Top SMM and Social Media News in June: Digest

Contents:

• Facebook* launched an analogue of Clubhouse
• Instagram* will launch full-screen video - like in TikTok
• TikTok launches a new advertising format
• Social networks with the most influential bloggers have been named
• WhatsApp will make correspondence with business profiles paid next year
• Facebook** and Instagram* will lure bloggers with money
• Short videos on YouTube are now available in Russia
• New apps have appeared in Telegram Donations
• YouTube Introduces Three New Features for Live Broadcasts

• Facebook* has launched an analogue of Clubhouse;
• Instagram* is becoming similar to TikTok;
• TikTok has launched the Spark Ads advertising format;
• Research: social networks with the most influential bloggers;
• WhatsApp will make correspondence between companies and users paid;
• Facebook** and Instagram* will spend a billion dollars on bonuses for bloggers;
• Shorts from YouTube have appeared in Russia;
• Telegram now has donations;
• YouTube has introduced three new features for live broadcasts.

Facebook* has launched an analogue of Clubhouse

Live Audio Rooms is a new service that is currently available exclusively in the United States. It allows users to create virtual rooms for communication. Each room can accommodate up to 50 speakers, while the number of listeners is not limited. This communication format opens up new horizons for interaction and exchange of opinions, which makes it attractive for various communities and groups.

Users have the opportunity to support speakers by purchasing and sending them stars. This support system is similar to the existing model for video authors. Support through stars allows viewers to express their appreciation and motivate speakers to create new content.

Initially, Facebook provided the ability to create virtual rooms only to a limited number of public figures and administrators of certain groups. In the coming weeks, the social network plans to expand the list of users authorized to create such rooms, as well as offer new features and interaction opportunities. The copying of formats continues, but unfortunately, it's too late. Clubhouse has lost its relevance, despite offering an interesting approach to audio content. This format will likely fail to gain popularity in Russia. Similar features are already available on Telegram, but brands aren't using them in ongoing advertising aimed at maintaining constant engagement with their audience. This creates a gap in marketing strategies, where maintaining user interest is crucial. Yaroslav Efanov is the Head of SMM at Skillbox. He is responsible for strategic development and implementation of effective social media solutions. Under his leadership, the Skillbox team creates content that attracts and retains the target audience's attention and contributes to brand growth. Yaroslav actively uses modern tools and analytical approaches to improve the effectiveness of SMM campaigns, which allows Skillbox to remain competitive in the digital education market.

At the end of July, Clubhouse announced expanded access to its app, allowing users to join without invitations. Furthermore, the service is now available not only to owners of Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads, but also to Android users. This significantly increases Clubhouse's audience and allows more people to participate in voice discussions.

Instagram* to launch full-screen video—like TikTok

According to Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, within the next six months, video content will be broadcast full-screen directly in users' feeds. Mosseri noted: "We're no longer a square photo-sharing app." This change highlights Instagram's new approach to video-focused content, which could significantly change the user experience and engagement with the platform.

Mosseri shared information about upcoming changes to the social network that users will be able to notice soon. These updates are aimed at improving the user experience and providing new opportunities for interaction with content. It is important to keep an eye on the new features that will be introduced, as they can significantly change the perception of the platform and the ways in which users communicate.

• it will be possible to experiment with immersive, mobile, full-screen videos;
• publications from accounts the user does not follow will appear in their feed (currently they can be seen in recommendations);
• Direct will be transformed into a full-fledged messenger;
• there will be more shopping opportunities.

Instagram has already introduced a format similar to TikTok videos - 60-second reels. These videos can be enriched with effects and music, and also edited directly in the application. This approach allows users to create dynamic content that attracts attention and drives audience engagement. Reels are becoming an important tool for promoting brands and creative ideas on the social network.

Instagram has experimented with its interface, including introducing two rows of stories, but users have reacted negatively to these changes. In my opinion, the Instagram team should study the successful solutions of its competitors, adapt them, and offer its own unique features. Currently, Instagram largely copies TikTok, which may not lead to long-term success. Despite the overlap of audiences between the two platforms, users use them differently, and this is an important point that both Instagram management and SMM specialists should consider.

Yaroslav Efanov is the Head of SMM at Skillbox. His responsibilities include developing and implementing social media management strategies to increase brand awareness and attract new audiences. Under Yaroslav's leadership, the Skillbox team successfully implements modern approaches to promotion, using analytics to optimize content and user interactions. His experience and knowledge of social media contribute to the successful development of projects and the effectiveness of client communications.

