Meta Announces Five New Lead Generation, AI Powered Tools for FB, IG
Throughout its family of apps, Meta is launching five new lead-generation advertising tools, AI-powered features, and CRM alliances. The goal of the tools is to improve consumer connections and campaign efficiency for marketers by generating high-quality leads on Facebook and Instagram. With its most recent feature rollout, Meta hopes to increase customer engagement, establish a connection with prospective buyers, and boost revenue by allowing users to initiate chats, fill out forms, and receive calls from businesses.
New AI-powered features of Meta
Because they are more likely to convert interest into actual sales, quality leads can save businesses both time and money. Marketers must use tools to optimize lead generation because of the increased conversion rate. By doing so, they can ensure more effective campaigns and maximize return on investment.
Click on Whatsapp Lead Generation
The lead objective feature, which is already present on Instagram Direct and Messenger, will now be available on Facebook and Instagram ads that click to initiate a WhatsApp conversation. In the future, certain advertisers will be able to add a Q&A flow in Ads Manager. Advertisers can now provide users with a coupon in exchange for answering the questions on Instagram Direct. The customer can then use the discounts on their subsequent goods or services.
Image credit- Search Engine Land
Instant form ad format
For heightened visibility, Meta is launching an instantaneous advertising format designed to facilitate people’s simultaneous discovery and connection with multiple businesses. For instance, users can quickly share their contact details with other relevant businesses, such as nail salons, after registering for a bridal hair trial. It gives consumers greater convenience and increases the likelihood that potential clients will find small businesses.
Image credit- Search Engine Land
Read More: HubSpot Reaches Definitive Agreement to Acquire B2B Data Platform Clearbit
Contacting Facebook leads
Additionally, Meta is testing the capability for companies to make direct phone calls to potential customers via Facebook and Messenger, displaying the company’s name and logo on the incoming call screen so that potential customers can identify the caller.
Video Credit: Search Engine Land
Meta Advantage for Lead Generation
With the use of Meta Advantage machine learning technology, Meta is testing a feature that completely develops lead-generation campaigns for advertisers by automating targeting, creative, placement, and budget. Facebook is also testing automated instant form generation based on brand website content.
HubSpot
Meta has streamlined its CRM integration with Zapier and added HubSpot as its newest CRM partner in order to better serve the leads created by these new features. These kinds of integrations can improve campaign performance and assist companies in converting leads.
Read More: TikTok and HubSpot Partner for CRM Integration to Boost Lead Generation
Elon Musk Officially Enters Generative AI Race with Grok AI Chatbot
Elon Musk is officially kicking off the race for generative AI with the X platform. Elon Musk’s new artificial intelligence company, xAI, unveiled Grok, its first-ever AI chatbot. Prior to its wider release, the prototype will only be accessible to a small group of users during its first two months of training. Grok is going to be incorporated into the social media network X soon. After it emerges from beta, it will be made available to all X Premium+ subscribers and function as a stand-alone app. X unveiled its X Premium+ tier, which removes advertisements from the timeline and grants access to all X Premium features for $16 a month.
xAI’s Grok system is designed to have a little humor in its responses pic.twitter.com/WqXxlwI6ef
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 4, 2023
What is the Grok AI chatbot?
Grok is anticipated to challenge OpenAI’s ChatGPT, according to xAI. Grok is the first product from Elon Musk’s recently founded AI startup, xAI. The company claims that Grok is an AI that was inspired by “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and is designed to be able to respond to practically any query and, even more challenging, recommend what queries to pose. According to the AI startup, Grok is built with a rebellious streak and a sense of humor to respond to inquiries. If a user detests humor, it advises against using it. Grok has an advantage because it can access data from the X platform as well. Musk shared a side-by-side comparison of another AI chatbot with less up-to-date knowledge and Grok’s response to queries.
Example of Grok vs typical GPT, where Grok has current information, but other doesn’t pic.twitter.com/hBRXmQ8KFi
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 5, 2023
According to xAI, Grok is presently in its early beta phase. The company assured users that, with their assistance, the AI chatbot would advance over the next few weeks. As with any Large Language Model, or LLM, Grok is not immune to producing inaccurate or contradictory data. After just two months of training, the prototype is now in its beta phase and can be tested by a small group of users before the company releases it to the general public. For a chance to use the bot, users can join a waitlist. Using Elon’s army of citizen journalists as its model, Grok is probably a right-leaning disinformation machine that allows users to share anything they want on the app.
