, linked to various platforms. And now, you’ll be able to display X comments live in your streams, which is another step in X’s broader push to make live-streaming a bigger element in the app.

Elon Musk has been working to promote game streams specifically, as a means to bring more content into the X ecosystem.

Musk himself has shared several demonstrations of X’s advancing game-streaming tools in recent weeks, though its options do still remain a fair way behind its various competitors on this element. 

Elon’s view is that X should be able to compete with every other video platform, in all aspects, even looking to beat out YouTube on creator revenue share. Which would be no small feat, considering the established process that YouTube has for creator monetization. But with his Creator Revenue Share system now feeding money through to top creators in the app, Musk and Co. are now working on new developments, like live-stream improvements, in order to maximize the creative options in the app.

Expanded broadcasting options are another aspect, and the integration with StreamYard will facilitate more tools to help customize and maximize your X live streams.

Expect to see more X live stream improvements in 2024, and if you’re looking to maximize your reach in the app, it could be a good consideration for your planning. 

If you follow social media marketing news (which presumably you do if you’re reading this), you’ve no doubt read several stories about APIs, mostly in relation to third-party applications.

But if you’re not a programmer, you may not understand what an API is, and how it relates to digital marketing systems.

To provide some more insight on this, the team from Salesforce have put together this infographic, which takes a broader look at the various ways in which APIs can be used.

It could help you better contextualize more API-related discussion. 

Imagine if you had ChatGPT with you at all times, so that you could pose questions to an AI system as you walk around in your everyday life.

That could soon be a reality, with Meta testing an integrated AI chatbot within its Ray Ban Stories sunglasses, so you can ask questions based on what the cameras can see via the device.

Note: Ostentatious cardigans are optional when wearing your Ray Ban Stories.

As demonstrated by Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth, with this new test, those using Ray Ban Stories (U.S. only for now) will be able to say “Hey Meta” and then ask questions that can then be answered by Meta’s AI system. The system can generate ChatGPT-like responses, supplemented with additional info from Microsoft’s Bing search engine, which could be handy for getting on-the-go insights into anything you like via the device.

So long as you’re fine with looking like a weirdo, chatting to your glasses, phone in hand, then looking at the results on your device.

I mean, you could probably just take a picture on your phone and get the same result, but that’s arguably not as cool as being able to ask a form of digital omnipresence, which can then reply, making you feel like you’re walking around some futuristic spaceship.

And really, this is about future potential, not necessarily immediate value. Sure, it’s interesting to be able to ask your sunglasses what plant you’re looking at, but this is more of a precursor to the next stage, where more people will be using voice commands in everyday life, with AI systems then able to provide conversational answers, and become digital companions, of sorts, in a range of ways.

But then again, you can kind of do that already in your home, if you have a home assistant device. And those haven’t proven hugely popular, though youngsters who are growing up with voice commands are likely to become increasingly reliant on conversational queries, which could make this an even more valuable innovation over time.

And maybe, if Meta releases a non-sunglass version, maybe even prescription Ray Bans (or similar), there could be additional interest and value there. Then, eventually, the device will become more integrated, and less reliant on a supplementary screen, like your phone, and over time, the value and utility of such will improve, making it more appealing and useful.

So while it’s a novelty now, it’s more interesting to consider where the technology is headed, and what this means for future interaction with the same.

Right now, it’s a bit weird, and not hugely beneficial, but it’s another step towards the next stage of AR interaction, as Meta continues to build on this front.

U.S. Ray Ban Stories users will be able to test out the new functionality shortly.

Good news with EU social media fans, with Threads looking set for a December 14th launch in the region, just in time to capitalize on holiday engagement.

As reported by The Verge, EU Instagram users can now access a countdown timer at www.threads.net, which seemingly indicates the exact time for the upcoming EU launch. Meta hasn’t made any official announcement, but the countdown clock is only visible to European users, while EU users can also search ‘ticket’ in the Instagram app to find a digital invitation to Threads.

Which replicates the original Threads launch back in July, which included similar Easter eggs and indicators pointing to the launch date (like the above).

The EU launch of Threads has been delayed by evolving EU data privacy regulations, which, due to the timing of the implementation of these new rules, has put additional development burden on the Threads team to ensure compliance with the new parameters. Amid the initial Threads launch, Instagram (and Threads) chief Adam Mosseri said that it could take “many months” for Threads to reach EU users due to these additional complications.

But we have since seen indicators that Threads is coming.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta had an established plan to launch Threads to EU users in December, while app researchers have found various references to an upcoming “Threads EU Launch” in the app’s code.

Given the various strands of evidence, it does indeed seem likely that European users will get access to the app next week. And again, with social media usage increasing during the holiday break, that would also provide the best opportunity for Meta to capitalize on its opportunities.

