An Ignoble Experiment: Google Search tests Instagram, TikTok integration

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January 4, 2021

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The Big Story

Brands' masterful use of social feeds during 2020

Ad Age Social Media Editor Ilyse Liffreing highlights nine brands that mastered the use of social media feeds during 2020 to educate and entertain consumers. Examples include Ben & Jerry's use of Twitter and Instagram to call for social justice reform, Netflix's lighthearted social voice to show outtakes and memes to promote programming and Bumble's use of social media to highlight outdated dating rules and offer advice.

Full Story: Ad Age (tiered subscription model) (1/2)

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Connecting & Collaborating

The ethics of influencer marketing

(Pixabay)

Mary Keane-Dawson, group CEO of Takumi, explores the ethical considerations brands and influencers must address to ensure the trust placed by people in influencer marketing amid the pandemic isn't lost. Keane-Dawson offers advice on brand safety as influencer marketing scales, noting, "Nuanced messaging, factual information sharing, and sensitivity are necessary for influencers to strike the right balance."

Full Story: AdExchanger (tiered subscription model) (1/4)

TikTok: Marketers' social media darling for 2020

TikTok's user base nearly doubled last year, with e.l.f., Chipotle and Walmart among marketers that turned to the platform. Marketers report that TikTok conversion rates are three times higher than those of Facebook and Instagram, but Movers+Shakers' Evan Horowitz says some brands are still reluctant to cede control to users and think the platform "is all Gen Z and it's all singing and dancing."

Full Story: Modern Retail (tiered subscription model) (1/4)

How to embrace the new normal in 2021
2020 was the year of the pivot for brands, as the pandemic reshaped consumer behaviors and the customer journey (most likely permanently). In 2021, brands need to focus on planning for the future with strategies that meet both the immediate and long-term needs of consumers. Watch this on-demand webinar where SmartBrief and industry experts discuss how the retail marketing landscape has changed and how to plan for success in 2021.

Marketer Moments

Head & Shoulders New Year's promotion offered virtual hugs

Procter & Gamble's Head & Shoulders hair care brand launched a New Year's Eve campaign on Snapchat that enabled people to share a virtual hug. The promotion engaged augmented reality technology, making users appear to wear a Head & Shoulders sweater.

Full Story: HAPPI online (12/29), Global Cosmetics News (UK) (1/4)

Digital Marketplaces: Commerce, Insights and Advertising

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Platform News

Google Search tests Instagram, TikTok integration

(Pixabay)

Google is testing a feature for search results that puts Instagram and TikTok videos in a dedicated carousel. The option, which builds on a Short Videos carousel available earlier in 2020, is currently only available on Google's mobile app.

Full Story: TechCrunch (tiered subscription model) (12/29)

New Year's Eve video calls surge on Messenger, WhatsApp

Facebook reported record use of video calls on Messenger and WhatsApp on New Year's Eve, with twice as many group video Messenger calls in the US compared with the average day and augmented reality effects proving popular among American users. Brands should take note of the trend as it signals a shift in the way people are connecting with each other that could outlast the pandemic, Andrew Hutchinson writes.

Full Story: Social Media Today (1/2)

Measurement Matters

Report: Influencers' effect on purchasing behaviors

A Gen.video study outlined the average click-thru and conversion rates and cart sizes for micro-, mid-tier and macroinfluencers for various business categories. Beauty and personal care brands had the highest click-thru rates at 3.14% and grocery and consumer product videos had the highest conversion rates averaging 2.62% and an average cart size of $10.21.

Full Story: MediaPost Communications (12/30)

Social Shareable

Student propels family Dairy Queen to TikTok fame

Morgann Book, a grade 12 student in Ancaster, Ontario, has raised the profile of her family's Dairy Queen franchise with a TikTok account that's gained 1.6 million followers and 49.3 million likes for her behind-the-scenes videos that teach people how to make frozen treats. "I never expected this in a million years," Book says.

Full Story: CBC News (Canada) (1/3)

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By crafting their own branded songs, leaning into self-parody and, in some cases, encouraging their employees to post on their behalf, retailers in 2020 finally learned how to use TikTok effectively.

Michael Waters, writing for Modern Retail