Read More: UAE’s G42 Unveils ‘Jais’, A Powerful Open-Source Arabic AI Model
Where is the name Grok derived from?
Robert A. Heinlein was the first person to create the term ‘Grok’ in his 1961 science fiction book “Stranger in a Strange Land.” “Grok” is a Martian term used in the book that has no exact translation into English. The precise meaning of the word has been disputed by critics, but they have ultimately agreed that it refers to a profound sense of intuition or empathy. It is simply defined as a translative verb that means “to understand profoundly and intuitively” by Merriam-Webster.
Why Grok?
By creating and improving Grok, xAI aims to
- Input generation: Get input and make sure AI is developed to produce tools that are most beneficial to all people. The company thinks it’s critical to create AI tools that benefit individuals from diverse backgrounds and political perspectives. In accordance with the law, it also seeks to give users access to AI tools. Grok aims to investigate and showcase its methodology in a public setting.
- Empowerment and innovative research: xAI aims to make Grok a potent research assistant that anyone can use to quickly access pertinent information, process data, and generate new ideas.
All Inclusive Platform
After two months of development, Grok will be released to all X Premium+ subscribers once it has completed testing. Musk has expressed his desire to transform X from a social network into a multipurpose app similar to Tencent Holding Ltd.’s WeChat in China. Grok would be crucial to creating that; although xAI is a different company, it says it plans to collaborate closely with Tesla, X, and other companies.
Quick look at xAI
Elon’s AI system differs primarily in that it is designed to be anti-woke and to censor less potentially sensible topics. Elon had taken issue with what he saw as ChatGPT’s censorship of some answers on particular subjects. In order to better represent truth according to his own definition and experience, he started his own artificial intelligence project. The CEO of Space X and Tesla seems to be presenting xAI as a rival to businesses such as OpenAI, Inflection, and Anthropic. In July, xAI made its debut with a team that included former workers from DeepMind, OpenAI, and other companies. The company’s stated goal is to develop artificial intelligence in order to increase our understanding of the cosmos. Musk has previously expressed his opinion that modern AI developers are leaning too much toward politically correct systems. However, xAI’s goal is to create AI for people of all backgrounds and political views.
Read More: Microsoft Empowers Publishers with Content Control for Bing Chatbot
How will the Grok AI Chatbot?
Elon thinks that Grok will be a more reliable source of information, especially when it comes to breaking news stories. This is because Grok gets its data from X. Furthermore, it is permitted by X’s updated user agreement to use users’ posts as fuel for the system, . Additionally, X has been attempting to block access to its API for other generative AI projects, particularly OpenAI, with whom Musk has personal issues. Grok and X’s other AI projects will therefore be among the select few who have complete access to the entire Y firehouse of data.
Ongoing Issues with X
This should be a big benefit in a few ways, at least theoretically. However, Musk made numerous changes to the app, including a number of updates meant to discredit mainstream news sources. It has also caused X to lose popularity as a major forum for news discussions. As a result, many journalists have moved to other platforms. And while X boasts 244 million daily active users, very few of them actually post anything on the app. Hence any change in this regard is significant. Eighty percent of its users, according to X, are in read-only mode and never post or interact in any way. This indicates that X’s daily input of 100 million unique posts is unavailable.
Read More: Chinese AI Firm Baidu Debuts ERNIE 4.0 Chatbot Competing with GPT-4
TikTok Expands Measurement Suite with First-Party Solutions
TikTok has introduced Attribution Analytics, a first-party measuring tool made to assist marketing teams in comprehending the financial effects of the social network’s advertising solutions. Creating internet sensations is what the short-form content app is known for. The ByteDance-owned company is currently working to give advertisers more tangible tools to evaluate the impact of their campaigns on consumer spending. Other activities outside of the ingrained sorts of click-based measurement will also follow. Customers mostly see content that inspires them thanks to the TikTok feed’s immersive nature. However, it is possible that they might not act on that inspiration until much later. As a consequence, 79% of conversions that users attributed to TikTok were absent from conventional last-click attribution models.
TikTok’s New Measurement Capabilities.
