Social Media Has Died: What Brands and Marketers Must Know

Published: Wed, 08/10/22

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WEDNESDAY AUGUST 10th 2022

The Daily REYD tm

Social Media Has Died:
What Brands and Marketers Must Know

It’s been said that people don’t know what they want until you show it to them. And, in the case of social media, this appears to be true.

What started out as a way for people to connect with friends and family has turned into a battleground for attention and engagement. Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have been trying to one-up each other with new features, all in an attempt to be more like TikTok.

To be clear, when we say "social media," we're talking about platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These networks were built on the idea of giving people a way to communicate with each other, and for a while, that's exactly what they did. But as algorithms have become more sophisticated and as users have become more savvy, people stopped feeling social.

What people really want is perceived authenticity. They want to be entertained and engaged with content that is real, not scripted or contrived. And that is something that the big social media platforms are slowly but surely losing.

There is no more social media. One-to-one social networking is gone. It’s been replaced by heavily curated feeds and algorithms designed to keep us hooked.

Even on LinkedIn, I can't get away from videos of people dancing and twerking in order to get attention to their resume. One person even posed "almost" naked in order to make "a point" but it was all about extreme attention getting.

We are no longer in control of our own social media experiences – the platforms are -- and they want your eyeballs staring at them.

And that’s a shame, because social media was once a great way to connect with friends and family.

It was a place where we could share our thoughts and feelings, and where we could have real conversations with each other.

But those days are long gone. Now, social media is all about the numbers. It’s about getting as many likes and shares as possible, regardless of the quality of the content.

What's more, content consumption platforms are not just reaching more people than social media - they're reaching younger people too. The aforementioned Pew Research Center study found that YouTube reaches more 18- to 49-year-olds than any other cable network. And a recent study by eMarketer found that Netflix will reach more American millennials this year than any other digital platform.

Of course, that's not to say that people aren't still using it – they are. But the platform that was once seen as the pinnacle of online communication has been replaced by something far more powerful and pervasive: content consumption.

What does that mean for brands and advertisers? It means that you can't rely on social media to reach your target audience. Sure, you can still use it to distribute content, but if you want to truly connect with your customers, you need to go where they are – and that's in the content they're consuming.

The best way to do that is by creating content that resonates with your target audience. This will be more important than any other sort of advertising. That might mean creating videos, writing blog posts, or even just posting images on social media. The key is to make sure your content is relevant and interesting to your audience, and that it provides value.

When creating content for newer platforms, it's important to keep in mind that these audiences are different than those on what used to be called “social media.”. They're looking for fun, entertaining content that is relevant to their interests.

So, how can you create content that resonates with these audiences? Here are a few tips:

1. Make sure your content is relevant and interesting.

When it comes to TikTok especially, viewers are looking for something that will make them laugh, smile, or just generally feel good. So if you want to create valuable content, focus on entertainment value .Keep your target audience in mind when creating content, and make sure it is relevant and interesting to them. If your content is boring or irrelevant, they won't watch it. They also will leave your channel fast if it’s just full of hard sale advertisements. If you're trying to be serious, make sure your information is accurate and well-researched. And always remember to stay on-brand; if your channel is all about cute animals, don't suddenly start posting political videos.

2. Provide value.

Your audience will appreciate videos that provide value - whether that's entertainment, information, or both. Try to think of creative ways to deliver valuable content to your viewers. share useful information with your viewers. This could be anything from tips on how to do something new, to information about current events or hot topics. Try to think of creative ways to deliver this information, and make sure it's interesting and engaging for your viewers. Take advantage of trends and current events. If something is happening in the world, try to create content around it that will interest your viewers.

3. Be creative.

TikTok and other newer platforms are all about creativity and fun. So be creative with your content - use humor, be innovative, and think outside the box. This will help you stand out from the crowd and attract attention from new viewers. Try filming unique video concepts, or use special effects and filters to add interest and flair to your videos. The more creative you are, the more likely people are to watch and share your content. Another thing to keep in mind is the tone of your content. If you're trying to be funny, make sure your jokes are funny!