Which are seemingly on the rise. As more people turn away from Elon Musk’s X project, largely due to Musk’s own divisive commentary, they’re seeking a real-time social alternative, and for many Threads is already filling that void.

That’s especially true for journalists, a common target of Musk’s attacks, who are now establishing new networks within the Threads ecosphere. And while live sports engagement remains high on X, Threads is also making a push to win over more sports communities, even placing ads courtside during the new NBA in-season tournament showcase in Las Vegas.

That’s seemingly prompting more sports fans to post in the app, which will expand again with the arrival of potentially millions more users in the EU region.

So how many more users can Threads expect to gain as a result of its European expansion?

Based on Meta’s EU disclosure data on active users, Instagram currently serves some 259 million monthly active users in Europe.

Instagram’s total, official user count is 1 billion MAU, while Threads now has over 100 million monthly users. So presumably, around a tenth of active IG users are also signing up to the app, which would mean that, at a rough estimate, we’re set to see around 25.9 million new Threads users incoming, if/when Threads is launched in the EU region.

Which is probably not as many as you might expect, but this is based on rough estimates, as Instagram reportedly has more than a billion actives now, and we don’t know the exact, current user counts of either app.

But either way, it will expand the conversation in the app, and enable more people to take part, which has its own expanded benefits. And with around 60 million X users also in the region, that could see a number of them looking to make the switch.

Which is the real aim here. Meta has created Threads as the X alternative, aiming to scoop up former Twitter cast-offs who are unhappy with Elon’s changes at the app. In order to do that, Threads needs to be available in all regions where X users may be looking to jump ship, so its EU expansion is another critical step in this respect.

It’ll be interesting to see what Threads user numbers rise to over the holiday period, and whether it can indeed become a genuine rival for X in total active engagement.

We’ll keep you updated on any official announcement on the Threads EU launch.

This is interesting.

This week, LinkedIn has changed the name of its “Linkedin for Creators” profile to “LinkedIn Guide to Creating”, as it refocuses its efforts on guiding creators within the app.

As explained by LinkedIn:

“We’ve been actively listening to your feedback and are evolving to better meet your needs.  This community’s fantastic insights on the content you want more of, such as tips on driving engaging conversations, carving out your own niche, and investing in yourself, are part of what has guided this change.”

The new approach will see LinkedIn share more content designed to help users maximize engagement in the app, and boost their presence.

Which could be handy, particularly when you also factor in the engagement gains that LinkedIn has seen over the last few years.

A report released earlier this year showed that sharing of original content on LinkedIn increased by 41% year-over-year in 2022, while the platform itself has continued to report “record levels” of engagement. LinkedIn’s also likely benefiting from the disruption at X, which has seen many businesses seeking alternative options for online engagement.   

As such, it could be worth considering your own LinkedIn presence, and how to maximize engagement with your LinkedIn updates and efforts.

The new LinkedIn “Guide to Creating” could provide some handy tips and pointers, with quick notes like these, coming direct from LinkedIn, providing some valuable insights.

You can follow the LinkedIn Guide to Creating page here.

So what comes next for Elon Musk’s ambitious “everything app” now that he’s insulted those in charge of the platform’s key revenue stream?

Will X be forced to shut down? Will Elon pay out of his own pocket to keep it running? Can X possibly make enough from subscriptions to offset its ad losses?

There are a range of considerations, and while we don’t have all the answers (because only Elon and Co. have the full data), based on reported insights, here’s what we do know about how X is currently placed.

Will X go bankrupt?

Maybe. Again, we don’t have a full overview of X’s financial situation, because as a private company, it’s no longer required to report quarterly performance statements.

But we do know that X was already set to post a loss for FY 23 before this latest advertiser exodus.

Based on previous data reported by Twitter, the platform generated around $3.96 billion from ads in 2022. In September, Elon said that the company’s ad revenue has halved since he took over, due to concerns about his new direction for the platform, as well as broader market pressures, so we can assume, then, that before this latest ad pause, X had been on track to bring in around $2 billion in ad revenue for the year.

Which is still a lot, and even with a range of advertisers pausing their campaigns, that’s only going to impact this quarter, which, based on a recent report from The New York Times, will cost X around $75 million in ad revenue overall.

So the platform’s still likely on track to bring in around $1.9 billion for the year. Which is a lot less than what Twitter had been generating, but even so, that’s a lot of money that the company’s churning over. So it’s not exactly close to shutting down entirely, depending on costs.

Which is the other complexity in this equation.

In 2022, Twitter’s costs were set to exceed $5 billion before Musk took over at the app, with around $3.8 billion of that in staff costs alone. That’s why Elon set about his drastic cost-cutting plan, which included a cull of 80% of staff, shutting down regional offices, re-negotiating rent deals, closing down a key data center, etc.