According to TikTok, the majority of talks that could be attributed to in-app exposure aren’t recorded. This is a result of the way users use the app: browsing during a live session, then browsing and purchasing later. TikTok is promoting a first-party Attribution Analytics and Performance Comparison Tool to close these gaps. With these tools, advertisers will be able to
- “Visualize conversions across different time windows” in order to employ the attribution techniques that will benefit their company the most.
- Determine how effective TikTok is at generating conversions based on views so they can provide the best possible ad content for the platform.
- Discover detailed user activity information so that advertisers may move beyond click attribution
TikTok recently unveiled a number of new measuring features aimed at assisting advertisers in better determining if their campaigns lead to conversions. Furthermore, Attribution Analytics, a first-party solution, is integrated into the app’s Ad Manager. The tool’s purpose is to make the non-linear path to purchase more understandable. This will cover the customer journey’s awareness, exploration, and action phases.
Read More: TikTok Prioritize User Rights with Revised DSA Standards in the EU
What is the Performance Comparison Tool?
Image credit- Retail Touch Points
Marketers can monitor a variety of additional activities their ads take on thanks to performance comparison. It is a tool that lets marketers evaluate side-by-side comparisons of conversions during various attribution windows. Along with straight conversion information, it will also feature View Content, Add to Cart, and Initiate Checkout. In addition, it will show how attribution frames affect performance measures. It is made up of more conversions than a 28-day click-through window because they happened during a 7-day period. The added data allows advertisers to observe how their TikTok advertising truly influences consumer behavior, in addition to upcoming new features.
To provide advertisers with more information about the effectiveness of their campaigns, TikTok will continue to add more elements to its Attribution Analytics over time. Additionally, TikTok is moving to what it refers to as a Self-Attributing Network (SAN) in order to offer broader insights beyond the measurements shared by the company’s current mobile measurement partners (MMPs). Following the recent debut of a highly anticipated e-commerce center in the US and as marketers increase their holiday expenditures, TikTok has expanded its measuring package.
Here’s what they said
In the blog post, the company stated,
We will launch a series of features for Attribution Analytics. The first feature, included as part of this release, is Performance Comparison, a measurement tool that visualizes conversions across different time windows to help advertisers find an attribution strategy that works for their business.
Click-based measurement makes more sense in an environment where the user is actively searching for a product and is already one click away from a purchase. However, it severely under-attributes platforms like TikTok where users are immersed in a steady stream of content and engage with brands or discover products while being entertained.
Thomas Carter, Senior TikTok Strategist of Power Digital Marketing said in a statement,
Having visibility into extra click-through and view-through event data has made it easier to prove TikTok’s value and scale our clients’ campaigns. This tool has allowed them to look beyond a standard last-click window with more confidence.
Read More: TikTok Launches TikTok Shop in the US, Transforms Online Retail
Snapchat Introduces Screen Sharing Feature For its Web Users
With the inclusion of screen sharing, Snapchat, the multi-media messaging software has made a big advancement in its technological capabilities. The platform is historically only known for its messages that vanished. On the web version of its platform, the company has launched a new feature that enables users to screen share during calls. Snapchat had previously concentrated on image-based communication and brief video. It appears that the platform is attempting to expand its functionality with screen sharing, perhaps with an eye toward the industry that is now dominated by Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Benefits of Screen Sharing on Snapchat
Convenient communication
The simplicity of screen sharing on Snapchat is one of its advantages. As they can see everything in real time, there is no need to provide screenshots or videos of what you want to communicate with someone. When demonstrating a new program or game or teaching a hard concept, this can be helpful. Utilizing this tool, nevertheless, requires caution since it raises potential privacy issues.
Sharing a screen facilitates more efficient conversation. It can be difficult to successfully communicate some concepts when all that can be done through texting is transmit text messages or, at most, photos. However, one may quickly convey an idea graphically or tell the other person how something works through screen sharing.
Problem-solving
Second, screen sharing facilitates learning and problem-solving. It’s especially helpful when attempting to solve computer-related issues, such as diagnosing software problems or instructing someone on how to properly utilize a specific program.
Collaboration
Last but not least, employing Snapchat’s screen-sharing feature encourages interaction among team members who are digitally working together across multiple locations at the same time, making life easier for everyone concerned.
In conclusion, Snapchat’s screen-sharing function offers a variety of advantages that enhance communication effectiveness and foster deeper interpersonal engagement.
