Full Transcription
[Introduction] – 00:00
Hey everyone, welcome back to episode 86 of the TWIMshow. This is your host, Sajid Islam. And today, I’ll be going over the notable news and updates in the digital marketing space from the week of December 6, 2021.
[Update 1 – Pinterest Predicts: The Trends to Watch for 2022] – 00:13
So first of all of all, today, we are going to start off with Pinterest and some predictions. Pinterest has gone ahead and published trends to watch for in 2022.
Now, one thing I want to add at the top at the beginning is that these trends in the past has been quite accurate, accurate to the tune of 80%, because then Pinterest last year published some report that says, hey, our prediction for 2020 was 80% accurate, and now obviously we are in 2021.
We are looking at predictions for 2022. So what can you do with these predictions? A whole lot of things because Pinterest has basically launched a mini site and broken down on that site and sections by 35 different categories based on things that are not in trend. But Pinterest thinks are going to be in trend. And keep in mind last year they had 30 trends this year it’s gone up by
five more trends, which brings down to 35. So the link is in our Show Notes page. Go ahead and check it out again. If you are someone who is in marketing space or small business owners and you want to see what’s going to take off, this is the thing you need to check out.
[Update 2 – Pinterest Acquires Vochi, A Video Creation and Editing App] – 01:41
Okay with that, let’s move on to the next update from Pinterest, which is Pinterest has acquired this video creation tool called Vochi. Now, normally, I would not cover this kind of updates just because it does not directly affect the small business marketing. However, there is a reason why I’m covering this. I’m covering this because it kind of tells us the listeners as well as people in the space that look video is here to stay. We have seen the rise of video.
We have seen how Instagram from a photo-sharing app to became a video sharing app to something else. But video has been pivotal and has been the thing that’s driving the change. Pinterest has always been all about curation and it’s all about images. Now Pinterest is also moving into video to the tune
of where they are acquiring a third-party tool that they’re going to bring into their app and basically give us the capability to edit videos within the Pinterest app. So this is key. Do not look things at the surface. I would say think of the reasons and where the industry is moving in. So if video is not part of your marketing stack, part of your marketing strategy, then this is a high
time to kind of say, you know what? We need to bring video back and we need to move that’s all there is to that’s all there is to this update and this is why I’m covering it. Make sure you have a video as part of your marketing strategy. Okay. Especially for small businesses.
[Update 3 – Facebook Launches ‘Professional Profiles’ for Creators] – 03:16
Next up, Facebook has launched this thing called Professional Profiles for creators. Now, what are these? Let me explain this to you. Facebook has realized a lot of these creators this day and age are not creating professional pages. They’re basically creating and promoting the stuff from their own personal profile. Now, in the past, Facebook has gone ahead and deleted or banned some of these profiles for doing whatever they’re doing. And now Facebook is realizing, you know what? This is bullshit. Right? Again, Facebook didn’t say that. I’m just saying me putting myself in the Facebook shoes and say, this is BS. Why are we doing this? So now they’ve said, hey, there’s an option toggle switching. You can go to your profile and you can say you are a professional creator and toggle turn it on. And if you do that, you’re going to able to see some stats and insights, such as audience profile insights and other monetization features all in one place. Facebook is doing it for a couple of reasons. Number one, they’re not telling us this. But eventually, once you have that, they will probably be able to bring in ads more ad inventory by offering up new ad types. Again, mark this episode, which is episode 86. When Facebook does do ads into these professional profiles and all these targeting, I’m going to come back and refer to this episode, but that’s besides the point for now, go ahead and take advantage of it, because like with anything we have seen, if this is something new, Facebook will go ahead and give you the reach and the stuff that you need to grow your account. So when life gives you lemon, make lemonade with it. That’s the same philosophy. Facebook is creating something new. Again, this is not available to everyone. This is given. Professional profiles has been given to select profiles in the US. So if you have that, go ahead and take advantage of it, grow your presence, if not, keep an eye out when it comes out, be one of the first few to adopt it. Go ahead, build your following, build your reach. And then when it’s kind of Facebook tunnels it down, go ahead and move on to something new that Facebook is going to come up with. But Facebook has realized pages does not really work. So let’s tell people, hey, go ahead and let’s create creator profiles, professional profiles for creators.