So as a brand advertiser how can you come up with fresh ideas that will capture your audience’s attention? Try brainstorming with friends or family members, or check out some of the latest trends on social media. You can also watch other popular TikTok creators for inspiration. This may seem completely different than what many agencies have taught their employees, but changing the way we interact means changing the way we advertise.

What is your agency doing to change how it advertises? What forward thinking ideas do you have?

Pesach Lattin
Pesach@lattin.us
Connect with me on LinkedIn.

TheRundown
At least 10 News Stories you Must Know
(but don't have time to read!)

1. Instagram has always been a copycat. Ever since it was first created, the platform has been shamelessly copying features from other social media networks. And, while this strategy may have worked in the past, it seems to be backfiring now that there are so many other platforms out there.

TikTok, in particular, has been stealing Instagram’s users left and right. The app is quick, easy to use, and most importantly, it’s fun. Instagram is starting to look like a stuffy old network that’s no longer relevant. And, to make matters worse, Instagram has been struggling to keep up with the ever-changing algorithms of both Facebook and YouTube. As a result, posts that used to get a lot of engagement are now being buried deep in people’s feeds.

2. The Department of Justice is preparing to file another antitrust lawsuit against Google, according to Bloomberg. The suit may come in the coming weeks and is aimed at the company's advertising market. Sources told Bloomberg that the DOJ has been interviewing publishers that work with Google as part of its preparations. The department is said to be concerned about the dominance of Google in the online advertising market.

Google is already facing an antitrust lawsuit from the European Union, which accused the company of using its dominant position in search to favor its own products and services.

3. Walmart has been in talks with major streaming players, including Paramount, Disney and Comcast, as it looks to add value to its Walmart+ membership package through streaming content. The company is said to be looking for a deal that would give it access to movies and TV shows from the three studios, as well as other content providers. While it remains to be seen if Walmart will be able to secure such a deal, the move would be a major coup for the retailer. Walmart+ has so far been largely overshadowed by Amazon Prime, but adding streaming content could help it compete more effectively against its rival. It's also worth noting that Walmart isn't the only traditional retailer looking to get into the streaming business; Target recently announced its own partnership with Vudu, which gives Target customers access to a library of movies and TV shows.

4. Asia is home to some of the world's largest social media platforms, and TikTok is one of the fastest-growing. The app has been downloaded over 1.5 billion times, and it is particularly popular with young people. According to a recent study, TikTok is now the second-most popular social media platform in Asia, behind only Facebook. The study also found that TikTok is edging closer to YouTube when it comes to market share. In other words, TikTok is quickly becoming a major force in the social media landscape. This isn't surprising, given the app's impressive growth rate and its popularity with users. With over 1.5 billion downloads and counting, TikTok shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

5. Rumble, a video service, has been given the go-ahead by a California judge to proceed with the early stages of an antitrust suit against Google. The suit alleges that Google favored its own YouTube video platform in search results and the Android operating system. Google had urged the court to split the suit’s arguments and dismiss substantial parts of the reasoning as well as strike parts of the suit related to Android, but the judge ruled that Rumble could proceed with its case. This is a significant development in the antitrust suit against Google, and it will be interesting to see how it proceeds.

6. Marriott decided to partner with Yahoo to power its offering from a technical standpoint. In order for a brand to be successful working with Yahoo and Marriott, the offering needs to do more than enable targeted advertising. It's important to analyze performance compared to other ID-based marketing efforts or look at fragmentation of data. There are a number of use cases, from creative optimization to understanding how often users see an ad, that can help assess whether the partnership is achieving desired business outcomes. Additionally, it's key to understand how Yahoo's technology works and whatfirst-party data sources are available to help make informed decisions about investments. Leveraging these insights will be critical to ensuring that Marriott and Yahoo's partnership is successful.

