ICYMI: Instagram Tests Close Friends Feed Posts
Plus Gwyneth Paltrow's zero effort sponcon
⏰ 1-SECOND SUMMARY
Some Instagram users can now share to Close Friends only in the feed
This Gwyneth Paltrow TikTok ad is going viral for its zero effort vibes
MrBeast’s thumbnail test revealed a closed mouth led to longer watch time
Holiday data: Creator gift guides out-rank online publications gift guides as a source of inspiration
💻 ROADMAP
📲 Meta Updates
Instagram has launched Close Friends feed posts, according to screenshots that were shared with me this week. Similar to the way Close Friends currently works in Stories, the new feature gives users the ability to decide which audience can see their updates when posting to the feed: Everyone or Close Friends.
"We're testing the ability for people in select countries to share feed posts with their Close Friends," a Meta spokesperson later confirmed to Insider in an email. "We're always exploring new ways for our community to express themselves and connect on Instagram”
From finstas (fake Instas) to DMs, Stories and Group chats, there’s been a rise of sharing content to smaller, more intimate friend groups. That may be good for people’s mental health but it’s a challenge for marketers and advertisers who want to be part of those conversations. Shifting Instagram users attention back to the Feed by giving them a custom audience option makes a lot of sense from Meta’s ad-friendly perspective. Whether or not people want to post to the feed again remains to be seen.
Instagram announced it’s testing the ability to tag a location in Notes. Reactions to the Broadcast Channel announcement from Instagram head Adam Mosseri were mixed with only 55% of respondents saying they would use the feature. The privacy risk is a hard pass for me, especially considering teens are the ones who create Notes at 10 times the rate of non-teens.
Would you pay for an ad-free Facebook and Instagram experience? It’s something Meta is considering in Europe as a response to data privacy rulings and could be an interesting test just how much people value these apps.
Threads keyword search rolled out to most English and Spanish speaking countries this week, according to an update from Meta head Mark Zuckerberg.
📲 YouTube Updates
Creators are losing some control over ad options: Individual controls will be removed on pre-roll, post-roll, skippable, and non-skippable ads on new videos and instead be decided by the system. YouTube claims this helps make the ad experience as simple as possible for creators and could lead to an increase in ad revenue.
📲 TikTok Updates
TikTok may not be thrilled with the rise in Gen Z sharing their videos in the group chat. Axios reported that the platform is looking to hire engineers and product managers who will focus on improving the DM experience and keeping engagement happening within the app.
📲 Pinterest Updates
Pinterest’s North America Creator Inclusion Fund is now open to all creators and content producers who share fashion and beauty content. Apply here.
Pinterest is using AI to ensure users see a greater range of body types when they browse the app.
📲 Patreon Updates
Patreon is rolling out member profiles and community chats (outside of the comments section) to help app users build stronger relationships with creators and with each other.
👆🏻 CLICK THRU
💊 Gwyneth Paltrow’s Zero Effort Ad
Gwynth Paltrow was featured in the sloppiest celebrity endorsement since Scott Disick’s copypasta job back in 2016. In a recent TikTok ad for Seed probiotics, Paltrow nibbles at a capsule for all of 10 seconds while her son Moses noisily steams (non-dairy?) milk in the background.
But the joke might be on all of us. On her Instagram Stories, GP said the clip was not a paid ad, she just uses the product and admires Seed’s female founder, Ara Katz.
This could be a case of Seed’s founder taking advantage of her friendship with Gwyneth to promote her probiotics. The content’s a mess but that’s the cost of clipping an organic GP endorsement from Instagram Stories. (Warning: don’t try this at work unless you’ve gotten permission first!)
Or maybe this is the evolution of de-influencing: The best way to have someone promote your product is to put in the least amount of effort possible. If this generation is willing to embrace too-cool-to-care Bobbi Althoff, why not a zero effort Gwyneth Paltrow?
Either way, it’s working. There are thousands of views and likes on the dozens of duets and parodies of the ad — which by far exceed the engagement on any of the content on Seed’s actual TikTok page. Well played, Seed marketing team.
😄 MrBeast’s About to Change the Face of YouTube
Creators: close your mouths! MrBeast has been using YouTube’s Test & Compare tool that allows creators to A/B test thumbnail images (it’s coming to everyone else next year). Watch time went up on every video where he closed his mouth on the thumbnail.
🥿 Aritzia Partnered With the Tabi Swiper Victim
If the above sentence makes no sense, let me try to unpack some extremely niche NYC drama that ended with a fashion collab and reinforced how quickly brands need to hop on trends these days.
A New York City-based TikTok user named Lexus went viral after she shared the saga of her Tinder date who swiped her Tabis (Maison Margiela Mary Jane shoes worth $990); regifted them to his girlfriend; got caught by the internet; and ultimately returned the shoes.
Since then, Lexus’ original video has been viewed over a million times; the hashtag #TabiGirl has garnered 1M views on TikTok; Lexus has been interviewed by Vogue and Essence, she’s become the talk of Fashion Week; and signed a collab contract with Aritzia to create branded content — How to Style the Tabis Your Date Stole From You — all within five days.
If Chipotle (Corn Kid), Fashion Nova (Pinkydoll), Revlon (Heather Rae El Moussa) and now Aritzia have taught us anything, it’s that social teams need to be empowered to act fast and seize the moment.
It’s similar to trendjacking — where a brand capitalizes on current trends or events that have gained significant traction among the public, according to Sway Group’s Danielle Wiley. But instead of following a trend, these are brands swooping in to become part of the trend itself.
🎁 HOLIDAY SHOPPING DATA
Half of you have already started your holiday shopping (and content posting), according to several trend reports released this week. While that does not compute for me personally, the data revealed is fascinating:
Tis the season for brand loyalty: 85% of creators prioritize nurturing their existing brand relationships during the holiday season, while only 14% focus on securing new brand deals
-Morning Consult 2023 Creator Survey
41% of TikTok users are making purchases that spark joy. The takeaway for brands: Explore how your products can unlock little luxuries through ornate packaging, high quality ingredients, and calming asmr videos
-TikTok What's Next Shopping Trend Report
Creator gift guides out-ranked online publications gift guides as a source of inspiration. “Gift recommendations” ranked as the top ways creators help consumers prep for holidays, beyond recipes, experiences or travel guidance
-LTK Unwrapping Holiday 2023 Shopper Trends
Related: Meta Ad Performance Holiday Guide
📖 WORTH READING
CapCut launched an affiliate program to recruit creators to share CapCut-related content on Instagram and YouTube -Lindsey Gamble
BeReal is set to make its first marketing hire — but experts say it could be too late for the app to recapture its early buzz -Insider (paywall)
Clubhouse reinvents itself as an audio messaging app -The Verge
How Pinterest became Gen Z’s favourite fashion inspo -Vogue Business (paywall)
“Even if you’re not into celebrity gossip, you should pay close attention to the Joe Jonas / Sophie Turner divorce as a case study in botched PR” - Lulu Cheng Meservey, Twitter
These film school grads ditched studio jobs for YouTube and TikTok. How’s that going? -Los Angeles Times
TikTok has transformed the concert experience -Vox
New Report Finds That Investment in Influencer Marketing Is Rising Faster Than Traditional Ads -Social Media Today