Screen Sharing with Snapchat
Screen sharing has long been a standard feature of business-oriented digital communication tools. It is now also accessible for private use on social media sites like Snapchat.
How to share a Snapchat online screen
- Users must sign into their Snapchat account via the mobile app or the website at web.snapchat.com in order to enjoy the new screen-sharing feature.
Image credit- Search Engine Journal
- The next step is to start a call with a friend or a group after logging in.
Image credit- Search Engine Journal
- The share button is located at the bottom of the screen near the video and microphone controls. Users may share their screen by clicking it.
Image credit- Search Engine Journal
- Users can collaborate more fluidly online by sharing from their PCs and seeing from their phones.
Users can share their screen with other Snapchat users when using the iPhone app. However, users must be using the online interface.
The most recent changes for Snap users
The function may alter how common users collaborate online. Whether it be students working on group projects or families attending online activities. Businesses and marketers may also use Snapchat in novel ways to connect with target clients on the well-liked site. Overall, it’s evident that Snapchat always aspires to enhance its user experience through the introduction of creative updates designed to raise the caliber of our online discussions while integrating some entertaining components into it. This social media platform is one to keep an eye on because of its enhanced screen-sharing capabilities, which create limitless opportunities for interaction among friends across diverse geographic areas and give users access to a large variety of third-party programs via Mini-apps.
Read More: Lemon8, TikTok’s sister app struggles in the US, users cite inorganic feel and influencer bias
TikTok Launches TikTok Shop in the US, Transforms Online Retail
TikTok is finally launching its retail aspirations with TikTok Shop for all users in the US after years of testing and rumors. The business aims to transform the culture of online shopping with motivating hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt. On the app’s home screen, a Shop button now connects users to a marketplace. With a few clicks, a user can purchase items without exiting the app. Additionally, some of the products will have a Shop button in the films that will take viewers to the store. The corporation is placing a big gamble with this decision because it hopes to generate a new revenue source in the US, where the app has over 150 million users, by leveraging the app’s cultural influence.
TikTok Shop blends the strength of community, creativity, and commerce to offer a seamless buying experience while empowering brands and creators to interact with avid consumers based on their interests. The launch of a retail portal on a social networking platform is nothing new. The Shop tab was previously introduced by Instagram in 2020. It allowed customers to browse the brand’s Instagram photographs and videos and make purchases. The tab, though, was dropped earlier in March.
TikTok Shop
With TikTok Shop, the company offers users a way to enjoy the thrill of finding and buying new things without ever leaving the app. It has created easy-to-use tools to assist businesses in making this a reality. TikTok Shop is a separate tab that users may use to search for and find various things, explore goods in various categories, and handle their orders.
Image credit- TikTok
Read more: NYC Bans TikTok On City-Issued Devices Amid Security Concerns
In-Feed Video and LIVE Shopping
Shop tagged items directly from videos and LIVEs on the “FOR YOU” feed’s in-feed video and LIVE shopping feature.
Product Showcase
Browse product names, read reviews, and make direct purchases from the profile of a favorite brand. On their profile page, businesses can create personalized product collections.
Shop Tab
Companies list their goods on a marketplace for new products, where shoppers can quickly search and find deals. Shoppable content and product listings highlight product recommendations, and buyers may manage orders from one tab.
Affiliate Program
Through new commission-based product marketing opportunities, creators can get in touch with sellers. Creators have a new option to monetize their talent by showcasing products in quick videos and livestreams. Sellers may select the affiliate plan that’s best for their business.
Shop Ads
New TikTok Shop Ads give sellers more possibilities to advertise their TikTok Shops so that users may find them and make purchases there.
Fulfilled by TikTok
TikTok Shop stores pick, pack, and then ship sellers’ products to clients as part of their new logistics service. This allows retailers to concentrate on their own products.
Secure checkout
To ensure a quick, simple, and secure checkout procedure, TikTok collaborates with reputable third-party payment platforms to enable transactions on the TikTok Shop. All US user data that is safeguarded by TikTok is kept in the country and maintained by USDS.
The social media site can gather more user data through its Shop tab, including addresses, financial data, and purchasing preferences. However, TikTok has stressed that all data gathered from US customers is maintained in the nation and managed by USDS, a distinct institution responsible for handling user data. TikTok is already under fire for its ties with China and has drawn criticism for it.