[Update 4 – Facebook Launches ‘Stars Fest’ to Increase Donations & Audience] – 05:45
Okay, with that next up from Facebook front, we have Facebook launches Star Fest to increase donations and audience. So what are stars? Stars are essentially a virtual currency that can be purchased in various bundles that enables Facebook users to allocate them to creators via live stream. So here’s something very interesting, right? And I’ve seen before you say, hey, who is going to use Star fest and things like that? I’ve seen again in the adult industry on Instagram. What the hell am I talking about. Right. So I’ve seen a lot of ladies who will dress up in a not-so-professional way and do lives and basically have their fans interact with them. And literally, I am telling you, this is soft porn on Instagram. So before you say who is going to use StarFest, I can pretty much assure you there are a lot of people who are going to take advantage of it in many different ways, where they’re going to be able to interact with the star, the performer, and in the process, they’re going to basically wealth or transfer money from one end, the viewer, the watcher, the audience into the creator. Right. So up until the time that I saw that happening on Instagram, I didn’t really realize who is going to use these features. But then I realized there is a non-issue. And then obviously there are good causes as well. Right. Imagine if you had your favorite pop star, whether it’s Drake or whether it’s Beyonce doing a concert, a charity concert, you could transfer money over to them. So they’re pluses everywhere. And there are minuses as well. But what Facebook is trying to do is basically try to push people into virtual currency,
because now when they do that, the money stays within Facebook, and there’s a lot more. Facebook becomes like a virtual currency hub where I see a lot of potentials. But again, the other draws back. I see Facebook is that what if they ban your account, right. And before you say, well, that can never happen.
It has happened. It has happened to people. I know it has happened to leaders that they did not confirm to Facebook for whatever reasons. That’s why they have an oversight board now. So imagine this if your account somehow get banned for whatever reason the money goes, where again, folks, it’s my job to bring the news to you and kind of analyze it and give it to you. So I’ve given it to you. You do what works for you. Again, I’m not a big fan of Facebook just because it has a very opaque enforcement rules where they enforce one set of rules to one set of people, and then they’ll give other people, like a big broad play pass. So other than that, nothing else.
[Update 5 – Twitter Extends Access to Spaces Recording] – 08:53
Let’s move on to the next update. Twitter is extending their access to spaces recording to people who are not even part of Twitter. Again, we’ve covered this in the past where Twitter has rolled out to spaces, and then we set the spaces.
Anyone on the web can listen to it. And I kind of like that. Now they’re giving them access to recording feature as well. In a way, it’s good news for Twitter because Twitter is finding ways to kind of grow their footprint of their ecosystem. Clubhouse started the whole audio revolution. I’m not sure where clubhouse is. We don’t cover clubhouse anymore. I don’t see clubhouse is kind of going away fading away where Twitter is very much making improvements to spaces and making it more usable. Okay, that’s all there is.
[Update 6 – Snap Unveils 523 Content Accelerator Program] – 09:41
Next up is Snapchat, which is Snap unveil 523 content Explorator program. Again, why I’m covering it. It’s not because, hey, Snap did something great.
The program is mainly towards minority owned businesses and operated by individuals who identify themselves as Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, nonbinary LGBTQ plus women veterans who are having a disability. Right. So it’s mainly geared towards small businesses. But what is interesting to me is and where the trend is and where the industry is going is that they’re actually helping small companies to create content. So folks, you see where the industry is shifting, it’s becoming content focus. All these programs are creating like YouTube as a program. I believe Pinterest has a program. I believe TikTok has a program. Facebook also created a creative program, but this one is the first of its kind where they’re based on LinkedIn has one and this is the first of its kind was focused on agency and focused on content that can actually be shown on the Snapchat Discover tab. So what this is all about is video is key crucial and content is crucial. That’s what’s going into 2022. And this is actually perfect time because we have, like, 15 or so days left before the year ends. This is a crucial time for us to look at it. Like, what are we going to do in 2022? Besides the regular advertising and marketing is that we should focus on content. That’s the takeaway from this update.