We don’t know what the full impacts of these cost-saving measures has been, but we can estimate that, in combination, X’s costs may have been brought down to around $2 billion overall, though there have also been additional costs in GPUs for xAI and other elements that Musk and his team have implemented (it’s unclear if and how these costs are attributed to X Corp, and how that relates to X’s operating margins).

But for the sake of this exercise, let’s say that X’s costs are now $2 billion, and its income from ads is $1.9 billion or so. X is also seemingly on track to bring in an additional $650 million from subscriptions and data/API sales, so overall, even with this ad boycott, X is still looking okay, maybe.

But then there’s also the debt load that X took on as part of Musk’s takeover deal. In order to acquire the full funding for his $44 billion offer for the platform, Elon also took on debt that will cost X an estimated $1.2 billion per year in interest payments.    

So X is currently looking at income of around $2.5b for the year, and costs of $3.2b. Which means that any further loss will only compound this, and if advertisers stay away into the new year, things start to look pretty bleak pretty fast.

So, in summary, right now, for this year, X will probably be okay. But as the losses mount, by March next year, if things don’t turn around, X could be facing billions in losses, which may indeed end up putting it out of business.

Elon’s the richest man in the world, couldn’t he just keep X afloat with his own cash?

Probably, but it’s not necessarily as simple as it seems.

Elon does, of course, have access to billions in capital, and various means to raise more. But at the same time, he can’t just head to the bank and take out a few billion from the ATM to keep X going.

Musk has previously stated that the majority of his wealth is tied up in Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, etc. So while he does have hundreds of billions to his name, he’s not necessarily liquid, and when he wants to cash out, there are processes that must be followed, and impacts as a result, so it’s not as simple as just paying it out of his personal wallet.

In order to find his purchase of Twitter, for example, Elon sold around $7 billion of Tesla stock. Which did not sit well with Tesla investors, who essentially then forced him to promise not to sell any more Tesla stock due to fears that it could tank the company’s value.

Musk also borrowed $1 billion from SpaceX around the time of his Twitter acquisition, which has since been repaid.

So, essentially, Musk can fund X as an ongoing project, but pumping billions into something with no return is not smart business, and won’t be as easy as just transferring Tesla money into X’s coffers.

Maybe other backers will help him, and be willing to take some hits, if Elon can sell them on a path to profitability. But again, telling your key revenue partners to “go f— yourself” is probably not going to win him a lot of corporate support, even from those who view him as a genius.

X is moving towards subscriptions, will that offset its ad losses?

No. Not even close, though that did, initially, seem like Musk’s ambition.

In November last year, shortly after Elon took over at Twitter, he outlined a vague plan to make subscriptions a key revenue driver, eventually accounting for 50% of Twitter’s overall revenue intake.

As per the above figures, that would mean that X would need to be bringing in more than $2 billion per year from subscriptions at its FY 2022 income levels, which equates to around 12 million paying subscribers at X’s highest priced subscription tier.

Thus far, however, X hasn’t even been able to convince a million people to pay for X Premium.

Though you can see the idea, conceptually, and why Musk thought that this was a viable option. Elon’s belief is that the majority of people support his “free speech” push in the app, and at 250 million+ daily active users, convincing just 5% of them to pay seems like an achievable target.

Evidently, that hasn’t been the case.

And while upping the cost of API access, and selling verification to brands has helped to bring in more supplementary revenue, it’s not close to bringing in anywhere near what X generates from ads.

Even at its now lower ad revenue intake, of around $2 billion for the year, its other income streams are far from generating 50% of its overall revenue.

Last month, X said that subscriptions and data sales now make up 25% of its overall intake, which seems like a positive, but that’s mostly due to X’s overall ad revenue declining so much, not its subscription intake increasing.

Will advertisers come back?

This, ideally, would be what X is aiming for, but Musk’s comments this week indicate that he’s not going to any effort to rectify the situation.

In fact, he’s actively pushing ad partners away, while also insulting publications and journalists, who have long been the key drivers of information flow in the app.

The disconnect here seems to be that Elon is associating advertisers abandoning his app with his own ideological view on what X is, and where it stands within the broader “free speech” debate.

This is evident when you look at Musk’s specific wording in his criticism of advertisers this week:

“If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go fuck yourself. Go fuck yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”

Musk’s view is that advertisers are trying to make X tow the line on perceived censorship, which is not actually what’s happening.

As articulated by YouTube star Hank Green:

“Fortune 500 companies aren’t overly moral actors. They make decisions based on whether they think they will make more or less money. Advertisers are not leaving Twitter because they are trying to make a statement or achieve some goal (which would be a boycott). They are leaving Twitter because they aren’t sure whether advertising on the platform is delivering negative or positive value, and why spend a bunch of money doing something that might actually be hurting you.”

