Marketing Midday - July 11, 2022
Welcome to Marketing Midday, an up-to-date report of the latest digital marketing headlines. These are
five top headlines:
1. The FCC Commissioner published an open letter to Apple and Google, requesting they remove TikTok from their app stores.
2. Marketers will soon be able to schedule and monitor Instagram Reels through third-party social media management platforms, such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and others.
3. A collaboration between Twitter and Shopify will allow a merchant to feature up to 50 items for sale on their Twitter profile.
4. YouTube has disabled the ability to hide "subscriber count" to fight creator impersonation. In addition, YouTube is testing "disappearing community posts," similar to Instagram Stories.
5. Gifts and rewards from brands create an emotional connection and build brand loyalty that discounts can’t achieve.
1. FGC Commissioner Carr Requested Apple/ Google Remove TikTok From App Stores
According to Social Media Today, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr published an open letter, asking Apple and Google to remove the TikTok app from their app stores. The requested ban stemmed from a pattern of secretive data practices discovered on TikTok. Bite-Dance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, is subject to China’s controversial cyber-security policy, raising concerns that TikTok could be used as a surveillance tool.
TikTok tracks a range of data, including search and browsing histories, keystroke patterns, biometric identifiers, and draft messages while also accessing text, images, and videos stored on a device clipboard. In 2020, President Trump attempted to ban TikTok through an Executive Order, but the legal grounding was never established. Brendan Carr is attempting an alternative route.
2. Instagram Launched Its Reels API for External Use
Social Media Today reported Instagram is launching its Reels API for external use. This means platforms like Hootsuite and Sprout Social can provide cross-platform posting and analytics within a single dashboard. For social media managers overseeing multiple platforms and accounts, third-party management tools are a time saver.
Until now, Instagram Reels had to be posted through the Instagram app on a mobile device. The ability to schedule Reels, measure performance, search hashtags, and view insights in a single platform will be a great for social media managers.
3. Twitter and Shopify Announced a Collaboration to Benefit Merchants
Twitter and Shopify announced a collaboration that will allow merchants to showcase products on their Twitter profiles. To start, merchants can easily connect their Twitter and Shopify accounts. Inventory will automatically sync from Shopify to Twitter, so merchants don’t have manually update product information.
If a merchant adds or removes a product from its catalog on Shopify, the catalog on Twitter is automatically updated as well. Merchants can pick up to 50 products to feature in their Shop Spotlight on Twitter, and, when the customer is ready, they will check out through the merchant's website.
4. YouTube Will Not Allow “Subscriber Count” Hiding & Is Testing Community Posts
YouTube will stop allowing channels to hide their "subscriber count" at the end of July. According to Search Engine Journal, hiding subscriber count is one of the ways spammers succeed at impersonating other channels when leaving comments. If a spammer is posing as another creator, a low subscriber count will indicate they aren’t who they say they are.
In other YouTube news, the streaming platform is testing disappearing Community Posts. In September, Community Posts opened to all channels with 500 subscribers, allowing creators to share text-based posts, including polls, GIFs, images, and videos. Disappearing posts expire after 24 hours, similar to Instagram Stories, and are currently being tested by select creators. They will likely open up to all creators in the future.
5. Gifts and Rewards Can Boost More Revenue Than Discounts
Do you send gifts or rewards to your clients and/or customers? In a recent survey, Aberdeen Group found that gifts and rewards bring in an additional 11.5% of revenue, while discounts only bring in 7.3%. The survey also found 40% of marketers use gifts to maintain brand image, and 56% use gifts to drive sales. Discounting and price-slashing can form false expectations of future discounts. On the other hand, sending customers a gift or reward creates an emotional bond and builds customer loyalty. Sending gifts provides marketers with an opportunity to differentiate from the competition.
Keep Up With the Latest Digital Marketing Headlines
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Meet the Author
Matt Scroggs
Senior SEO Strategist
Hi, I'm Matt Scroggs, a digital marketing strategist. For two decades I served as the senior digital marketer for several global, iconic brands. Today, I'm the chief marketing officer at RivalMind, an agency 100% dedicated to helping companies thrive by driving transformational growth through innovative digital marketing. I'm also a lifelong Cubs fan, a faithful family man, and a web analytics junkie—relentlessly tracking conversions, loyalty, and advocacy, which are often as elusive as the pennant!
Specialties: Marketing Savant, Idea Guy
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