This Week on Social - Trends are Here, News is Out, Lights Camera Action!

Each week, the insights team at The Goat Agency pull together the latest news from the social space in a weekly social media news round-up. ??????

This week we look at TikTok's new monthly Trend Digest, Facebook are no longer paying publishers for news content, Live Stream gaming is coming to Instagram, and so much more...

Don't Miss This Week's Headlines!

(1/5) TikTok Trend Digest ??

TikTok has launched a new series called "Trends Digest ," offering insights into the latest trends gaining traction on the platform each month. This resource aims to help creators and marketers stay informed about emerging trends and incorporate them into their content strategies.

TikTok distinguishes between "Trend Moments" and "Trend Signals." While Trend Moments are smaller, short-lived trends, Trend Signals represent broader concepts that define trends over time. TikTok's Trends Digest focuses on Trend Signals, providing a more sustainable approach to staying on-trend.

TikTok identifies four key elements that define trends, including the broader topic and various components that contribute to its popularity.

(2/5) No More News ??

Facebook ( Meta ) is discontinuing its News tab and ceasing payments to publishers for news content. This decision follows the end of news licensing deals in the US and will soon apply to Australia as well. The move signifies a shift away from news-related initiatives by Meta.

Meta emphasizes that news content constitutes a small fraction of user feeds and intends to allocate resources towards areas prioritized by users, such as short-form video.

Instead of paying publishers, Meta encourages them to continue posting links on their own pages and utilize products like Reels and ads to drive traffic to their websites outside of the Facebook platform.

The end of licensing deals will have financial implications for publishers, particularly in Australia, where Facebook was paying significant sums annually under government-mandated agreements.

(3/5) Live-Stream Gaming on... Instagram? ??

Instagram is testing new features to enhance live-stream engagement, allowing broadcasters to select games to play with viewers during their live streams. The initial options include "This or That" and "Trivia," aimed at sparking conversation and interaction among live audiences.

Meta, Instagram's parent company, is prioritizing live-streaming features to encourage greater adoption among creators. This effort includes expanding the "Stars" live-stream donation program to more regions, making it easier for creators to accept donations from viewers.

(4/5) #TikTokShortFilm is Back ???

TikTok 's #TikTokShortFilm contest is returning for its third year, now open to U.S.-based creators for the first time. The contest celebrates short-form artistic content and will culminate with an award ceremony at the Festival De Cannes in May.

"The competition reinforces TikTok's commitment to the entertainment and film industry by providing creators an opportunity to showcase their short films and be discovered by over 1 billion people around the world." - TikTok

Creators from over 55 countries can submit their one-minute videos to the contest, highlighting TikTok's commitment to the entertainment and film industry. While submissions are typically in TikTok's vertical format, slower-paced entries are also welcome, reflecting the platform's recent emphasis on longer uploads.

(5/5) The Sky's the Limit ??

Facebook has announced the removal of monthly limits on earnings for creators participating in its Performance Bonus program. Previously, creators were restricted by fixed earning ceilings, but now they will have access to unlimited rewards starting mid-March.

Meta has been transitioning from ad-based revenue streams to performance-based models, rewarding creators based on their content's engagement rather than ad revenue alone.

This shift aims to empower creators to monetize their content more effectively, leveraging Facebook's massive user base across various content formats such as photos, text, videos, and live streams.

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And that’s all for this week, but don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for real-time announcements of all our new blog content !