Social Media News / February 2023

Hi there, we hope you’re safe and well, especially if you’re here in NZ. It’s been a time, huh?

Outside of Mother Nature giving us a VERY sharp reminder of who’s in charge, there’s been a lot going on this month in the world of social media, and we’re here to bring it to you along with a dose of (hopefully), normality. So please, grab a fork, and let’s dig in…

TikTok Shares Tips On How To Maximise Branded Content

Gone are the days of brands believing that to be successful on TikTok you have to dance (we’re kind of gutted – this gave us a lot of lols).  

More brands are joining the rest of us in 2023 and getting a handle on the content that works best on the app. Our Training Manager and all-around nerd Oli had a look at some of the tips TikTok is giving to brands to help them get on board.

Read more here.

BREAKING NEWS: Facebook and Instagram Trial Paid Subscription in NZ & Aus

Following the trend of other social media networks, and possibly looking to diversify their business and reduce their reliance on ad revenue, Meta recently announced the launch of the Meta Verified programme. 

Billed as a way for creators to ‘establish their presence’ on their platforms, the new paid subscription model costs $23.99 on web and $29.99 on iOS & Android. It will give creators verified badges, increased visibility and reach, impersonation protection, better support, and access to exclusive features.

It’s a pivot we’re seeing more platforms embrace, and it will be very interesting to see if it gains widespread usage as a way for new creators to potentially shortcut their way to larger audiences.

Meta Verified launches in New Zealand and Australia this week, aren’t WE lucky?!

TikTok Cracks The Whip! 

First up, TikTok is stamping down on all those nasty lil rule breakers out there, and good riddance we say, because as you know things can get pretty wild on there. Here’s how they plan to tackle hateful speech, dangerous ideologies, and inappropriate content that includes abuse or nudity that can spread around some dark parts of the TikTok-sphere. 

Currently, their system is made up of different types of restrictions, like removing the video or temporary bans, while educating users about their policies. And although this has advantages, it impacts those who unknowingly violated a policy the same as it does intentional repeat offenders while doing very little to actually stop them from continuing to do it. 

So, now accounts will accrue strikes after each violation. Depending on the nature of the violations, thresholds will vary, but if they reach it they are out – once and for all!  It goes without saying, any steps toward controlling toxic and hateful content are good and at first glance, this sounds like a clever idea. We’ll be watching this one closely to see how it develops over time. Let’s not give up on our dream of a world without trolls just yet. 

Oh Twitter, What Are You Up To Now?

Under the reign of Musk things have definitely got… messy, but it looks like businesses might have a chance to gain clear visual authentication once again.

After the overuse (read chaos) of Twitter Blue, which led to fake accounts and profiles appearing to be verified, the Gold Tick will come in at a much higher price point. The suggested price for the Gold Tick (which just to be clear is not made of actual gold), is looking to be $1000 USD a month – ouch. As well as proudly displaying your expensive Gold Tick, this will also allow brands to verify their staff – which is giving LinkedIn energy. This is weirdly not included in the already big price tag though and will cost an extra $50 per employee added. 

So the biggest question we have for you Mr. Musk when you inevitably read this (lol) is why? There seems to be a lack of incentive to these proposals except the tick itself and it’s not wild to suggest that many, many businesses will not be keen to pay that amount for that alone. So it looks like we might be adding this to our ELONgated list of Twitter mistakes from the past year or so. 

YouTube Give The People What They Want!!! 

Say hello to the Cost-Per-Hour Masthead, YouTube’s new way to be in the right place at the right time. Now you can utilise the power of major events and use the time before, during, and after as the hottest new time slot for your brand to advertise. So whether it’s takeout right before the World Cup, a reminder before a product launch, or shopping right after – you can be right there. 

As YouTube said “the activation strategies are endless” and they really are.  You’ve probably heard about the crazy prices a Super Bowl halftime advertising slot costs (Rihanna slayed and we won’t hear otherwise), which is why this is pretty genius. Now there’s another way to show up in the big moments!

After years in the social game, we’ve learned a thing or two along the way, and we’re keen to share our digital wisdom! We’ve created a series of customisable modules. Whether you’re new to the gig and need to learn it all, or have been around these parts a while and have discovered a gap in your knowledge, come along and have a lesson on all things social! Check out all of our options here or get in touch for details.

So that’s a wrap on our monthly chit-chat, as always it was a pleasure. You know we love your company and TBH we are already looking forward to next time!

Stay safe, stay hopeful (for nicer weather), and stay social.

The Mosh Crew.