[Update 7 – New Marketing with Purpose Business Attributes Showcase Brand Values] – 11:22
Okay, next up, this is for Microsoft new marketing with purpose business attributes showcase brand values. And Microsoft. Basically advertising has added different categories for new attributes or categories that joins the 32 marketing with purpose business attributes that Microsoft introduced in September and that was covered in our show as well. What this does, it helps you to stand out from all the other businesses because we realized and we noticed that businesses, small businesses, that people like to support small businesses that are like a particular background, whether it’s Black, LGBTQ or Asian and you want to showcase it, do it. Unfortunately, that option is not yet available in Google ads. However, if I can look through my Crystal ball, I know Google is going to copy that as well, because these days the platforms and all these platforms are copying each other. That’s all they’re doing nothing else.
[Update 8 – Google Ads Image Extensions Are Now Available on Desktop Devices] – 12:23
Okay with that last update of this week is Google Ads. Image extensions are now available on desktop devices. If you remember, if not, Google introduced image extensions for mobile back in May 2021. And now Google is bringing to desktop. Why do you care? Why should you care? Only because now when your search results show up, there could be an image next to it. This is great things for certain products where an image can help you get that click close that sale make some revenue. Right? So this is Google’s way of combating Facebook, I guess. And Instagram. Because Facebook and Instagram is such a
visual, you get to see the products. However, there are two different ecosystem, right? Facebook is more discovery where we target people based on their interest. Whereas Google is more like you go and search for a problem. Search for educational information. And off comes your ads. It’s more targeted in one way. They both have the pros and cons. I’m not going to say one is better than the other, but definitely image extensions are an extra power to your Google ads. I like that. Okay
[Closing] – 13:41
With that folks, that’s it for This Week In Marketing. Now you know everything to be in the know. If you’d like to read more, make sure you visit our show page where you would find the links to the articles. Once again this is your host Sajid Islam signing off until next week. Take care bye-bye.
Thank you for tuning in this week, it was a pleasure to serve you all. Hit the subscribe button so that you remember to sign on next week. Same place, same time for another round of This Week In Marketing.
1. Pinterest Predicts: The trends to watch for 2022 (00:13) – Pinterest through its Predicts report provided an overview of where things are headed in 2022, based on Pin activity, in a range of business categories. They have highlighted 35 trends that it says are not trending yet but will be in the near future (Pinterest shared 30 trends last year).
The trends range from make-up to fashion, to home décor, with various other, less Pinterest-y elements along the way. Pinterest has also provided a more visual overview of each trend on its dedicated Pinterest Predicts mini-site, along with Pin samples in each category.
There’s some interesting data here, and if you’re marketing on Pinterest, or considering the platform for your 2022 strategy, it’s worth taking a look at the search trend notes and data, which may provide some key guidance in your approach.
And at 80% predictive value, in terms of flagging what’s coming next, Pinterest’s track record is solid.
2. Pinterest Acquires Vochi, A Video Creation and Editing App (01:41) – As part of its broader push into video content, Pinterest has announced the acquisition of video editing app Vochi, which enables users to easily add effects to their clips.
Vochi enables users to remove items from clips, add 3D effects, and add other specialized visual features that can make your clips stand out in feeds. The app is currently used by around 500k people per month and is generating around $4 million in annual revenue through subscriptions and add-on features.
And now, it will become part of the broader Pinterest creator suite, which will add more elements to its growing video push, which also includes its ‘Idea Pins’ social Stories variation.
