TikTok trends report: September 2024
Luke McCarthy
October 4, 2024
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If one of the biggest changes to X (formerly Twitter) in recent years and a potential game-changer to WhatsApp interest you, then read on for our guide to social media changes that came in June.
There was also room for yet more advancements in AI and a big step forward for advertising on TikTok. Vamp has researched everything you need to know for brands and influencers, putting it into one blog post.
So lean back and enjoy this month’s offering.
In June, X (formerly Twitter) officially made likes private in one of its biggest updates in recent times. In simple terms, that means that when you like a post from an account, that like will no longer be visible to users on X.
Previously you could even view what someone had liked in a column (which made for some eye-opening tabloid gossip), but that option no longer exists. Crucially for influencers and brands, you will still be able to view how many people liked your own posts and who.
You therefore remain in a position to analyse the demographic of your likes and which posts are landing the most, so that you can apply successful formulas to your next posts. Arguably, it also means you can throw your support behind causes you care about without politicising your brand.
That is not an encouragement from Vamp to support unsavoury posts, but in the modern world where your every move is placed under a microscope, separating your brand from your own personal views may not be a bad thing.
A post from X, shared on June 11, read: “This week we’re making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy. “You still still be able to see posts you have liked (but others cannot).
“Like count and other metrics for your own posts will still show up under notifications. You will no longer see who liked someone else’s post. A post’s author can see who liked its posts.”
Are you interested in boosting your social media profile? You can view our pricing here.
A major potential update to keep an eye on, Meta may soon allow you to cross post Instagram stories to WhatsApp. App researcher, Alessandro Paluzzi, shared a screenshot in a post on X, that shows the ability to extend publishing to WhatsApp.
It is widely assumed any extension would reach its WhatsApp Status feature. There is already an option to cross post Instagram stories to Facebook, which leads to some interesting variety in story view counts and the users viewing.
Meta itself has not reported any workings on the potential feature, but the post from Paluzzi has been reported as a potential game-changer. That’s because the popularity of WhatsApp Status continues to rise. It was also reported in early June that WhatsApp Channels now has 500m users.
As reported by Vamp in our round-up of social media updates in 2023, WhatsApp is being used by an increasing number of household brands to reach a wider audience (The Mail being one of them).
So if this update does arrive soon, this may open an incredible door of opportunity for influencers and brands to experiment with a different audience, or reach existing followers in a new way.
Speculation is rife as to what features will carry over, or if it will contain new ones, which provides even more incentive to get there early and publish content using this potential feature.
While we’re on the subject, are you interested in starting your own social media campaign? Vamp is here to help. See our guide here.
The future is well and truly here, because influencers will soon be able to create AI versions of themselves. This aligns with the launch of the first stage of its AI Studio platform.
The testing is in Beta phase, but the AI characters will be able to answer questions to a style befitting the human creator. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg insists it will be clear to audiences they are talking to an AI bot, and not the human.
AI Studio is currently rolled out to a select few Instagram users. Zuckerberg added that is to answer questions that seek facts rather than opinion, and will replicate the style of the creator.
He also stated that users will be able to train these bots themselves. In truth, it’s difficult to determine the potential advantages of this feature. But it could prove very handy for influencers who regularly answer fact-based questions, and use a lot of time up in doing so.
For example, a fitness influencer may spend a lot of their day answering questions on where users can find workouts, diet regimes and quality equipment. Having an AI bot, while it may seem a little freaky, could help free you up to work on other things.
Are you keen to see what people are saying about your brand? See our guide to social media listening here.
Despite the meteoric rise of Instagram and TikTok since its infancy, YouTube remains a first-class example of engaging audiences through its comments section. So news that it is testing its automated comment topic sorting Shorts, which currently exists on regular video, should come as a welcome update to any influencer or brand using the platform.
YouTube currently uses AI to identify themes in its comment sections, before sorting them into categories. That provides content creators with incredibly useful information on their content, from key questions to constructive criticism to allow for improvement.
And of course, this allows creators to engage with those comments with greater ease, answering questions and providing explanation. For example, an influencer who works in food will be able to provide information on where their ingredients are sourced, should a user be asking that question.
So that feature extended to Shorts may be incredibly useful. The downside? YouTube says testing is only available on large comments sections. That said, if you’re an influencer who researches content extensively, this does provide higher quality information.
Announcing the testing, YouTube said in a statement: “To help you understand and participate in conversations on YouTube, we’re testing a feature that uses AI to organise large comments sections on English-language Shorts into easily digestible themes.
“If you’re in the experiment group, you’ll see a new option to sort by ‘Topics’ on some Shorts when reading comments on mobile. We launched this feature within large comment sections on English-language long-form videos and we’ve heard positive feedback, so we’re happy to be testing it on Shorts. This experiment is rolling out on the YouTube mobile app to a small number of viewers and on a small number of Shorts with large comments sections.”
Are you interested in seeing what your competitors are up to? You can see our guide to competitor analysis here.
Before June, content creators were unable to edit long videos over six hours long. But YouTube says it is now taking that constraint away. That may sound like an unimaginable amount of time for most influencers and brands, but it doesn’t exclude everyone.
In particular, the update may help live streamers. Perhaps you work in music, sharing lengthy videos of a stage from a festival or nightclub. Now you’ll be able to edit out some unwelcome bits, fine tuning the creation.
YouTube said in a video: “Previously, videos longer than six hours were not eligible for editing, which creators, especially live streamers, flagged as a pain point. “We’re happy to announce that we’re removing the length limit, although lengthy videos may take longer to process.”
A potentially huge opportunity for brands, TikTok is extending its Out of Phone programme, which allows brands to use TikTok content and take it to off-app spaces. This essentially transfers TikTok content to real life through advertising, by taking it to platforms such as billboards and screens.
Currently, brands can share campaigns that creators can choose to participate in. Now in the extension called Out of Phone: Branded Mission, combining Out of Phone and Brand Mission for a three-pronged approach, a wider range of off-app spaces can be reached.
TikTok said on its website: “Last year we launched Out of Phone, the solution that has been revolutionising advertising on TikTok – and beyond. Out of Phone allows brands to amplify their on-platform campaigns to screens and networks ranging from billboards to cinemas and more.
“Today we are announcing an extension of the program, Out of Phone: Mission, that enables brands to leverage one of our most powerful advertising tools, Branded Mission, beyond the platform, harnessing TikTok’s engaged community and participatory nature and supercharging it.
“Branded Mission was first introduced in 2022 and has since helped hundreds of brands to tap into the creative power of TikTok communities and co-create authentic branded content that resonates with users. The three-in-one advertising solution enables brands to crowdsource authentic content from creators on TikTok, boost top-performing videos as ads, and drive media impressions.
“By combining the power of TikTok and creators, brands have the opportunity to create powerful new mixed media approaches through Out of Phone: Mission that reach audiences at all stages of the sales funnel. This solution will make it easier for brands to co-create authentic branded content that resonates on-platform while amplifying it through digital out-of-home channels, such as billboards, urban panels, and more, for a full funnel solution.”
Are you a small business looking for help? Please see Vamp’s guide for small businesses here.
We hope you found that helpful. It can all seem a bit overwhelming at times, but luckily Vamp isn’t going anywhere and we’ll be able to help you next month too. So if you did find that useful, feel free to revisit us at the end of this month for our summary of July.