Instagram is striving to move closer to TikTok's format, which can be considered a positive step. The platform recognizes that TikTok is its main competitor. However, the problem arises in that Instagram is trying to combine multiple features: Reels, Stories, and a discovery feed. This variety of formats can confuse users. Consider Instagram TV, which failed to live up to expectations. A similar fate could befall Reels if Instagram fails to find a balance between different content formats.

Alexander Turlakov is the owner of a popular TikTok channel with an audience of 600,000 subscribers and the author of the book "Everything Will Be TikTok." His experience and knowledge in content creation are helping many users master the platform and grow their accounts. Turlakov shares effective strategies and tips for successful promotion on TikTok.

TikTok Launches New Advertising Format

Spark Ads is a new native advertising format that allows brands to effectively promote their videos from TikTok accounts in users' discovery feeds. With the convenient tools available on the platform, video creation becomes a simple and intuitive process. This advertising format helps increase content visibility and engagement with the target audience, making it an attractive tool for marketers and businesses looking to increase their visibility on TikTok.

Previously, companies were limited to advertising only their own websites without the ability to promote videos. Now, advertisers can effectively promote video content from creators who participate in brand collaborations. This opens up new horizons for audience engagement and increases the reach of advertising campaigns.

Social networks with the most influential bloggers have been named

The most influential influencers work on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. According to a study conducted by the SlickText platform, it was determined which social networks are the most significant for different generations. This data will help brands better adapt their marketing strategies and choose the right influencers for collaboration.

According to surveys, the majority of Generation Z representatives prefer to watch blogger content on Instagram (31.69%) and TikTok (28.67%). At the same time, more than 31% of respondents from the boomer generation noted Facebook as their main platform. Facebook also ranks first in popularity among all other age groups and fourth among Generation Z. This demonstrates that social media has a significant influence on different generations, and preferences in choosing platforms vary depending on age.

The study concluded the following Conclusions:

• The majority of respondents (almost 38%) said that reviews are the most useful content on social media. 52% of online shoppers read reviews of a product before making a purchase.
• The majority of Generation Z (45.07%) said that text messages are their most preferred method of communicating with influencers.
• Nearly 40% of respondents said that feeling a "need" for a product promoted by an influencer is the most effective way to persuade them to buy.

It's surprising that Facebook made it onto this list, not YouTube. YouTube is definitely more preferred by Russian audiences than Facebook. Furthermore, the number of bloggers on YouTube significantly exceeds the number of influencers on Facebook. While the latter offers niche specialists, working with them often requires more effort. The results for TikTok and Instagram also came as no surprise. I expect their metrics to continue to grow, especially on TikTok, which is attracting more and more users and creating new opportunities for content creators.

Yaroslav Efanov is the Head of SMM at Skillbox. In his role, he is responsible for developing and implementing social media marketing strategies to promote Skillbox's educational programs and courses. Under his leadership, the SMM team achieves high results by using modern methods and tools to increase reach and audience engagement. Yaroslav Efanov actively shares his experience and knowledge in marketing, which contributes to the effectiveness of the entire team.

WhatsApp will make messaging with business profiles paid next year

Starting February 1, 2022, new rules regarding messaging with users will come into effect. As part of these changes, the first thousand messages per month will be provided free of charge. After reaching this limit, communication with the user will require a fee. All conversations will be divided into two categories: user-initiated and company-initiated. The cost of conversations in these categories will vary, which is important to consider when planning communications. These changes are aimed at optimizing interactions and improving the quality of service for users.

An example of a conversation initiated by a user to contact technical support might look like this. The user describes their problem, provides details related to the situation, and leaves contact information for feedback. This is important for a quick and effective resolution. Technical support, in turn, responds to the request, providing the necessary information and recommendations for resolving the problem. This format of communication ensures a prompt response and improves the quality of customer service.

Correspondence initiated by the company includes informing the client about the flight delay. It is important to promptly notify passengers of any schedule changes so that they can adjust their plans. Clear and concise communication about a flight delay will help avoid misunderstandings and increase trust in the company. Furthermore, providing up-to-date information about the new departure date and time, as well as possible compensation options, will improve the customer experience. Effective communication in such situations not only minimizes negative consequences, but also demonstrates concern for passengers.

