The Digital Debrief | June 2024

Welcome to the June 2024 edition of the Digital Debrief, your monthly roundup of the latest in digital marketing and technology. In the June edition, LinkedIn has rolled out enhanced features for its newsletters, aiming to boost engagement and interaction among users. Meanwhile, Microsoft introduces generative AI capabilities to its Copilot feature for creating display ad banners, promising streamlined asset creation for marketers. Stay tuned as we unpack these updates and more, keeping you informed on the cutting edge of digital innovation. 

LinkedIn 

New features for LinkedIn Newsletters  

LinkedIn has introduced new features for its newsletter creation platform, making it more user-friendly and engaging. The updated reader interface now displays the newsletter on the left with comments on the right, aiming to boost interaction. Users can sort comments by relevance or recency. Creators can now embed LinkedIn profiles and pages directly into their newsletters, making it easy for readers to connect with those mentioned. Additionally, LinkedIn has added "staging links" to preview newsletters before publishing, and integrated Microsoft Designer for AI-generated cover images. Enhanced notification systems will help drive subscriptions. Over the past year, LinkedIn has seen a significant increase in newsletter activity, with a 59% rise in publications and a 47% rise in engagement, showcasing the platform's growing potential for audience reach. 

Premium Company Pages are here  

LinkedIn is launching Premium Company Pages to help small and medium-sized businesses enhance their in-app presence. This new offering includes features like custom CTA buttons, auto-invites for leads, insights into page visitors, and access to AI writing assistant tools. Premium subscribers can also display testimonials, rich media, and reviews, and utilize a "Request Services" button to generate leads. With an unlimited search option, users can reach potential business leads more effectively. The service starts at $99 per month, but it may be a worthwhile investment for businesses generating leads through LinkedIn. The Premium Company Pages are set to be globally available by the end of July. 

New AI tools for Ads 

LinkedIn is rolling out a new video ad placement option and integrating more AI tools to enhance ad creation. The new video sponsorship program, "The Wire," allows brands to run in-stream video ads with content from trusted publishers like Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal. This aims to boost credibility and engagement, capitalizing on the growing trend of video consumption, which is up 45% year-over-year. Additionally, LinkedIn is adding Microsoft Designer to its "Accelerate" ad tool, allowing marketers to use generative AI for creating campaign visuals. Marketers can describe their desired imagery or upload their own, and Designer will offer multiple customizable options. Accelerate already uses AI for ad text generation, and now it includes targeting exclusions and AI recommendations to refine ads further. 

Meta 

Broadcast Channel expansion  

Meta is expanding its Broadcast Channels feature to Facebook Pages with over 10,000 followers. Initially launched on Instagram, Broadcast Channels now allow these Facebook Pages to create one-to-many chat channels on both Facebook and Messenger. New features include the ability to share messages from Instagram to Facebook, early access to channel content for members, and the option to share channel updates via Facebook Stories. Meta is also rolling this feature out to all Professional Mode creators with over 10,000 followers soon. Broadcast Channels can be pinned at the top of your Page and promoted in-feed, making it easier to keep your audience engaged with direct updates to their inboxes.  

Meta is using your public posts to train their AI  

You can't stop Meta from using your public posts for AI training, no matter how many "opt out" posts you share. Despite the trend of people like Rafael Nadal posting such statements, these have no legal standing. When you use Meta's platforms, you agree to their terms, which grant Meta a license to use your content for various purposes, including AI training. Meta clarifies that only public posts are used for AI training, not private messages. The only exception is for users in the EU, who can opt out due to specific data regulations. For everyone else, if you want to prevent your content from being used, you'll need to delete it or set it to private going forward. So, those opt-out posts circulating online? They don't work. 

TikTok  

Deals for You Days  

TikTok is ramping up its in-app shopping game with "Deals For You Days" in the U.S., starting July 9th. Major brands like L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline, and NYX will offer exclusive discounts on TikTok Shop. Merchants and creators will participate in content challenges and live shopping events to engage directly with their followers and promote their products. 

