January 2024...you've been insightful.

Welcome back to this cozy corner of the internet where you can take a deep breath and enjoy a slow digest of weekly marketing news.

Here's a quick reminder of what you can expect from The Slowdown each week:

?? The Lowdown. A concise summary of essential information.

?? The Showdown. Exploring creativity in advertising.

? The Slowdown. Practical and thought-provoking ways to apply insights.

The Lowdown.

Catch you on the flipside.

Following a few months of testing, Instagram has officially launched its new "flipside" alternative profile option for a select group of users.

This year, expect more engagement in private spaces like community groups, chats like Discord, and the introduction of Instagram's flipside.

A shift is happening across social media platforms where users share on more intimate, niche engagement circles instead of public feeds.

The YouTube Era of TikTok.

Mere months ago, TikTok increased its video lengths to 15 minutes, and now they are experimenting with 30-minute videos.

If you think the video length increase is reminiscent of YouTube, you'll be shocked to hear that TikTok is also experimenting with a landscape video format.

For a platform known for ruining my (and the general population's) attention span through short-form, vertical video content...it's surprising to hear they are incentivizing creators to post horizontal videos that exceed one minute!

By following a set of criteria (like shooting in landscape), creators can benefit from enhanced viewership for 72 hours after posting. TikTok encourages the use of the hashtag #longervideos on these incentivized posts.

Here are some DISCUSSION questions that I would love to chat about in direct messages or the future when these changes start to take place:

• Will landscape mode work on TikTok?
• Will this shift reintroduce horizontal video content to the social landscape?
• How will creators use 30 minutes on TikTok to keep viewers engaged?

Multiple platforms prioritize Social Media Safety.

Meta, X, and Snap announced new policies around child protection ahead of social CEOs testifying before the Senate this Wednesday. The CEOs of X, Meta, TikTok, Discord, and Snap will be testifying on how their platforms protect children from exploitation.

Meta's New Protections for Teens

More types of content will be hidden for teens on Instagram and Facebook. All teens will be placed in the most restrictive content control settings, which restricts added terms in Search, and all will be prompted to update their privacy settings.

Snap Endorses Online Safety Act

The Children's Digital Protection Act is a collaborative, bipartisan initiative, that mandates that social platforms offer minors choices to safeguard their personal information, deactivate potentially addictive product features, and opt out of algorithmic recommendations. This endorsement diverges from the stance of NetChoice, the trade group representing Snap, Meta, TikTok, and X, which opposes the proposed legislation.

X's Trust and Safety Center Plans

X is currently working on a plan to build a Trust and Safety Center. The center will be in Austin, Texas, hosting 100 full-time content moderators focused on blocking inappropriate material for children.

You can anticipate more safety regulation updates post-hearing.

The Showdown.

DoorDash aims to pull off an ambitious Super Bowl giveaway.

As part of DoorDash's strategy to become "Your Door to More" for consumers, DoorDash is launching an unprecedented sweepstakes during the Super Bowl.

The delivery company will reveal how to win every item advertised during the Super Bowl (say what?!) during their 30-second commercial spot.

The winnings are quite literally every product advertised in the 2024 Super Bowl, including a 2024 BMW i5 All-Electric, a 2024 Kia Ev9, and one thousand wings from Popeyes.

There are dozens more prizes for one winner to claim, and the only way to find out how to win is during their commercial spot.

“We want consumers to think of DoorDash for all things like dashing NyQuil during cold and flu season or thinking DoorDash for flowers on Valentine’s Day,” Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, DoorDash Chief Marketer said. “We want to get to the point where it’s just a default reflex.”

The Slowdown.

Every Tuesday at Sparq is a glorious day known as Team Tuesday. We spend two hours every week continuing education and staying on top of marketing trends.

Last week was the Sparq Social team's turn to present for Team Tuesday.

Andrew Gianni , Beth Krauza , and I decided to present on social trends and optimizations to consider now that we're one month into 2024.

So, slow down with me and get a brief breakdown of the Ins and Outs we discussed:

INS

? Genuine, unfiltered content. Neal Schaffer highlights that social media users seeking unfiltered and genuine content persist, with TikTok taking the lead in shaping the tone for content across platforms. For businesses, it's crucial to grasp and leverage this trend, particularly as the prevalence of emotionless AI-generated content continues to rise online.

? Private spaces for community. As individuals increasingly share content privately, social media marketers might notice a perceived drop in traditional engagement metrics. To adapt, brands must explore alternative strategies to encourage content sharing and visibility.

? LinkedIn. LinkedIn has transformed from a job-centric platform where users share authentic, raw content about their daily struggles, mental health, and inspiration challenges. This shift has elevated the presence of LinkedIn influencers.

? Social commerce. You've been on TikTok for the last three months, right? Need I say more? TikTok Shops is expected to gain traction amid the rising momentum of social shopping, but other ad platforms like Amazon, which plans to integrate with social media, will be fierce competition against TikTok's shopping fatigue.

? Engagement content strategies. Likes and comments on social media have lost significance; now, shares and saves carry more weight, with saves being particularly valuable. Rapid follower growth doesn't guarantee brand loyalty or retention; building a community through meaningful content and interactions is key.

OUTS

? Posting just to post. Emphasize substance over frequency to cultivate authentic connections and establish a meaningful online presence. Quality posts provide value, foster positive engagement, and contribute meaningfully to the online community, enhancing the overall social media experience.

? Virality as the goal. Virality can be unpredictable and uncontrollable, potentially drawing unwanted or negative attention. While business owners and creators may assume a viral moment boosts brand awareness, it often results in fleeting attention. A focus on building a community provides more lasting benefits, as it fosters sustained engagement and a genuine connection with the audience, surpassing the transient impact of a viral spike.

? Hashtags. SEO is set to play a significant role in post virality, surpassing the impact of hashtags. The algorithm-driven content in your "For You" tab will be influenced more by the right keywords than hashtags. Hootsuite's research revealed that social media posts emphasizing strong SEO experienced a notable increase in engagement rates, showcasing a 30% boost.

? AI-generated content only. A Hootsuite survey revealed in its consumer segment that fake AI content is off-putting to consumers. In fact, 62% stated they were less likely to engage with AI-generated content. Thus, while AI can streamline workflow, it poses a risk to customer brand acceptance, especially regarding content intended to convey appealing messages. Striking a balance is key.

Are we missing any? Let me know in the comments!