The Influence Download: October Edition

Extended NFT sharing

Meta has announced that all US Facebook users and most people on Instagram can now post their digital collectible to each app.

The extended tool now offers a specialised post format to provide more detail on each piece of artwork.

Source: Social Media Today

Meta has now announced that all US users on Facebook, and most people on Instagram, can now connect their wallets and post their digital collectibles to each app. This feature is allowing NFTs to peak interest with more mainstream audiences and provide access and wider reach to people who might not be so familiar with these pieces. Creators can inspire people and push culture forward around the world through these more mainstream platforms. Whilst so far we have seen how NFTs have become the future of digital art trading and opportunities for creators to monetize their work, this new feature is setting the stage for the next big thing being the phase of digital identity in which these artworks are used as a representation of yourself.

Introducing TikTok Now

BeReal clone, TikTok Now, is the new social platform from TikTok encouraging users to share their most authentic moments.

TikTokers receive a daily reminder to post a ‘Now’ clip, showing what they’re up to at any random time.

Source: Social Media Today

TikTok has launched an in-app platform called TikTok Now that offers a dual-camera feature that is nearly a replica of the popular app BeReal – capitalizing on its popularity. The app function is the same in that it sends users daily notifications to capture a picture or video using their front and back cameras with the goal of fostering more authentic and spontaneous connections.

Whilst the app is nearly the same, there are a few differences to note:

– TikTok Now allows users to post 10-second videos, whereas BeReal is currently only a photo-sharing platform

– There is no discovery page so you can only see posts from followers in-feed, but you can share your Now to the wider TikTok explore page

– Benefit to TikTok Now is that TikTok users don’t have to leave the platform so one less app to download and more seamless experience

TikTok is officially a search engine

In its attempt to become the go-to search engine, TikTok has now expanded its video post description box from 300 characters to 2,200.

Now, users can describe exactly what they’re looking for, encouraging usage and making the ‘search’ element a key focus on the platform.

Source: Social Media Today, Mashable

Battling with your traditional search engines like Google – TikTok has attempted to become our new go-to, by expanding its video post description box from 300 characters to 2,200, providing users more room to describe the exact content they’re looking for. This is a big bonus for creators as they continue to push their content out to wider audiences and as the new ‘searchable element’ becomes more of a key focus for the platform.Interestingly, Google has noticed this recent trend of younger audiences using TikTok as a search platform with a Google VP recently stating, “almost 40% of Gen Z, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, don’t use google maps or the search engine but go to TikTok or Instagram”.

Indie cinema but make it mainstream

Production company A24 is tapping into new markets as it attempts and succeeds at making art house cinema mainstream.

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ was the companies first film to make $100 million at the global box office.

Source: Canvas8

Art house cinema is surging in popularity due to the desire to escape the strains of modern-day digital life. Conventionally consumed by cinephiles, independent films have been entering mainstream discourse as people strive for greater immersion in niche movie culture especially as many as 60% of Americans watched more films during the pandemic than at any other period.

Film and TV production company A24, is a great case study of commercializing art house cinema through tapping into the niche preferences of cinephiles and bringing them into the mainstream. Big titles they have in their books are Euphoria and Everything Everywhere All At Once which amounted to huge box office sales and audience reach.Since many individuals, especially Gen Z and Y, say that their communities define them a great deal, these pieces of content provide opportunities for people to signal their insider status and share their passions with like-minded fans, enabling them to enjoy a sense of belonging and exclusivity.

Celebrity advocate for mental health

Megan Thee Stallion continues to be a spokesperson for mental health as she launches her new website ’Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too’ – specifically prioritising access for BIPOC Gen Z and Millennials and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

#BadBitchesHaveBadDaysToo 2.4M views on TikTok

Source: TikTok, Canvas8

Megan Thee Stallion Launches ‘Bad Bitches Have Bad Days Too’ Website that provides crucial information and important resources for any women a.k.a. “Hotties” that may be struggling with their mental health – including links to free therapy organizations, LGBTQIA+ community resources, resource directories and mental health hotlines. The mission statement is “bounce back like bad bitches always do,” which references a lyric from her song “Anxiety”. The tools on offer specifically serve BIPOC and members of the LGBTQIA+ community – YPulse research shows that young BIPOC communities are more likely than White/non-Hispanic peers to be interested in using a mental health resource they learned about from a brand.

Engaging GenZ in tradition

Traditional events such as Paris Fashion Week can end up going viral thanks to Gen Z – as long as there is shareable social media moments.

Bella Hadid’s spray on dress by designer Coperni went viral over night with the original video trending across TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.

#ParisFashionWeek 2.1B views on TikTok

 Source: Vogue Business

Lastly, we have noticed traditional fashion events such as the current Paris Fashion Week, are both valuing and banking on the Gen Z audience for their content virality by placing more emphasis on shareable social media moments. For example, Bella Hadid’s spray on dress went viral overnight across TikTok, Instagram and Twitter. The younger generation are now utilizing the search tool to find specific videos from the night with over 2.1B views of #ParisFashionWeek on TikTok.