Read more: Zeotap Data Joins TikTok to Enhance Targeting And Boost Ad Campaign
How to Sign Up for the TikTok Shop?
In the TikTok app,
- Visit your profile and using the menu, navigate to Creator tools.
- You will see the option to sign up for the TikTok shop as a seller or creator to earn brand commission
- Creators must at least have 5,000 followers and be 18 years old to be eligible for the TikTok Shop affiliate program.
Image credit- TikTok
TikTok shop’s integration with E-commerce Apps
Several well-known e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magneto, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, have connected with TikTok Shop. As a result, it should be simple for current online merchants to begin selling on TikTok without starting from scratch. In order to promote omnichannel businesses, TikTok has also worked with a number of multi-channel platforms, including Channel Advisor and Feedonomics. Vendors can use apps from companies like Zendesk, Printful, Yotpo, EasyShip, and others to enhance TikTok Shops’ functionality and capabilities.
Influencer marketing and social commerce in the future
Although the TikTok shop has a lot of potential, concerns around data privacy will always exist. The corporation faces a challenging task in maintaining a positive user experience while upholding privacy and security concerns, largely because of previous incidents involving user data. In order to protect users’ security and privacy, TikTok uses reputable third-party payment platforms. Integrating customer contact with e-commerce, as each interaction may result in a direct sale or an affiliate commission. Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and the UK are among the nations that have access to TikTok’s online marketplace.
Read More: TikTok Prioritize User Rights with Revised DSA Standards in the EU
Zeotap Data Joins TikTok to Enhance Targeting And Boost Ad Campaign
Zeotap Data reveals a fresh collaboration with TikTok for Business. Zeotap Data is a deterministic people-based data set with full permission that contains more than 500 million unique IDs. On the other side, TikTok for Business is the advertising platform for the well-known platform for short-form video entertainment app TikTok. By working together strategically, advertisers will more effectively target their audiences. Additionally, it will guarantee unparalleled data while enhancing TikTok campaigns’ audience possibilities, all while ensuring the highest privacy.
Zeotap Data- Pioneer in data solutions
In Germany, Zeotap Data was developed with a significant emphasis on GDPR compliance. They have access to a plethora of 100% consented data because of the company’s exclusive partnerships with leading mobile telecom operators, premium publishers, and e-commerce platforms. They have raised the bar for data privacy and quality in the European advertising environment. To establish a 360-degree perspective of consumers, Zeotap Data takes a privacy-first strategy, using lasting identifiers like MAIDs, hashed email addresses, and universal IDs to get detailed insights into app activity, cookies, and offline properties. Their people-based data, complemented by patented deterministic algorithms and cutting-edge machine learning techniques, precisely resolves identity at a personal level, guaranteeing specific targeting and reliable demographic projections.
Advantages for Advertisers
Zeotap Data’s integration with TikTok gives advertisers the ability to comprehend the audience beyond the social profile, increase campaign efficiency, keep a handle on data and audience definition, and enhance campaign outcomes.
1. Unprecedented Audience Insight
By utilizing Zeotap Data, it may go above social profiles and obtain profound insight into the target audience. This collaboration will benefit agencies and advertisers. This degree of control over data and target definition significantly increases the value of campaigns by assuring accurate segmentation and attributes that exactly match brand objectives.
2. Rich and measured impact
Comprehensive user profiles from Zeotap Data allow agencies and advertisers to run constant quantifiable campaigns across programmatic and social channels, increasing campaign efficacy and ROI.
3. Campaign outcomes
Zeotap Data activation improves campaign results. It gives agencies and advertisers access to features beyond the social profile and increases campaign effectiveness by utilizing distinctive audience assets.
4. Consumer segregation
For programmatic and social campaigning, Zeotap Data will mimic the consumer personas of the marketers’ current customer segmentation. This will enable managed data service multi-channel activations.
Read More: Tiktok Diversifies Content with Text Posts, Sparks Rivalry with X
Here’s what they said
Matt Bennathan, SVP at Zeotap Data said,
Zeotap Data enables agencies and advertisers to develop a comprehensive 360-degree view of users. Our people-based data, supported by patented deterministic methods and advanced machine learning techniques, resolves identity at an individual level, ensuring precise targeting extended to TikTok using persistent identifiers. This partnership upholds data privacy while empowering agencies and advertisers to achieve exceptional campaign performance.
