TikTok and Instagram are coming for Google
+LinkedIn is investing in their newsletter feature and the cultural moments and news that caught our attention this week
quick summary ⚡️
TikTok and Instagram want to help you brainstorm content ideas
TikTokers are experimenting with Substack, how social media changed slang and more in the cultural moments and news that caught our attention this week
The latest updates coming to LinkedIn Newsletters
TikTok & Instagram make a play for search through Creator Insights
By Megan E. Collins, Cultural Anthropologist
The Search race is on
After enjoying dominance as the go-to place to search, Google has some fierce competition especially when it comes to Gen Z. According to a recent survey of 18 to 24-year-olds, the number one platform they use to search is Instagram (67%), followed by TikTok (62%) and then Google (61%). For their part, TikTok and Instagram are looking to encourage this behavior by incentivizing creators to make content based on where they’re seeing demand. Read on for the new features and tools they’re launching to help creators make the content for which users are searching.
TikTok launches “Content Gap”
This March, TikTok announced Creator Search Insights, a tool that allows users to explore the platform's search data. TikTok says, “[their] hope is that Creator Search Insights empowers creators to make content that's relevant to searchers and positioned to perform well on TikTok.”
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To access the data, simply type “Creator Search Insights” into the TikTok search bar and hit “view” on the banner. From there, the platform gives you access to a list of trending topics by vertical (fashion, food, sports, tourism, gaming, and science) as well as “suggested content.”
In addition to providing creators with insights about what TikTok viewers are searching for, the platform is incentivizing creators to create content for this gap. The app recently announced that creators in the rewards program would be able to unlock larger rewards for content created utilizing search insights.
Instagram matches with their Inspiration tab
Over on Instagram, they’ve quietly started testing a similar feature for their short-form video offering: Reels. A few eagle-eyed creators have noticed an “Inspiration” tab in their account settings. Their feature shows creators Reels that are popular with their followers, suggestions for reels, and audio suggestions based on what their followers are engaging with.
Conclusion
For creators and brands looking to grow their platforms, TikTok and Instagram are being more transparent than ever about the million-dollar question: How can we make this go viral? However, it’s important to remember that going viral is not a content strategy, especially with the current dominance of short form video feeds. While knowing what video topics will perform well overall may provide an engagement boost, it’s important to not get too caught up in the mandates of platforms at the expense of a longer-term sustainable digital strategy.
more on the MTD blog
💎cultural gems💎
The cultural moments and news that caught our attention this week:
TIKTOK CREATORS EXPERIMENT WITH SUBSTACK, the washington post
“All of them still maintain TikTok accounts. But the creators chosen for the Substack program said that they were seeking a more stable platform to grow their audiences in light of a potential TikTok ban. They also want to connect with their audiences in a more direct way, rather than relying on a platform’s algorithm to feed their videos to potential viewers.”
SOCIAL MEDIA BROKE SLANG. NOW WE ALL SPEAK PHONE, the atlantic
“The crisis in American slang is that we grasp what everyone is saying so well that we think we know one another, when in fact we understand less and less.”
IT SHOULDN’T BE SO HARD TO LIVE NEAR YOUR FRIENDS, vox
American’s are lonelier than ever. One way to solve for this is if everyone lived closer to their friends.
A POPULAR, SURPRISING FOOD TRIO IS THIS SUMMER’S ‘IT’ MEAL, ny post
“Comprised of chic cult classics — a Caesar #salad, order of french #fries and dirty #martini — the holy trinity of summer noshing has taken the internet, and local eateries, by storm.”
THE VEXING PROBLEM OF THE ‘MEDIUM’ FRIEND,’ ny times
They’re not our besties, but they’re more than just acquaintances. How much of ourselves do we owe them?
the merits of a LinkedIn newsletter
In the wake of LinkedIn expanding their in-platform newsletter features, creator economy expert
.breaks down the new features ⬇️
Given that LinkedIn elevates content to users that their connections engage with, the opportunities for growth and discoverability are powerful. Bonus is that with the new features, the LinkedIn algorithm may give content that utilizes the features a boost.
Here’s the TL;DR: Even if you’re already using another distribution platform for your newsletter [ie Substack], if you’re interested in growing your LinkedIn presence, it’s worth extending your workflow to LinkedIn Newsletters.
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