The fee for services will vary depending on the country or region of the user. The system will determine the location by the client's phone number. For example, in Russia, a company-initiated message costs $0.0663, while a customer-initiated message costs $0.0398. This price difference is important to consider when planning communication expenses.

I don't think companies will abandon WhatsApp due to the increased costs of communicating with customers. If the messenger does lose users, it will most likely be smaller companies. However, this creates an additional incentive for active use of Telegram, especially in Russia. Telegram is demonstrating record downloads, and brands should pay more attention to this messenger in their promotional strategies. Using Telegram can significantly improve the effectiveness of customer interactions and expand your audience.

Yaroslav Efanov is the Head of SMM at Skillbox. His experience and knowledge of social media help develop effective promotion strategies for various brands. Yaroslav actively researches SMM trends and implements them in the team's work. He strives to create unique content that attracts the attention of his target audience and drives business growth. At Skillbox, Yaroslav shares his knowledge by training employees in modern social media approaches.

Facebook** and Instagram* will entice bloggers with money

Facebook is investing a billion dollars in rewards for bloggers to incentivize content creation on its platforms. The company's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, noted that this decision should encourage bloggers to be more active on Facebook and Instagram, rather than switching to competing services. This investment decision underscores the company's commitment to retaining content creators and improving the user experience across the Facebook and Instagram platforms.

Content creators will be able to receive cash rewards for using various social media tools. For example, they will earn money from in-stream advertising in their videos, as well as from short videos for Instagram Reels and in-video advertising for IGTV. Furthermore, monetization will be available to live stream creators. These bonus programs will initially be seasonal: they will launch on Instagram in the summer and on Facebook in the fall. This will create new opportunities for content creators and provide them with additional income.

TikTok's algorithms are currently more favorable to young creators than Instagram and especially Facebook. This creates interesting opportunities for new initiatives, but I don't expect the situation in Russia to change significantly. Instagram needs radical changes to regain its competitive edge. Current innovations seem like an attempt to catch the last train. IGTV hasn't yet become a full-fledged competitor to YouTube, and Reels likely won't replace TikTok.

Yaroslav Efanov is the Head of SMM at Skillbox. In his role, he is responsible for developing and implementing social media marketing strategies. His experience and professional skills allow him to effectively promote the Skillbox brand, increasing its presence on social media and engagement with its audience. Yaroslav actively follows the latest trends in SMM and applies them to achieve the best results.

YouTube Shorts are now available in Russia

The YouTube Shorts beta version launched in Russia on July 12. This service allows users to record, edit, and publish short videos. YouTube Shorts offers easy access to content creation, making it the perfect tool for creators looking to share their ideas and moments in short video format.

With Shorts, you can shoot multiple short video tracks and combine them into one full-length video. In addition, you can add music, text, and various effects, which can significantly improve the quality of your content. Shorts are ideal for creating creative and engaging videos that will grab viewers' attention and help grow your audience.

• record videos with music;
• change the recording speed;
• add text and subtitles;
• add audio samples from other Shorts videos, excerpts from the gallery;
• apply filters.

Donations have appeared in Telegram

The donation button is connected through a special bot @donate. For correct operation, you must grant it channel administrator rights. After that, the bot will automatically create a donation button, which can be integrated into channel messages. This will allow subscribers to easily support your content financially.

Connecting donations is only available for channels that you own. Conditions for activating the function include having at least 1,000 subscribers and a channel that is at least three months old.

The "SMM-man on Duty" channel highlights the important steps for setting up donations. To successfully set up, you must provide an exact address, provide a scanned copy of your passport, enter your card number, and complete verification with a selfie. These measures ensure the safety and security of financial transactions.

YouTube has introduced three new features for live broadcasts

All three features are designed to improve the interaction between broadcasters and their audience. These tools help improve communication, increase engagement, and create a more dynamic and interactive space for communication.

• Polls that can be broadcast directly during the broadcast. You can add 2 to 4 answer options to each question.
• Subscriber-only chats. You can enable this feature when setting up a live broadcast or during the event, directly from the Live Control Room.
• Clips are video snippets lasting 5-60 seconds that can be shared on YouTube or other platforms. This feature is available to all bloggers with an audience of more than 1,000 users.

Here you can find detailed information about new Google features. Updates and innovations will help users better use the company's services and optimize work processes. Explore all the opportunities that are opening up thanks to the latest changes in Google tools and applications.