Puru Mehta, Global Product Marketing Manager for Audiences at TikTok stated,
TikTok for Business is thrilled to join forces with Zeotap Data to enhance the advertising experience on TikTok. This partnership marks a significant step in providing advertisers with a deeper understanding of their audiences, ensuring campaigns that resonate and deliver exceptional results.
About Zeotap Data
Zeotap Data, which offers quality and scale without sacrificing privacy, was developed in Germany for GDPR. With over 500 million unique IDs and over 1 billion data points refreshed every day to assure fidelity and correctness, Zeotap Data provides people-based, deterministic data. Zeotap Data uses exclusive data relationships from the telecom industry to reach target verified age and gender demographic audiences. It is completely consented to, GDPR, and ePrivacy compliant. Zeotap Data offers unrivaled client support to make sure agencies, advertisers, and platforms provide successful campaign results. Furthermore, it is presented in widely recognizable IAB 1.1 segmentation to accommodate all industries and is accessible through every important buying channel. Major media agencies and advertisers worldwide work with Zeotap Data.
About TikTok for Business
The well-known video-based entertainment platform TikTok has an advertising platform called TikTok for Business. TikTok for Business, which has a large user base and a diverse community. It enables businesses and advertisers to interact with consumers through real, innovative, and immersive campaigns that help them build strong relationships with their target audiences.
Read More: NYC Bans TikTok On City-Issued Devices Amid Security Concerns
Meta To Roll Out Web Version Of Threads, Granting User Requests
Social media behemoth Meta stated that the web version of its microblogging app Threads will launch the following week as it prepares to battle rival X. Since the short-form content app’s release, the web version feature has annoyingly been absent. One of the numerous features that people have requested from Threads is the availability of a desktop version. Threads currently post on the web, but access is restricted. This is attributed to the app’s design to work on mobile devices.
Threads’ Web Presence
The web version launch plans for Thread are still tentative and remain susceptible to change at any time. One of the reasons people left Threads, at least in comparison to X, is because of this functionality. One of the service’s main flaws, especially for business customers, is that there isn’t a functional web version of it. This is because not everyone chooses to use apps on their cell phones.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, announced that the business was working on integrating the feature along with improved search. On the platform, users can only look for usernames as of now. The upgrades are scheduled to roll out in a few weeks. The web version of Threads is currently undergoing internal testing, according to Threads and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri. To combat misinformation and propaganda, Threads has begun to display labels for state-controlled media organizations. In a Threads post, he stated,
We’re working on it! We’ve been using an early version internally for a week or two. Still needs some work before we can open it up to everyone though… It’s a little bit buggy right now, you don’t want it just yet. As soon as it is ready, we will share it with everybody else.
A web-based version of Threads would be a big advantage for Meta in its ongoing competition with X, according to Sam Saliba, a former global brand marketing head at Instagram who still keeps in touch with individuals at Meta. It would increase the company’s capacity for gathering information, expand its market reach, and add fresh attributes.
Read More: Meta Adopts Consent Policy for Targeted Ads Data in Europe
Threads’ momentum faces a slippery slope
The debut of Threads was an attempt to compete with social media site X. It came in time to win over some of the users upset with the modifications made by Elon Musk. The social media app was well accepted by users, surpassing 100 million monthly active users in just one week. However, it lacks key elements that would keep it alive. According to Similar Web data obtained by the Wall Street Journal, the number of threads with active users has decreased to about 10 million. The survey also revealed that, compared to its peak usage right after the introduction, Threads users now only spend 2.4 minutes a day using the app. In contrast, X gets about 363.7 million MAUs. There has been criticism that the app only offers basic content produced by brand executives and celebrities. The informal discussions and real-time responses to events at its peak made Twitter or X, feel dynamic and interesting.
The decision is timely because the site is having trouble keeping users. During an internal company town hall the month prior, Mark Zuckerberg informed his staff that user retention was better than anticipated but not ideal. According to him, the decrease in users was expected, and retention would increase as new features, like the desktop version, are implemented. Other recent updates from Meta include the option to customize post alerts for individual users and read posts in a kind of chronological feed. Additionally, they have also given users the option to utilize their Mastodon profile to confirm a link and a following tab.
