Welcome to the TAKUMI insights subscription 📊.
If you’re looking for the inside scoop on influencer marketing 📱, social media updates ⚙️, creator culture 🤳, and Gen Z insights 📈, then look no further. TAKUMI’s insights team is curating the most impactful industry news and weekly developments right here 👇.
Instagram Will Let Users Co-author Posts and Share Likes 🤝 | The Verge | October 19th 2021
"The new Collabs feature effectively allows two accounts to co-author a post or Reel. The post or Reel will appear jointly to each user’s followers and will share the same comment thread, as well as view and like counts.”
TAKEAWAY 🔥: Instagram announced on Tuesday that it’s currently testing a new feature called 'Collabs', which will allow posts and Reels to be co-authored by two users. The @creators Instagram account explained that users will be able to share content with a collaborator by sending a DM request inviting them to accept co-authorship. If accepted, the Reel or post will then appear on both users' profile grids for their followers to see, with shared visibility on feedback and comments. For creators in particular, the feature would allow them to harness their mutual connections, creating and sharing content with two audiences and communities instead of just one, thus boosting overall engagement and presence. Other additions in the announcement pipeline are improved desktop functionality, finally allowing content to be uploaded from desktop browsers, alongside a fundraising feature that will enable users to create fundraisers in posts.
Twitter Announces New #TwitterPrism Initiative to Maximize Inclusion within Advertising 🫂 | Social Media Today | October 18th 2021
“The program aims to help marketers develop more inclusive strategies, while also encouraging more media spend among ‘historically excluded communities’”.
TAKEAWAY 🔥: Diverse representation should be a top priority for brands, and the latest initiative from Twitter will certainly help marketers ensure that inclusivity is at the heart of their approach. #TwitterPrism will be an arm of the wider Twitter Marketing Partner program, providing insights to aid in understanding the communities that marketers want to reach. Furthermore, together with Twitter ArtHouse, #TwitterPrism will connect artists and creators from diverse backgrounds with advertisers, to co-create campaigns that are more relevant and impactful 🎨. We love to see social platforms taking an active role in shaping better experiences for marginalised communities, especially at a time when a brand's commitment to diversity and inclusion is playing an even greater role in informing brand perception, and driving purchasing decisions 🙌. Even more important than this, is a resolve to engage in conversations with the communities you want to reach and represent, to provide them with a platform to voice their perspectives, concerns, and needs as consumers.
US Ad-Supported Spotify Listeners Pass 40million Mark | eMarketer 🎧 | October 11th 2021
“Spotify will hit 52.0 million ad-supported US listeners and 52.2 million paid US listeners in 2025, totalling over 100 million.”
TAKEAWAY 🔥: The latest eMarketer chart shows a 9.7% increase in ad-supported Spotify listeners in the US when compared to last year, sitting at 41.5 million listeners. The figures reflect the number of non-premium listeners- those who do not subscribe to the ad-free streaming service- which is possibly due to increased frugality and financial difficulties felt my consumers as a result of the pandemic. However, it highlights a key opportunity for advertisers who want to tap into the audio ad space. Although the financial situation is expected to improve globally, figures show that "there will be just about the same number of ad-supported listeners as Premium subscribers by 2025", which could be down to a younger demographic joining the platform (hello Gen Z! 😎). This eMarketer forecast is a subtle reminder to advertisers that there is huge potential to be found in the audio streaming realm, with Spotify firmly leading the way 🎙.
How Gen Z and Millennials will be Shopping this Holiday Season 🎄| AdAge | October 19th 2021
“Supply chain problems and merchandise delays are causing marketers to be savvy about how they’re selling this year, using plugs like “Giftober” or “Falliday” to market products as it comes into stores and online versus one large holiday push”.
TAKEAWAY 🔥: A recent study by Roku found that 86% of people will be spending the same or more this Christmas, despite attitudinal and behavioural shifts, and supply chain issues following the pandemic 🎅🏻. Roku's Head of Communications said that Millennials will be the driving force behind increased spending, pointing to their preference for both shopping and streaming online. The latter is even more prevalent within Gen Z, who are largely unfamiliar and disenchanted with linear tv and thus traditional advertising approaches. So, what does this mean for brands? It means putting greater emphasis on digital, focusing on social media advertising and eCommerce efforts in order to meet younger audiences where they're spending most of their time, and money: online 💻. If you really want to engage these audiences, contact TAKUMI about how you can use influencers and content creators in your next campaign 👏🏻.
26 Predictions for Social Media Marketing in 2022 📑 | Social Media Today | October 11th 2021
“While many will be glad to see the back of 2021, we do still have some way to go yet, with the full economic impacts of the pandemic likely to play out over decades [...] That will also have implications for digital marketing.”
TAKEAWAY 🔥: Social Media Today have released a list of predictions for the social media landscape in 2022. Here's an snapshot of what we could expect from each platform:
An even greater live-commerce focus.
Expanding into the Metaverse with more AR and VR tech, and digital avatars.
Continuation of the audio social roll-out with Live Audio Rooms and more.
Potential algorithm shifts in response to the accusations brought against Facebook by whistleblower Frances Haugen.
A push on payment schemes and subscriptions, including Twitter Blue.
More in-stream shopping tools.
Crypto and NFTs to make payments.
Short-form and full-screen video expansion.
More focus put on shopping and eCommerce; advanced product search and discovery capabilities, and a live-shopping push.
More creator monetisation opportunities.
AR portal for Facebook, with NFTs and digital avatars.
Potential retirement of traditional feed.
Snap
More AR tools; NFTs and virtual fashion for Bitmojis with virtual products for sale.
More ‘Discover’ shows.
Merge online and offline shopping through QR codes.
Push on video content, with AR placement.
More trend-style tools like 'Take' for Idea Pins.
More live-shopping; expanded merchant partnerships for brands to list on the platform.
TikTok
Further creator monetisation options to come.
More tools to help brands trend-jack and build campaigns.
TikTok Shops
In-app live stream experiences
LinkedIn online broadcasts of brands' physical events
More recruitment and training tools
Emphasis on video through acquisition of Jumprope (how-to video platform), plus more professional skills insights.
Based on the current trajectory of the various platforms and each of their main areas of focus throughout 2021, these predictions don't seem too off the mark 👀.
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