This week on the latest digital marketing updates: Facebook Live Shopping to end on October 1st, TikTok shares marketing tactics with working with creators, Google improves search results when using quotes on Search, LinkedIn tests new human-curated discover feed, and Pinterest launches new real-time analytics on mobile for tracking performance on the go.

Here are the latest news, trends, and updates in detail:

Social

Facebook’s to Shut Down Live Shopping by October 1

Facebook to end its native live shopping on October 1, along with creating product playlists and tagging products on Facebook.

Facebook’s been experimenting with live shopping implementations in the last few years to lean into the rising eCommerce trends. This led to launching live shopping in August 2020, with the goal of making online shopping easier for retailers. Recently, Meta announced that this feature will no longer be available October 1st.

In a move to compete with TikTok, Meta has increasingly invested in its Reels product. This in turn has presented opportunities for retailers to use videos to tag products, add calls to action and engage with their target audience.

As explained by Facebook via Business Insider, “As consumers’ viewing behaviors are shifting to short-form video, we are shifting our focus to Reels on Facebook and Instagram, Meta’s short-form video product. If you want to reach and engage people through video, try experimenting with Reels and Reels ads on Facebook and Instagram. You can also tag products in Reels on Instagram to enable deeper discovery and consideration.”

Meta has also increased the potential for Reels to generate revenue by letting merchants boost their content through paid advertisements.

Social

TikTok Shares Key Marketing Tips and Advice to Help Brands Maximize Utilizing Creators

TikTok published a new video overview and shares tactics to maximize marketing efforts when working with creators.

The video, entitled ‘Do You Speak TikTok?’, is hosted by train enthusiast and TikTok star Francis Bourgeois.

Bourgeois offer four key tips for brands working with creators:

• “Let them express what makes them, them.” – Choose your creative partners based on brand fit, such as how well they match the tone of your business.
• “Collaborate but never dictate.” – Being too prescriptive doesn’t let you maximize the value of your creator’s content. Give creators the freedom to be creative without too make directions and guardrails. 
• “Tap into their own style and strength of content.” – Allow your creators to attack your brief creatively, in a way that maximizes their own style and strength without going too far from your brand’s messaging.
• “TikTok users come to be entertained.” – TikTok is an entertainment platform. Users are on the app be entertained, so providing entertainment content is essential.

Bourgeois then further explores some of the key trends in TikTok usage, including music, and how brands should look to utilize sound in their clips.

The same video includes an interview with musician Lady Leshurr, who discusses how TikTok helped him grow her fan base, and an interview with creator Dannero, who discusses the importance of visual effects and actions in TikTok clips.

This video help you get thinking about your TikTok marketing approach, elements you should include in your videos, and how you should go about partnership with creators.

Search

Google Improves Search Results When Using Quotes

Google searches with quotes is now more useful if you’re looking for the exact place words appear on a page.

The internet giant has updated quote-based searches with page snippets that show exactly where you’ll find the text you’re looking for when searching on desktop.

Quoted searches may match content not readily visible on a page. For example, content in a meta description tag, web addresses, title links, or ALT texts.

While Google revisits pages across the web regularly, they can change between visits. This means that a quoted text may appear on a page but no longer exists currently. Regardless, using quotes can be a powerful tool for users. 

86% Of B2B Brands Find Success With Influencer Marketing (searchenginejournal.com)

Social

LinkedIn Tests New Human-Curated Discover Feed

LinkedIn is testing a new Discover Feed, which surfaces relevant content from professionals outside your network.

This new Discover Feed is curated by humans rather than algorithms as a new dedicated tab in the LinkedIn mobile app.

Blake Barnes, VP of Product at LinkedIn, shared a preview of the new feed, saying it’s currently in an early testing period, “… we’re testing a dedicated space for you to discover relevant content and voices from people and organizations you’re not connected with, who you might not see or hear from otherwise. You can expect to see trending conversations from voices that align with your professional interests, news and relevant events curated by our editorial team, and a wealth of other knowledge designed to help you get ahead in your career.” 

As shown on the screenshot above from Barnes’ post, LinkedIn Discovery Feed won’t be limited to posts. Users can also browse videos, newsletters, events, and more. 

Contents are selected by the LinkedIn News team and targeted to users based on their occupation and interests. While humans may be able to pull in more quality content, they may only be pulling from a limited database of publishers with established audiences. As this is still in the early days of testing, we’ll only have to wait if smaller publishers get the same push in LinkedIn’s new Discovery Feed.

Currently, test groups can see a new Discover tab in the bottom navigation menu of the LinkedIn mobile app.

Social

Pinterest Launches Real-Time Analytics in its Mobile App

Pinterest officially launches real-time analytics elements within Pin Analytics on mobile.

Pinterest’s new real time analytics will provide more data on how your Pins are performing at any given time.

In the example screenshot shared by Yasser Masood, Pinterest is alerting users to the update in the mobile app. Real-time insights are also available in the web analytics platform, but now, you’ll also be able to access much of the same data on mobile.

Pinterest, however, notes that this update is not available for audience metrics. You’ll be able to see overall data on responses to your Pins. And help you make more informed decisions about your Pin process. 

What you can do next:

• Start planning how your business can maximize Reels as Meta prioritizes this new product.
• Start building your Instagram account if tagging products on posts is an effective way to generate leads. 
• Allow your Pinterest efforts to build momentum before deciding to calibrate your efforts based on real-time analytics.