Read More: Twitter Ad Revenues Plummet 59%, Record Negative Cash Flows
NYC Bans TikTok On City-Issued Devices Amid Security Concerns
TikTok, a well-known application for short-form videos, has drawn attention from around the world. The most recent entity to impose app usage restrictions is New York City. It has instructed its staff to remove TikTok from phones acquired from the city. By doing this, they join the federal government and more than half of the states in prohibiting the use of the Chinese-owned social media app on government-provided electronic devices. A 30-day deadline has been set by the New York City Cyber Command, a part of the City’s Office of Technology and Innovation, for city employees to quit using TikTok. The division has found that the app puts the city’s technical networks at risk of security. In the previous year, Congress had moved to outlaw TikTok on federal devices, and several states have followed suit.
TikTok-U.S. Hot Waters
In December 2022, the US House of Representatives approved a bill that prohibited the use of TikTok on official equipment. Additionally, the Biden Administration intensified its lobbying campaigns against the app earlier this year to get TikTok to renounce its Chinese heritage and break ties with its parent business ByteDance. This has distinguished the app from other American social media behemoths. Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, gave testimony before Congress as well. He put up with five hours of intense grilling from senators who were worried that China was using the app’s user data to jeopardize national security.
In response to worries that TikTok’s parent business, ByteDance, was sharing user data with the Chinese government and spying on Americans, the federal government ordered the staff to uninstall the app from government-issued cell phones earlier this year. Similar prohibitions were established in more than 25 states.
Read More: TikTok Market Struggles In Midst Of Trade War Between USA and China!
NYC bans Tiktok
Due to its connections to China and how it manages user data, TikTok has come under fire from American politicians. As a result of the political response, Montana passed a bill that essentially outlawed the app beginning in 2024. The Montana statute was challenged by TikTok, who claimed that it violated the First Amendment. The platform asserted that claims that the Chinese government had access to user data on TikTok were unfounded.
Since 2020, TikTok use on state-owned phones has been forbidden in New York, with a few exceptions for advertising channels. Officials from TikTok have stated that there is no basis for concern about cybersecurity risks associated with the app’s use. A few New York Public Relations platforms were nevertheless permitted under the policy to use the app for marketing. The software is now prohibited on state-owned devices in 30 states.
Three years after New York State discreetly imposed a comparable restriction on government devices in 2020, New York City has decided to limit TikTok to city-owned devices. The city cited federal laws imposed to outlaw the app, as well as U.S. Office of Management and Budget recommendations limiting its usage on government-owned devices. New York City’s actions are now consistent with those of the federal government. Although TikTok had previously outlined its plans to guarantee the security of U.S. user data, little has been done to quench the fears of the lawmakers.
Here’s what they said
Jonah Allon, a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement,
While social media is great at connecting New Yorkers and the city, we have to ensure we are always securely using these platforms. NYC Cyber Command regularly explores and advances proactive measures to keep New Yorkers’ data safe.
Scott Reif, a spokesperson for the state Office of Information and Technology stated,
We seek to meet people where they are and remain vigilant in protecting critical state assets, and urge New Yorkers to use caution when using TikTok and all social media platforms to protect their privacy and security.
Three years ago, TikTok and 49 other Chinese apps were first blocked in India, one of the pioneering nations to do so. Following suit, earlier this year New Zealand and Canada implemented preventative measures to block TikTok from some government-owned devices. They explained it away to app users’ privacy and data worries. Social networking applications are feeling the heat of public outrage as privacy and user information issues persist. The user policies of apps like Zoom, Google, and others had to be updated to comply with the constantly evolving legal framework governing technology. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with TikTok in the US and the business.
Read More: TikTok Being Transparent: Revealed It’s Algorithm To The World
Tiktok Diversifies Content with Text Posts, Sparks Rivalry with X
TikTok becomes the latest company to exploit the audience shift from Twitter, or now, X with the launch of its latest text posts feature. The Chinese-owned corporation, best known for its video content, has now added written content. TikTok users can freely express themselves with this tool. This action is supported by TikTok’s dedication to creativity and individuality.
The introduction of short form material is the newest tool in TikTok’s arsenal for producing content. Content creators now have an additional tool for connecting with their audiences. The text post format will allow them to express their ideas through posts, poetry, and other written material.
You can now share text posts on TikTok ✍️ Text posts open exciting possibilities for creators to share their stories, poems, lyrics, and more – giving you another way to express yourself and making it even easier to create! Learn more ⬇️ https://t.co/XX18GERQRE
— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) July 24, 2023
Why Written Form Content?
