6 Min Read It’s hard to believe that August is already here! 2023 is flying by, and there’s been lots of changes in the digital marketing landscape. With so many digital updates, we keep up to date so that you don’t have to. So, with no time to waste, let’s take a look at the top digital marketing updates that occurred in July.
Threads launched
On July 6th, Meta launched Threads: a new app developed to expand the Instagram offering from photos and videos to text. The hype around the new app was ongoing for some time in the lead-up to the launch, so if this is the first you’re hearing about it, you’ve got lots of catching up to do. Discover more about the app by reading our recent blog here.
Threads saw a strong start following its launch, with a record-breaking number of sign-ups (more than 100 million within a week), positioning it as a strong Twitter competitor. Unfortunately, in the short time since, Threads has seen a dramatic fall in the number of daily active users, dropping to 22% of Twitter’s audience and leaving questions as to if Threads is living up to the hype. Since the launch almost a month ago, Threads has already seen a few changes:
- Limits introduced – in July, Twitter introduced limits to the number of tweets users can view daily, providing an opportunity for Threads to cater to a new user requirement. However, the new platform has seen a jump in spam posts over the last few weeks, forcing it to introduce daily limits on following and likes. This understandably caused some confusion amongst users with concerns over the impact on their experience, but as they can view as many threads as they like each day, the limits are unlikely to affect the user experience.
- Following feed introduced – the new following feed has been highly demanded by users, allowing them to see content from only the profiles followed within the app, instead of recommended content based on their interests. The update is expected to enhance engagement and interaction within the app by providing users with more control over what they can see. Although, it could also see a hit to discovery and impressions for organisations and brands, being exposed to a smaller audience.
With plans for more updates based on user feedback to be rolled out, and the social media landscape ever-changing, it will be interesting to see how the app evolves into the future and if it meets the high expectations set ahead of its launch.
Instagram Reel templates introduced
Instagram is continuously rolling out new features and updates to improve the user experience, making things easier for marketers in the process.
With short-form video content becoming more and more popular, Reels have had a positive impact on boosting engagement for many organisations. They’ve become an integral part of marketing strategies, but creating good, consistent Reels that work takes time! That’s why the recent introduction of Instagram’s Reel templates couldn’t have been better timed.
The templates library in Instagram’s Reel editor makes it much easier and quicker for Reels to be created and shared, eliminating some of the most time-consuming steps. Templates are fully customisable and are organised in multiple categories; based on what’s trending and recommendations for you. You will be able to easily find inspiration and save templates to their library, which will enable their repeated use. So, not only will Reels be easier to create, but you will be able to ensure consistency across your organisation’s Instagram page. The more consistent your posts are, the more your audience will get to know you – this will help to build trust amongst your audience as they get to know what to expect from you and your organisation, helping them engage with you more.
Twitter renamed and rebranded as “X”
Twitter was completely renamed and rebranded as “X” – one of the top digital marketing updates in July. While the rebrand is just a name change for now, the update comes as new developments and testing to feature more types of interactions are carried out. The app is expected to diversify from being text-only, expanding into audio and video content. This expansion is reported to have been one of the reasons behind the rebrand – as 140-character tweets have developed long since Twitter’s launch in 2006, and they were evidently just the beginning for the popular platform.
Elon Musk is striving to create the perfect ‘one-stop solution’ for users and is using X to begin the journey, modelling it on China’s popular WeChat app. The app is poised to become the ultimate ‘everything app’; combining chat, job listings, banking and payment services, and a global marketplace. These changes will require significant investment into the app, although the diversification of content to support social commerce, in particular, has unlimited potential in the long term by creating multiple revenue streams in a world where social shopping is continually growing.
TikTok’s new features
X and Instagram aren’t the only social media platforms updating their offering – TikTok is also expanding its uses for viewers and marketers alike. The video streaming app quickly became one of the most popular apps during 2019 and 2020, and is continually updating to become even more interactive and dynamic:
- Text-only posts – the video streaming app has joined the competition in text-only content, introducing text posts to give users another way to express themselves. The text-only posts are expected to be as interactive as the video and photo posts currently available on the app, allowing users to add sound, location tags, and Duets.
- A new shop feed is being tested – social commerce is expected to grow three times faster than traditional commerce, and TikTok jumped on this opportunity with the launch of the TikTok shop in 2021. The platform is now testing a new shop feed in the app with selected users. The feed will be accessed via the main screen and will direct users straight to the TikTok Shop display, which highlights products and includes perks such as free shipping on select purchases to enhance the user experience and inspire creativity. TikTok has facilitated the creation of authentic customer relationships with brands, and the introduction of the shop feed is expected to help audiences continue the discovery of things that they love.
Stay up to date
Eclipse marketing is here to help you stay up to date with key updates in the digital marketing landscape. We have over 30 years of experience staying one step ahead of the marketing game and creating efficient, cost-effective strategies for our clients. Get in touch with our experts today by calling 01244 347 545 or simply fill out our simple enquiry form, and we’ll be in touch!
