TikTok Stories Format Added as Platform Looks to Expand Creative Options
TikTok will be testing the Stories placement on its platform, following the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. TikTok Stories will disappear after 24 hours and will be displayed on the left-hand side of the main feed. Features include a dedicated camera and creation workflow that will make Stories easy to create and share.
The addition of a Stories option is likely a strategic way for the platform to add content placements that are more suitable for monetization, i.e., advertisement placements. According to Social Media today, some analysts anticipate that TikTok is on track to become the next billion-user social media app this year. As a natural progression, TikTok will continue this trajectory by developing more features and placements to facilitate monetization, more tools and revenue-share programs for attracting creators, and more attractive advertising placements and tools for marketers.
YouTube Adds Video Chapter Listings in Search, Which Could Be a New SEO Consideration
YouTube has rolled out automatically generated video chapters for improving YouTube and Google search results and user experience by quickly narrowing in on sections of content that are exactly what users are searching for. Not all videos are eligible for automated chapters, but YouTube intends to apply chapters to its library of video content. These auto-generated video chapters can be used as is or can be edited by the video creator, utilizing relevant keywords to improve ranking in search queries. These chapters have been developed to work with translation tools to improve international discoverability of desired content. Lastly, YouTube will be providing additional website links, sourced from Google, for queries about which the platform has little or no video content.
Discord Helps to Reach Brand Loyalists and Foster Emerging Culture
Discord, the server-based chat app, has surged in popularity over the last year and is also becoming a top social-listening tool and hotbed for cultural insights and trends, according to an article by Marketing Dive. The ad-free app is best suited for brands to interact and engage with users in a more intimate and non-intrusive manner. Jesse Nicely, a Discord specialist at Cashmere Agency, said that "Discord's fast-paced nature makes it fertile ground for emergent culture and trends and allows brands the opportunity to constantly engage with consumers on interesting topics. At the same time, users can curate more intimate spaces for themselves and their friends, while also scaling to larger communities, if desired."