New TikTok image app  

TikTok is launching a new image-sharing app called Whee, designed for sharing spontaneous moments with close friends. This app allows users to capture and share real-life photos exclusively with their friends, promoting authenticity. Whee joins TikTok's growing lineup of photo-sharing apps, including Notes, launched in April, and Lemon8, which focuses on products and promotions. While Notes targets a broader audience with lifestyle content, Whee is geared towards private sharing among friends. 

Instagram 

Close friend live streaming  

Instagram is stepping up its intimate group interactions by adding "Close Friends" to Instagram Live. This new feature allows users to live stream privately with up to three other people from their Close Friends list. You can invite these friends to co-host or join the stream, expanding the audience to their Close Friends as well. Live video has become a key way for younger users to connect, with platforms like TikTok Live and the now-defunct Houseparty setting the trend. Close Friends on Live taps into this trend, offering a way for Instagram users to maintain close-knit communities through private live streams. This move aligns with a broader shift towards private sharing on social media, especially among younger users.  

An in-depth conversation with Instagram Chief  

Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri, recently shared key insights into Instagram’s algorithms, creator monetization, and more in an interview with Social Media Today. Here are some highlights: 

Video Dominance: Video content now makes up more than half of the time users spend on Instagram, transforming content engagement on the platform. Instagram focuses on creating a participatory experience where users discover, share, and discuss videos. 

Algorithm Shift: Instagram's algorithm is shifting towards showing users more content from profiles they don’t follow, similar to TikTok’s “For You” feed. This shift aims to expose users to a broader range of content based on their in-app behavior. 

Key Metric - Sends: The most important factor for post reach is now "sends" (how many times a post is shared). This metric aligns with the trend of private sharing and is crucial for content success on Instagram. 

Creator Focus: Instagram is prioritizing support for smaller creators and focusing on ways to improve monetization opportunities, keeping creators engaged and loyal to the platform. 

Sound Off Viewing: About half of all video impressions are viewed with the sound off, highlighting the importance of captions and visuals. 

Individual Power: Instagram is emphasizing the power shift from institutions to individuals, prioritizing creators over publishers to reflect this change. 

Concerns About Bans: The potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. raises concerns about the increasing trend of platform bans by governments for political purposes. 

New broadcast channel features 

Instagram has rolled out updates to its Broadcast Channels feature, enhancing options for creators with over 10k followers to engage their audience more effectively. Now, creators can host exclusive IG Live broadcasts within their channels, accessible only to channel members, boosting incentive for fans to join. Additionally, custom themes allow creators to personalize their channel backgrounds with any image, while new emoji controls enable customization of chat reactions. QR codes are also introduced to help promote channel updates, facilitating community growth and deeper engagement within Instagram's private messaging landscape.  

Unskippable videos 

Instagram is currently testing a new video ad format that halts your scrolling in the main feed until you watch the ad. These unskippable video ads appear with a timer at the bottom, forcing users to view the content before continuing to scroll. This move has sparked mixed reactions among users, reminiscent of YouTube’s unskippable ads that often prompt users to use ad blockers. While beneficial for brands seeking increased exposure and timed ad placements, it poses a potential annoyance for users accustomed to seamless scrolling.  

Snapchat 

Generative AI for AR creation 

Snapchat has introduced new generative AI features to its Lens creation tools, aiming to revolutionize AR creation and expand digital experiences. One standout is a real-time GenAI Lens tool that can place users into digitally rendered scenes based on their descriptions. Despite current visual quirks, this marks a significant leap in mobile-based AI rendering capabilities, allowing for interactive AR experiences on the go. Moreover, Snap has integrated generative AI prompts into Lens Studio, enabling creators to develop custom AR models through conversational commands. This move is poised to democratize AR creation by simplifying the technical complexities, potentially opening doors to widespread adoption and innovative applications in both AR and future VR realms. These updates are part of Snap's Lens Studio 5.0 release, which enhances productivity and versatility in AR development.  

Pinterest  

More shareability  

Pinterest has introduced an enhanced way to share your Pin collections across other social platforms, aiming to boost visibility and engagement. Now, users can choose a public board, select a template, and share it as a visually appealing Story with animated elements. This new feature includes a "Curated on Pinterest" marker, tailored for Stories rather than Reels, to maintain aesthetic integrity. Pinterest hopes this update will resonate particularly well with Gen Z users who see Pinterest boards as personal spaces for self-expression and aesthetic exploration. 