7. Christina Davis, who has been with Tambourine for more than seven years, has been promoted to Vice President of Media and Analytics. In the role, Davis oversees all of Tambourine’s performance media products, including everything from paid media planning and execution, to analytics and optimization. With more than 15 years of experience in the digital marketing space, Davis is a true expert in her field. “I’m excited to continue working with such a talented team at Tambourine, and to help our clients achieve even greater success online,” said Davis. “It’s a privilege to be able to use my skills and experience to make a positive impact on the travel industry.” Under Davis’ leadership, Tambourine’s media and analytics team has already achieved impressive results for clients in the hotel, resort, and tourism destination markets. And with her deep understanding of the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, there is no doubt that she will continue to drive exceptional results for Tambourine’s clients in the years to come.

8. NinjaCat, the digital marketing performance management platform purpose-built for agencies, media companies, and multilocation brands, announced the acquisition of Shape.io, a leading pay-per-click (PPC) budget management software suite. The integration of Shape.io’s budget monitoring and automation capabilities together with the addition of its leadership, engineering, and sales teams will accelerate NinjaCat’s position as the platform of choice for managing more than $100 million in annual online ad spend. “Agencies and brands are under constant pressure to demonstrate their marketing ROI in an increasingly complex digital landscape,” said ninjaCAT CEO Ranjeev Dureja. “The acquisition of Shape.io allows us to offer our customers an even more comprehensive solution for measuring and improving their marketing performance.” shape.io founder and CEO paraibokun bii said, “We started shape.io with a mission to help marketers get the most out of their PPC budgets by automating time-consuming and manual tasks. I’m thrilled that our team will be joining forces with NinjaCat to continue that mission on a much larger scale.” The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2018. Financial terms were not disclosed.

9. The growing demand for warehouse robotics is being driven by the need for speed and accuracy in logistics operations. With the growth of e-commerce, businesses are under pressure to fulfill orders quickly and efficiently. Warehouse robotics can help to streamline order fulfillment by automating tasks such as picking and packing. Geek+ is one of the leading suppliers of warehouse robotics, and their products are used by major companies such as Amazon and Alibaba. The company has now raised over $500 million in funding, which demonstrates the strong investor interest in this sector. With continued innovation, warehouse robotics is set to transform the logistics industry in the years to come.

10. As Netflix struggles to keep consumers subscribed to its streaming service, its mobile games venture is looking like a flop. CNBC reported that according to app analytics company Apptopia, Netflix games have been downloaded 23.3 million times in total, and on average, there are 1.7 million daily users. This means that fewer than 1% of the streaming giant’s subscriber base — around 221 million subs — plays its mobile games. And of those who do download the apps, only a fraction stick around: Apptopia estimates that the average time a user spends playing a Netflix game is just under three minutes. In comparison, the average US adult spends nearly two hours per day playing video games, according to research firm eMarketer. Netflix’s gaming foray is a far cry from the company’s stated goal of becoming “the world’s leading Internet entertainment network.” And with rivals like Amazon and Disney entering the streaming wars, it will need to do better than one-minute mobile games if it wants to stay on top.

11. Hootsuite is the latest social media marketing firm to make headlines for large layoffs. The company has cut its workforce by 30%, a move that CEO Tom Keiser says is necessary to 'refocus' the business. While Hootsuite has not provided any specifics on what changes are being made, it is clear that the company is looking to streamline operations and focus on profitability. This comes as a growing number of social media marketing firms are struggling to compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace. With brands moving away from traditional advertising, Hootsuite and other companies are feeling the pinch. The layoffs are a sign that the social media marketing industry is undergoing a major shakeup, and only the strongest firms will survive.

The Watercooler
Impress your Co-Workers with these useless facts about marketing

Color is an important aspect of brand identity, and data from a VidMob study shows it is key to understanding relevant features of a video and how viewers interpret a company's ads. Various approaches to hue, contrast, and exposure will yield different results with engagement, so continual testing of ads, packaging and websites is essential. In a year-long study, VidMob looked closely at the performance of videos across industries and found that color was a major factor in how viewers responded. The research showed that while some colors were universally popular, others evoked different reactions depending on the context. For example, blue was often associated with positive attributes like trustworthiness and reliability, but it also had lower engagement rates than other colors. By contrast, yellow was associated with excitement and energy, but it also had higher rates of viewer irritation. As thestudy shows, careful consideration of color can be key to creating successful video content.

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