3. Facebook Launches ‘Professional Profiles’ for Creators (03:16) – Facebook’s making a push to facilitate more opportunities for creators in its app, with new ‘Professional Mode for Profiles’ to welcome new creators in, and updates for Creator Pages.
As per Facebook:
“We know that many creators – especially those who are just starting out – are on profiles, so from today, we’re announcing the roll-out of a new professional mode for profiles. Professional Mode will open up access to post, audience, and profile insights, as well as give easy access to monetization features – all in one place.”
So rather than pushing new creators to professional Pages, Professional Mode for Profiles will provide more insights on post-performance and audience growth for those using regular Facebook profiles.
Those who turn on Professional Mode also qualify for Reels bonuses and other features, which Facebook will be hoping will lure more people into posting more often, with a view to increasing these newly present engagement stats. Note, right at the bottom of the first screenshot, that you can turn off Professional Mode at any time if you decide that being a social media creator isn’t for you.
4. Facebook Launches ‘Stars Fest’ to Increase Donations & Audience (05:45) – Stars are essentially a virtual currency that can be purchased in various bundles, which then enables Facebook users to allocate them to creators via live-streams (audio and video).
And from now on until December 31st, you’ll be able to purchase more Stars for less, with discounts on Stars packages, while Facebook’s also adding new Stars features and usage options to spark further interest in the tool.
The biggest functional addition, at least from a general user perspective, is the launch of a new Stars Store, “where people can buy Stars at lower prices”.
“Stars are deposited into people’s virtual wallets to then send to eligible creators during Facebook Live, on-demand videos, or Live Audio Rooms. In the Stars store, fans get more Stars for their money at lower prices, so they can support even more of their favorite creators.”
In addition to this, Facebook’s also looking to make Stars useable in more functions, including for videos in the News Feed, in Facebook Watch, and within the Facebook Gaming tab.
Facebook’s also adding a new ‘Stars Party’ option, which will provide Stars fundraising goals when groups of people are viewing and donating in a live stream.
5. Twitter Extends Access to Spaces Recording (08:53) – Twitter is expanding access to its Spaces Recording capability, which began rolling out in late October. All users can listen to them, and more hosts can use the feature.
6. Snap Unveils 523 Content Accelerator Program (09:41) – Snapchat launched “523,” a new content accelerator program for small, minority-owned content companies. Many accelerators at social media companies are designed to bolster individual creators. The 523 programs is focused on media companies creating premium shows for Snapchat’s content arm, Discover.
The program will award 20 minority-owned media upstarts $10,000 per month for six months to help them create content for Discover.
Snapchat defines minority-owned businesses as those that are 51% owned and operated by individuals who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, non-binary, LGBTQ+, women, veterans, or having a disability. Eligible businesses must also employ fewer than 20 people and have gross revenue in 2021 — or in the last 12 months — that’s less than $5 million.
7. New Marketing with Purpose Business Attributes Showcase Brand Values (11:22) – Microsoft Advertising has added Asian-owned, Latin-owned, Women-owned, and Diabetic-friendly business attributes, enabling advertisers to showcase more of their selling points and values, the company announced Thursday. These four new attributes join the 32 Marketing with Purpose business attributes that Microsoft introduced in September.
Personal ethics and brand values have become factors in buying decisions for many customers. Being able to quickly differentiate your brand from others, through attributes such as these, can help you stand out from the competition.
8. Google Ads Image Extensions Are Now Available on Desktop Devices (12:23) – Google announced that image extensions for Google Ads is rolling out to desktop ads now. Note, it launched for mobile search ads in May 2021. Also, Google Ads image extensions now support dynamic image extensions for any language and you can use stock images as well for these image ad extensions.
Google said image extensions complement your Search ad with relevant visuals of your products and services. “Previously, image extensions only showed on mobile devices,” Google said. Google will soon show them on desktop devices in the next few weeks. If you are already using image extensions on mobile Google said they will show on desktop devices automatically as the update rolls out.