AI tools for Ads and Shuffles integration  

Pinterest has rolled out new AI-powered tools designed to enhance advertising performance on its platform, aiming to streamline ad creation and improve targeting precision. One of the key additions is the "Performance+" automated ad campaigns, which leverage Pinterest’s AI for optimizing Promoted Pins across various campaign types. Early tests show significant improvements in cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and cost-per-click (CPC), reducing campaign creation time by half. Additionally, Pinterest introduces AI background generation for product images, tailoring visuals to match user preferences and aesthetic styles. This personalized approach aims to deepen engagement by aligning product contextually with individual tastes. 

Pinterest is also integrating its "Shuffles" app feature into ad strategies with Promoted Pin collages, enhancing discoverability and shopping experiences. Advertisers can now create interactive showcases that link directly to product listings within collages, making ads more engaging and actionable. 

Study finds Pinterest drives more user attention  

Pinterest has released a study emphasizing the effectiveness of both "active" and "passive" attention in advertising strategies, highlighting how these approaches can enhance engagement and action from viewers. Active attention tactics aim to capture immediate interest by introducing new information or insights, while passive attention methods maintain brand presence subtly over time, reinforcing familiarity and consideration. According to Pinterest, their platform excels in driving attention, outperforming other apps by 170%, particularly in generating passive attention. This success is attributed to the platform's design, which fosters a positive user experience that encourages deeper engagement with content, including ads. 

The study, conducted by Amplified Intelligence, utilized eye-tracking and device usage metrics to analyze consumer behavior across different apps, confirming Pinterest's ability to hold attention more effectively. Users on Pinterest reportedly scroll 1.5 times slower past ads compared to other platforms, indicating higher engagement levels. 

X / Twitter 

Enhanced analytics for Pro members 

X has launched an enhanced analytics feature exclusively for X Premium subscribers, marking a significant shift towards monetizing its data insights. Now, users paying for X Premium can access detailed metrics such as total impressions, engagement rates, profile visits, video performance, and link clicks through an updated analytics dashboard. The new interface includes interactive bar charts that allow users to track performance trends over customizable date ranges, improving visibility into their platform metrics. Previously accessible to all X users, these analytics are now gated behind a paywall, part of X's strategy to bolster its subscription revenue alongside other Premium features like XPro (formerly TweetDeck). 

Policies now allow sexual content  

X has updated its policies to allow consensually produced adult nudity and sexual content on its platform. This change officially supports users' artistic expression while maintaining strict guidelines against exploitation and harm to minors. Despite previous hesitations, the platform may explore monetizing adult content creators in the future, pending improvements in content moderation capabilities under Elon Musk's leadership. 

Search Engines  

Google TV network 

Google has launched the Google TV network, expanding its connected TV advertising capabilities across more than 20 million monthly active Google TV and Android TV OS devices in the U.S. Advertisers can now tap into this growing audience with targeted, non-skippable and bumper video ads, available across 125 free channels on Google TV. This move underscores Google's strategy to capture a larger share of the connected TV ad market amidst increasing viewer migration from traditional TV to streaming platforms. 

Brand recommendations powered by AI  

Google has introduced Brand Recommendations powered by AI within Google Ads, aimed at enhancing awareness and consideration campaigns. These personalized suggestions analyze an advertiser's campaign history, settings, and industry trends to optimize performance across ads, bidding strategies, targeting, and more. By offering tailored insights and best practices, Google aims to equip brand marketers with tools to improve campaign effectiveness and achieve better results on its platforms. 

Microsoft Copilot expands to Display Ads 

Microsoft has expanded its AI capabilities in advertising with the introduction of generative AI for creating display ad banners through its Copilot feature. This enhancement allows marketers to automate the creation of banner assets using their landing page URL, thereby saving time and streamlining the ad creation process. With plans to add support for video ads soon, Microsoft aims to make Copilot a versatile tool across various ad formats, enabling advertisers to focus more on strategy while AI handles creative production.