Is Gen Z leaving TikTok for a new social app? ??

Hey there,

?Isn't it a-May-zing how quickly social media moves??

?In this month's marketing newsletter I'm covering:

1. The new app that Gen Z's buzzing about ??
2. Fresh data on Facebook ad reach ??
3. Viral TikTok creator of the month ????

1. Is BeReal the Next Big Social Media Sensation? ??

(Photo credit:?CNN )

No filters. Influencer-free. Totally private.

Sounds like?anti-social media, right?

But that's the pitch that's driving millions of people to?BeReal.

Recently cracking Apple's top five?most-downloaded apps , the network is based around sharing slice-of-life photos with your friends. The app is particularly popular among Gen Z?

If you haven't heard of BeReal, that's the idea — the app is intentionally brand-free.

I downloaded the app and started using it, here's a quick breakdown of the how the app works ??

• The app picks a random time daily for you and your friends to take a snapshot of whatever you're up to. Could be 2:12 PM today, 9:31 AM tomorrow.
• Once notified, you have a two-minute window to snap and share your photo. On vacation? Walking the dog? Doesn't matter, take a pic.
• The app has no filters or editing features. That means no photo polishing.
• Once time is up, you can see your friends' content. Friends interact via comments and "RealMojis" (emojis of your actual face). Don't post within your window? Then you can't interact with your group's content until the next day.
• Your BeReal presence is private and friends-only by default. That said, you can opt to have your content show up in the app's "Discovery" feed.

(Photo credit:?BeReal )

Big with the younger crowd? Friends-only photos? Serious Snapchat deja vu.

That's where the comparisons end, though. BeReal's no-edit, no timestamp and no-brands-allowed experience is far from Snapchat's filter frenzy.?

The app isn't just attracting a niche audience, either. Earning?7.87 million downloads ?and?3 million daily active users?within two years is impressive.

BeReal fills a void for Gen Zers as an alternative to the endless scrolling of TikTok. Recent research notes that?45% of Gen Z feel like there's too much pressure to be on social media. A similar percentage says that?people should be more "real"?when posting.

The app ticks both boxes for young consumers. BeReal's post-a-day platform is low commitment.?Axios ?notes that the app's posting requirements mirror the once-a-day engagement of Wordle. BeReal's slogan ("Your Friends Are Real") speaks for itself.

(Photo credit:?GWI )

Should BeReal's popularity make brands nervous? Well, not exactly.

Social platforms come and go faster than we can keep up (see: Vero, Clubhouse). BeReal's boom is a reflection of how social consumers are tired of aggressive ads.

We talk about?the importance of authenticity ?all the time at Statusphere. Brands that want to build loyalty?should?get "real" with their customers.

As for BeReal's staying power, we'll have to see. I wouldn't be surprised if another platform swiped a few of their features (see: Instagram's "Close Friends").???

2. New Report Reveals How Social Ads Only Reach a Fraction of Their Audiences ??

This story is actually the perfect pairing for the buzz around BeReal.

Last month,?I broke down firsthand tips from Meta? on how to lower customer acquisition costs when running social ads. Brands right now are struggling with sky-high CPC and lower reach.

And this month, a?new report from Sotrender ?confirms just how low ad reach can go.

The big reveal??The majority of marketers (80%) reach only 5% of their paid social audiences.

The research by Sotrender's AI Team examined 20,000 ad sets from Meta (Facebook and Instagram) during Q1 2022. The research focused on?audience saturation?AKA Facebook audience share. Audience saturation measures how effectively marketers reach their target audience on the platform.?

Here are some of the key takeaways from?the study :

• 50% of all ad sets?analyzed only reached <1% of their target audience ??
• Only 10% of all sets?reached more than 12% of their target audience ??
• When audience saturation goes up, so does the cost of a campaign????

Yikes.?

This isn't to say the sky falling, though. Social ads aren't disappearing.

But these results reinforce what I've been seeing:?brands paying more for poorer ad performance. My thoughts and takeaways?

• Marketers need to put their ad spending under the microscope.?If you want more control over your campaigns and data, consider campaigns beyond targeted ads.
• Rising costs and poorer targeting explain why brands are increasing their?influencer marketing budgets ?in 2022.
• For brands that?do?run paid campaigns,?Meta themselves ?says that creators boost engagement and lower acquisition costs.

3. #TikTokMom's Hilarious Storytime Goes Viral ????

A campaign we ran last week, with Creator (and?Statusphere ?member!) Lexi Mace (@aleximacee ) earned?over 5.5 million views and 765K likes?over three videos that went viral among the moms of TikTok.?

(Source:?@aleximacee )?

Just in time for Mother's Day, Lexi shared some of her favorite pages from?There Are Moms Way Worse Than You. #MomTok couldn't get enough of the hilarious illustrations coupled with Lexi's delivery.?

And there were plenty of moms in Lexi's comments scrambling to get their hands on the book.

(Source:?@aleximacee )?

In fact, followers loved her video so much that they demanded a sequel. The follow-up video earned over 3.7 million views on its own!

(Source & Photo credit:?@aleximacee )?

Why I ?? this :

• Lexi's videos tick the boxes of the best TikTok creator content — simple, off-the-cuff and authentic.
• This post highlights the marketing opportunities beyond the younger crowd on TikTok. With so many niche communities, chances are your audience is already active on the platform.
• She's a Statusphere member! Earning viral engagement with less than 7,000 followers (4,000 before the videos went viral), this post is proof that creators know best. Congrats, Lexi!

4. Pop Quiz: How Well Do You Know the Latest Influencer Marketing Trends? ????

Influencer marketing is more effective than ever.

That said, the space is still evolving.

Want to catch up on the latest strategies, tools and best practices for 2022??My next webinar is a crash course on the influencer trends you need to know to make your campaigns pop.

Reserve a seat to learn:?

• Creative ways that brands in beauty, food and beverage, lifestyle and more are working with influencers in 2022
• The trends and tactics that make sense for Reels versus TikToks, versus Instagram Stories, and more
• How to spot new trends and apply them to your brand's influencer campaigns

Seats are filling up fast! Reserve yours below! ??

RSVP

ICYMI

Check out these resources from Statusphere that you might have missed:

• TikTok Account Ideas: 6 Creative Ways to Make Your Profile Stand Out
• 18 Examples of Beauty Brands That Nail Influencer Marketing
• What is DTC? A Direct-to-Consumer Crash Course for Brands
• 8 of the Best DTC Brands (and What Makes Their Strategies Work)
• 9 Direct-to-Consumer Trends to Watch (and Why They're So Important)

I'll be back next month with more tips to enhance your digital marketing strategy!

Best,?