9 Official Reports to Get Better at Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is a field that is constantly evolving.

So many blogs provide you with conflicting information, which makes it difficult to know what the best practices are.

Official reports from social media platforms help you stay up-to-date on the latest trends, and they give you insights into how other marketers are using social media.

Here’re 9 reports that can help you improve your social media marketing skills.

1. Read Facebook’s new report on Facebook’s Intellectual Property Reporting API and Brand Rights Protection

Last month in October, Facebook announced a new Intellectual Property (IP) Reporting API. The new IP Reporting API allows rights holders to report content easily they believe violates their intellectual property rights.

In addition, Facebook is continuing to invest in Brand Rights Protection with new features that will help businesses who own IP to easily search for and report potential violations.

Facebook is also adding more search functionality and transparency to Brand Rights Protection. Brand Rights Protection allows any brand to check and report content for fake products, trademark violations, copyright infringement and impersonation across Facebook and Instagram.

What all this means is the new challenge for marketers to keep up with the changing landscape of intellectual property law and to ensure that your marketing/ads campaigns are compliant.

You will need to put in the effort to educate your clients or content makers about the importance of respecting intellectual property rights.

2. Study TikTok’s transparency report on bots, engagement, and trends to understand the platform better.

Tiktok publishes Community Guidelines Enforcement Report every quarter. This report provides insights into the volume and nature of content and accounts removed from TikTok.

What you need to be aware of is to create content that is genuinely entertaining and engaging, while also being respectful of TikTok’s policies (you don’t want to get banned).

In particular, marketers need to be aware of TikTok’s policies on content removal. That ranges from the obvious things like sexual activity, nudity, and minors to more nuanced such as misinformation, especially during a crisis or about an upcoming election, health pandemic, or natural disaster. Other removals include manipulated audio or video.

Finally, TikTok is a global platform, which means that marketers need to be aware of cultural differences and sensitivities when creating content.

This can be challenging because TikTok’s algorithm always favors videos that are creative and engaging. You’ll need to walk a fine line between funny whle not crossing the line.

3. Check out Meta’s Creator Economy Report 2023 to learn more about the creator ecosystem and how brands are working with creators.

Meta published a report last week about the rise of the so-called “creator economy”.

Creator economy is a new wave of businesses and individuals who are making a living by creating engaging content. The report offers a comprehensive view of the world of individual creators, defined as those “who use digital technology to make and publish unique creative content audiences can access and respond to.”

Some highlights of the report include:

-The creator economy is forecasted by some exploratory studies to reach more than $100 billion.

-Creators number between 30 and 85 million Americans, and an estimated 300 million people globally, with as many as 17 million creators earning money by selling their digital content as of 2017.

-Up to 60 million Americans now make up the “Creative Class,” according to estimates. This represents more than 40 percent of the national workforce, up from 15 percent in 1980. These are scientists, techies, artists, designers, entertainers and professional knowledge workers in fields like management, healthcare and law.

-Most creators are motivated by intrinsic rewards. They’re passionate hobbyists, and a growing number are social and political activists, principally motivated by the desire to make an impact and serve causes bigger than themselves rather than money, fame or follower accounts.src: https://about.fb.com/news/2022/11/exploring-the-potential-of-the-creator-economy/

As more and more people earn a living by creating content, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. It will be important for marketers to find ways to reach these creators and tap into their audiences.

3. TikTok’s new e-commerce and entertainment report can help e-commerce marketers understand how media and creative assets can improve their campaigns.

Tiktok has been pushing lately on transforming TikTok platform into a place of monetization. TikTok Commerce Solutions discusses the various solutions that TikTok offers to businesses, including Shopping Ads, TikTok Shop, and Product Links. It also talks about how these solutions can help businesses fuel product discovery and make it easier for customers to purchase products.

Some of the things that you can do include becoming part of #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt. You’ll be creating alongside users, and fuelling product discovery. Additionally, TikTok Shop makes it even easier to shop by letting the community explore, discover, and buy all in one place.

Shppping ads are another powerful marketing tool kit.

It is an advertising solution that allows businesses to drive e-commerce sales on TikTok. Shopping Ads will help you reach shoppers wherever they are in the buying journey, and simplifies the buying experience, powered by three formats: Video Shopping Ads, Catalog Listing Ads, and LIVE Shopping Ads.

This means you now have the ability to scale your product catalog with new formats, capture emerging trends like LIVE, and reach audiences who are more likely to convert with fully automated creative features and smart bidding.

4. Check out McKinsey’s report on holiday shopping habits

This McKinsey consumer survey conducted in September 2022, points out this year’s holiday shopping habits; consumers are shopping earlier than ever, looking for value, and willing to splurge because of the inflation. As a result, consumers are looking for value and are willing to switch retailers if they can find a better price (44% say they’re seeking sales or coupons, and 43% say they will switch retailers if they find a lower price elsewhere.). Retailers are responding it by moving their promotions to earlier in the year and offering price matching.

You want to make sure your ad campaigns are effective and reach the right people. Focus on providing value to consumers by offering convenient and accessible options that fit within their budget.

5. Pickup Changing Value In Work through LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report

Last month, LinkedIn released Global Talent Trends Report 2022.

LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report is a helpful guide for anyone in the marketing, sales, or advertising industries looking to hire talent. The report is consistently updated and provides information on hiring trends and talent acquisitions, as well as on the most well-known individuals in your industry.

Also, the global talent trend report affects the choice of your marketing content. For example, there is that hiring is leveling off after historic highs. You may produce contents that are more financially sensitive.