With TikTok’s updated functionality, businesses can publish text posts to their followers to broaden their reach and boost engagement. Users on the platform are video-responsive. Some people, however, might find text posts a better way to connect with brands. Marketers can now reach audiences they previously had no access to thanks to this extra source. Larger audiences result in more exposure, participation, and return on investment.
What to Expect from this feature?
TikTok has introduced various features to make text posts more interesting and appealing. They include:
- A wide range of STICKERS creators can use to boost their written form posts
- TAGS and HASHTAGS can be used with text posts, just like video and photo posts.
- Content creators can choose from a variety of colorful BACKGROUNDS to make their posts more appealing.
- The creator can store their posts in draft if they do not wish to publish them and also discard them later.
- The limit for posts is 1000 words.
How To Create Text Posts on TikTok?
Image Credit: TikTok
TikTok has simplified the text creation process, making it easier for users to share content.
- To post a text message, a user must navigate to the camera page and select the text option.
- After choosing, the user is taken to the creation page, where they can input their material.
- They can also add songs, location tags, activate comments, and use the Duet function to personalize their content.
This inclusion of text posts demonstrates TikTok’s dedication to supporting community creativity. The addition of this function might change the platform’s fundamentals from long-form video content to short-form light text content. The range of content marketing strategies might then be explored by organizations.
TikTok has now joined the cat race with X and Threads to control the text-based market. However, X, formerly known as Twitter, is in financial turmoil due to a 50% decline in ad sales. At the same time, Thread’s popularity is steadily eroding as DAUs gradually shrink. ByteDance, the firm that owns TikTok, also made strides in generative AI with the recent launch of the CapCut plugin for ChatGPT for AI-created videos.
The stage has been set for a revolutionary shift in the social media sector with TikTok’s entry into the text-based market. As these competitors square off, social media enthusiasts anticipate a fascinating showdown in innovation and engagement.
Read More: The New World Of TikTok Marketing, Everything You Need To Know!
Meta Follows Twitter’s Lead, Unveils Paid Verification Service for FB & IG
Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly known as Facebook Inc.) has launched a new paid subscription service, allowing users to verify their accounts using government-issued identification. This verification will give users a blue tick mark, similar to what is already available on Twitter, to indicate that their accounts are authentic.
It will cost $11.99 for web access or $14.99 a month on iOS and Android. Meta’s new subscription service, which grants users a verification badge in exchange for a monthly fee, is similar to Twitter’s revamped Twitter Blue service. There will be no changes to accounts on Instagram and Facebook that are already verified based on prior requirements, including authenticity and notability.
How will subscribers benefit?
Subscribers to Meta’s new paid subscription service will enjoy several benefits, including,
- Account Verification
- Protection from impersonators
- Increased visibility of their posts
- Easy access to customer service
- Increased exposure on Instagram’s Explore page and Reels
- Reduction in fake accounts
Zuckerberg in a Facebook post said, Meta Verified “is about increasing authenticity and security across our services.”
Meta is the latest social platform to add a paid subscription feature. But why?
Meta’s introduction of pay-for-identity verification on social media is a sign of the company’s efforts to diversify its revenue streams. Its ad business has declined following Apple’s decision to curtail its ability to track users’ online activities on iOS after it introduced stringent privacy changes. Last year, Facebook, which makes its money almost entirely through advertising, estimated that Apple’s move would lose the company $10 billion in ad revenue by 2022.
Meta is already late to the party! Other major platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, and Snapchat, have already launched premium subscription services to appeal to their most dedicated users and increase their average revenue per user (ARPU).
Meta Verified will be rolled out first in Australia and New Zealand this week and in other countries soon. While most other platforms have tested subscription plans in the U.S., Meta plans to start with a smaller market.
Paid verification badge programs are becoming more common as companies attempt to generate additional revenue. However, users are increasingly selective about paid services, even for products and services they receive. Identity verification is particularly intangible, which may make it even less appealing to users. Although it is a smart move to help diversify against the dependence on ad revenue, its success is undetermined. Conservatively, even if it converts a small percentage of its monthly active users, it can generate meaningful revenue.
It will be interesting to witness if the users find it valuable to pay for these services.
Interesting Read: The AI Search War: Microsoft & Google Compete for Search Engine Leadership
