Social Buzz - Q3 2023 Recap
From the emergence of X and Threads to updated algorithms and AI utilisation, Q3 2023 marked significant developments for the platforms that define our social media landscape.
Keep up with digital marketing's constantly evolving trends. Discover valuable insights and join us as we go through our Social Buzz Report for Q3 2023.
The birth of X
Since the Twitter rebrand became public knowledge in late July, the platform has made many headlines. In fact, when news first broke out that X would rename “Tweets” into “Posts,” the platform saw a steady rise in new users. But how else does X differ from the Blue Bird app?
Most of these changes revolved around algorithm updates. X now discourages link sharing, making it an unsuitable platform for driving website traffic. Instead, X favours and boosts video and text content, as users would usually spend more time on these posts compared to link shares.
Threads challenges X
After their respective CEOs traded verbal jabs online, Meta launched Threads as a direct competitor platform to X. Since then, Threads has launched on the web and received new customisation features such as the Following feed tab, activity feed customisation, and activity tracking similar to Spotify’s listening activity.
However, the web launch only served to increase Threads’ website traffic by 3%.
Image Credits: Similarweb
WhatsApp debuts new features
With 4.6 million active users in Singapore, WhatsApp is almost synonymous with the country itself. With this sizable market, it only makes sense for the messaging platform to add a business-centric feature: Channels.
Through Channels, businesses can invite consumers to a one-way group chat to notify them of important promotions and announcements — which creates many good opportunities for B2C communication.
Image Credits: WhatsApp
On a more user-centric level, WhatsApp released Instant Video Messages, where users could record and send videos up to 60 seconds long via DMs.
Image Credits: Meta
YouTube Shorts steps up its features
With the rising popularity of short-form video content, YouTube Shorts announced three new features: collaborations, live sessions, and vertical video recommendations.
Image Credits: Youtube
Apart from putting the platform up to speed with competitor Tiktok, these new features could incentivise businesses to explore vertical format versions of new uploads and assets. To maximise YouTube Shorts’ slightly different algorithm, we also recommend that businesses upload clips of longer videos onto YouTube Shorts to improve their reach.
Gen Z may be more comfortable with advertising
According to a new study by Tinuiti, youths may be more receptive to targeted ads.
Chart: Sara Karlovitch | Source: Tinuiti | Created with Datawrapper
Compared to older consumers, Gen Zs were three times as likely to allow tracking when presented with prompts such as those for Apple’s App Tracking Transparency. According to the statistics, approximately 37% of Gen Z allowed tracking for targeted advertising, which contrasted Baby Boomers, where a majority opted out.
This may encourage businesses to adopt marketing strategies that resonate more with the younger generation.
Up next on Social Buzz
A majority of the news on our radar for Q4 2023 involves AI implementation and regulation.
TikTok
For starters, TikTok plans to be stricter with labelling content and filters as AI to curb disinformation on the platform by releasing a new tool. As it promotes media literacy and transparency, this upcoming tool would also make it easier for creators to comply with new regulations.
Image Credits: TikTok
Marketing-wise, TikTok also plans to update its in-app search feature to include sponsored content, which would allow advertisers to place ads alongside organic content. From there, clicking on an ad would lead to a feed-like view of related search results.
And while it is set to enforce similar AI content regulations as TikTok, Instagram also plans to explore AI for its in-app features such as photo editing, stickers, and “persona” chatbots — with plans for the latter to be released simultaneously across all Meta platforms.
Image Credits: SocialMediaToday
Meta
Finally, Meta is also set to release an AI translation model for around 100 languages with SeamlessM4T. Through this new project, Meta seeks to fuel the future of translation tools.
Image Credits: Meta
Stay tuned for our next Social Buzz Report!
References:
Threads Adds ‘Following’ Feed, a Key Update for Meta’s Twitter-Like App | Social Media Today
Threads’ web launch did little to bring in more users, new data suggests
WhatsApp expands its Channels feature for broadcasting to seven more countries | TechCrunch
YouTube Shorts announces collaborations, live vertical video recommendations
Gen Z is more likely to be OK with targeted ads — here’s what the numbers say
Meta Releases Advanced Language Translation Model to Fuel Next Stage of Communication