Workforce confidence is also down as workers brace for an economic downturn. Candidates still highly value three priorities that surfaced as a result of the pandemic: work-life balance, flexible-work arrangements, and upskilling. And, employees who make an internal move are more likely to stay at their organization longer than those who stay in the same role. Your marketing material should reflect these shifting values.

6. Understand the Differences Between The Traditional TV Ads vs Mobile Ads

This is based on the Comcast Advertising October 2022 , titled: TV Has the Unique Ability to Make Memories. In partnership with MediaScience, they wanted to better quantify the engagment of TV and streaming advertising on the “big screen,” by exploring how different ad exposure impacts our memory.

The study found that unaided recall was 2.2x higher and purchase intent was 1.3x higher for the same ads viewed in the big screen “TV” environment compared to the “mobile digital” environment.

3 factors of engagement that are important for branding outcomes are attention, connection and repetition. The report highlights how they can be achieved through TV advertising that’s often much longer than digitla ads – on the big screen.

This is a great report to understand the different advertising channels, where mobile ads are thought as advantageous over TV ads because they less expensive, easy to track and measure results, and more engaging and effective.

6. Snapchat’s AR report provides insights into how shoppers think about brands when using AR and how their experience is influenced by it.

Snapchat last month published the new AR Shift Global Report. This report shows how you can use augmented reality (AR) to connect with consumers and create real value in their lives in order to stand out in a noisy digital world.

There is a growing gap between brands perception and consumer perception: where 91% think of brands think AR is for fun only, while 53% think that way.

Your branding strategy can tap into AR’s potential to offer new ways to help people make memorable connections. AR can provide powerful opportunities to enhance learning, from educational guides to recipes and beyond. This is the greatest untapped opportunity for your brands to become early adopters.

7. Adopt Strategy Based on Gen-Z Consumer Preference

What is unique about Gen-Z demographic is that they are attracted to content that is personalized and interactive. According to Marketingdive, more than one-third (35%) of survey respondents said user-generated content (UGC) will have more credibility in 3 to 5 years than content that comes directly from a company or independent source. This means that your branding strategy must continue to focus on your effort in having a social presence and fresh ways to generate UGC.

Their ad preferences are changing as well. Generation Z is highly connected across 7 social media platforms: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snap. As a result, they are bombarded with advertising from companies. At the same time, they are less concerned about privacy, with 32% saying they aren’t concerned that companies use their data even if they will use their personal online data in a way that could harm them. Your advertising effort should focus on ever-more personalization.

Some buying touchpoints have remained the same. As you expect, social influencers have a significant effect on Gen Z buying behavior. Nearly a quarter said social media personalities had the most influence over their purchase decisions. But, word-of-mouth should still be your number one foucs, where 47% of Gen-Z said they were influenced most by friends and family. Your new marketing effort will not surpass a bad post-purchase experience.

8. Reddit’s Audience Report is a Go-to Resource To Run Ads on Reddit.

According to recent reports by Alexa, Reddit generates more desktop traffic than Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp: In 2018 Reddit was the third most visited website after YouTube and Google. Even though the numbers don’t include mobile visits, the fact that Reddit is generating this type of volume is a huge sign that marketers should be paying attention to the site where desktop purchase values are often higher.

Reddit is great because its Subreddits allow marketers to target specific niches. For example, the /r/Futurology subreddit is a great place to share content about future technology and discoveries.

The best way to create engaging content for a specific subreddit is to study the most popular posts in that subreddit and see what works best. But for most subreddits, it appears that content that is either new or poses a question is most likely to generate engagement. The ideal title length when sharing an article or image is 60-80 characters.

As with any other social media platform, videos get the highest upvotes , followed by images. You’ll need to ramp up your video strategy with various content generation tools.

9. Ramp Up With Instagram’s 3 How-to Guides on Reels Ads, IG Shops & Creator Collabs

Instagram published a study in September of Instagram’s 3 how-to guides. This report showed how businesses can use Instagram to reach their goals. It includes three how-to guides on shopping, Reels video ads, and collaborating with creators.

IG Shopping

How can you use Instagram Shopping to reach more customers and make more sales?

First, you can tag products in their feed posts and in their Stories. Tagging products in multiple places on Instagram helps to increase the visibility of those products and makes it easier for customers to discover them. Second, you can use Boost to turn their best-performing shoppable posts into ads. This helps to reach even more shoppers with the products that they are interested in. Finally, if you are in the US, use checkout on Instagram as a point of sale directly in-app. This makes purchasing even easier for customers and helps to increase sales

Reels Video Ads

Reels allows you to create short video content. This content can be entertaining, educational, or both.

You can do this by taking advantage of the full mobile screen, using immersive video, and keeping in mind safe zones. You can also use music and sound effects to captivate attention and create connection. Adding bite-sized text helps in order to reinforce your key product or brand message.

By using Reels, businesses can reach more people with their products and messages, and connect with customers on a deeper level.

Creator Collaboration

While Gen Z prefers user generated content, you have another work around collaboration.

Paid partnership ads can bring 53% higher clickthrough rates.

Working with creators bring you many benefits:

• 1. Collaborating with creators brings your brand value today and sets strong foundations for tomorrow.
• 2. Creators as strategic partners, creative collaborators and connectors to unique audiences.
• 3. Branded content ads allow advertisers to turn creator posts into ads, combining creator authenticity beyond the creator’s followers.

People still appreciate transparency. The best way to contact creators is to use the paid partnership label to disclose organic branded content.

Jump Beyond the Minefield

Social media can also be a minefield. With so many platforms and so much potential for reach, it can be difficult to know where to start with.

Official social media reports can provide valuable insights into what is working well on social media and what could be improved. They can also offer best practices for using social media effectively. By reading and learning from these reports, you can make sure that you are getting the most out of their social media efforts.