Musk’s viewing this from an ideological standpoint, but as Green notes, his business partners are worried about their respective brand value, not controlling what can and cannot be said.

That misunderstanding is at the core of Musk’s defiance, and his stance against advertiser pressure.

Will Elon see it that way, and look into potential failings in the platform’s ad serving system, and indeed his own comments, and how they represent X as an entity?

It seems, at this stage, that Elon is determined to make a stand, that he will not be silenced, even if what he shares is wrong/misinformed/harmful, etc.

That being the case, I’m not sure how Yaccarino and her team are going to be able to pitch ad partners on an improved situation moving forward.

How long does X have?

Well, all of this, of course, is variable, and dependent on a range of factors along the way.

Maybe, Elon does decide that he wants to work with ad partners, and improve the situation, and maybe that then secures X’s user base, and brings back ad partners as a result. X still has hundreds of millions of active users, and offers significant advertising opportunity as a result, so there is still a chance that X can turn things around once again.

But right now, most of X’s growth plans are still vague, while Elon has shown no interest in re-aligning the platform in this respect.

X is looking to implement payments, but is years away from making this a reality. And even if does bring payments into the app, why would people use such a service?

X is rolling out its Grok AI chatbot to more users, but most people already use ChatGPT, and there’s not really a significant differentiation between AI chatbots to make this a more attractive option.

X has added jobs, is looking at dating, and is pushing for more long-form text and video content, all of which is already available in more fully-formed, functional offerings in other apps.

With no big, game-changing advances on the horizon, and Elon standing firm on his advertising stance, I imagine that X could be in significant trouble by March next year, as its Q1 results will show just how far off it is, and how much of a loss it’s facing as a result.

X won’t necessarily report this publicly, but that’s when you’re likely to see more cost-cutting from the app, which will be a signal that it’s in serious trouble. And given that Musk has already cut most elements to the bone, it may well be staring down a massive loss, which could see it considering bankruptcy mid next year.

Things might change, X might re-assess its stances, and this could end up being a blip in its longer-term trajectory. But right now, Elon seems determined to die on his “free speech” hill, cheered on by his many fans, who hang on his every utterance, desperate for his acknowledgment in any form.

If those are the people Musk really wants to impress, then X may well end up being the cost.

And right now, Elon seems just fine with that.  

Reddit has provided an overview of its international growth efforts, as it continues to re-shape its app, with a view to maximizing its business opportunities.

Over the past few years, Reddit has made significant advances on this front, which began, most notably, with the removal of its most controversial subreddits back in 2020.  Since then, Reddit has added a range of new ad targeting tools, while continuing its clean-up efforts, in order to distance itself from the platform’s past, and its reputation as a more lawless corner of the internet.

International expansion is another part of this, and Reddit’s undertaking several new initiatives to better connect with audiences outside the U.S.

First off, Reddit says that it’s been working with moderators in the UK, Germany, and France to “build out local communities and bring a more personal, relatable experience to redditors”.

“Whether it’s curating the cultural, seasonal, and trending moments happening in real time or spotlighting major moments like Eurovision and the Cricket World Cup, we’re working to surface the amazing conversations and interactions already taking place on Reddit every minute and make them even more meaningful to a wider audience.”

Reddit’s also making India a focus, with dedicated Reddit Avatars linked to seasonal moments for India’s Independence Day and Diwali, along with other activations.

It’s also added new language translation options to broaden content access, while it’s also looking to highlight more local content to users in-stream:

“The Communities Tab now serves up a list of suggested communities based on local and country trends, culturally relevant and popular subreddits, and other suitable topics like Bollywood movies and the Cricket World Cup in India, Champions League in Germany, and Paris Rolex Masters in France.”

Reddit’s also working to improve its sign-up options to cater to different users and devices, while it’s also appointed a new VP of International Growth to help further expand and evolve its offerings.

Reddit says that its international expansion efforts are paying off, with the platform seeing double-digit growth in daily active users outside the U.S., and a steady increase in international ad revenue intake.

Though Reddit has also had to take a step back on the usage front, as part of its clean-up efforts, which, as noted, saw many of the most controversial subreddit communities expelled.

At one stage, back in 2019, Reddit had 430 million monthly actives, but Reddit now claims some 70 million daily actives instead. That’s a significant variance, even though it is comparing monthly and daily users, with the bottom line being that Reddit has lost users as a result of its reformation project, which it’s now trying to get back through expansion projects.

As such, international audiences are a critical consideration, and it’ll be interesting to see whether Reddit does catch on in other markets.