The Bulletin May 2022

This month there was a moment of collective clarity as people looked to the impacts of social media. As Instagram still struggles to keep up with TikTok and the Metaverse ploughs ahead, are we changing the way we think about, use and appreciate these platforms?

This month, unsurprisingly, we learned that Instagram is leaning further into the short-form video trend. Now Instagram users in India (so far) can see a ‘Following’ tab alongside their reels tab, which mirrors TikTok’s ‘Following’ and ‘For You’ feed. This approach has allowed TikTok to show users a far greater range of content based on what they already enjoy and it appears Instagram wants to follow in TikTok’s footsteps. Though Instagram already inserted video content into people’s main feed, with these changes to Reels they hope to find themselves on TikTok’s level with short-form video. Only time will tell.

If you keep up with social trends, this month you may have noticed what’s been called one of the “healthiest trends” on TikTok.The team at Dazed Digital called it the “Anti-Beauty Filter Trend” and essentially TikTok users have turned against unrealistic beauty filters, instead celebrating people’s natural looks. Social media filters were originally fun and silly: wearing dog ears, spewing rainbows etc, but they quickly morphed into a way to adjust your looks according to “beauty standards” like flawless skin or heavy lashes. The impact affected our mental health. Research by Dove found that 50% of girls believe they don’t look good enough without photo editing. So this trend doesn’t come soon enough and let’s hope it indicates a shift in the social media landscape. Read more and watch the videos at the link below.

Instagram seems to be making more changes this month with the long awaited inclusion of multiple links in the bio section. According to Twitter user Alessandro Paluzzi it seems Instagram is trying to prioritise a Facebook link, to connect to a Facebook profile, which was bound to happen as Meta owns both. Nevertheless, the addition of multiple links in the bio would make life easier for creators, news outlets, brands and small businesses giving them the opportunity to link to more than just a homepage.

As the metaverse unfolds, experts are predicting the effects it could have, especially on our self-esteem and mental health. Though the metaverse may offer opportunities for creativity, the proliferation of filters and photo editing apps proves that if we can create more beautiful versions of ourselves then we will. “In the metaverse, there’s less ability to create an accurate version of yourself,” says virtual reality metaverse expert Kara Komarni. “Our avatars could end up becoming something that we will never be able to reach.” She suggests that a lower level of customisation could actually make people in the metaverse more equal and diverse, where we celebrate differences through clothing, artefacts, hair colour etc, like in real life. But Meta walks a fine line, because all people want to see themselves represented too.

Meta has recently implemented stronger data protection measures, ensuring that there is limited access to the personal data of users. But following criticism over the past few years, especially during the pandemic and US election time, Meta is now working to provide more transparency into how its systems are being used by different groups to target users. This is mainly handled by Meta’s Ad Library which enables anyone to see ads being run by any Facebook page. Now, Meta is adding information on how pages are using social issues, electoral or political ads in their processes. The information on how each advertiser uses these sensitive targeting options could help researchers detect misuse, for example illegal and discriminatory ad targeting, and report concerns. For regular advertisers, it could also give some insight into your competitors. Users may be able to find information on how other brands are honing in on specific audiences, which could unveil new marketing angles for your own brand. 

Post-pandemic, while wellness is on everyone’s mind and 90s nostalgia is really hitting, new media brand Woo is here for the Gen Z’ers. Founded by Stephen Mai, Woo is a new platform “perfectly reflecting today’s youth culture”. According to the team, “Woo is here to redefine wellness for an entire generation by making it relatable, and culturally relevant”. With the tagline “feel good here”, alongside a ’90s aesthetic, including  psychedelic graphics and pop culture references, it’s hard not to feel at home on the site. They really maximise youth culture with a strong attention to detail, so if this is your vibe, check them out!

Recently influencer collaboration platform, The Tribe, have expanded their reach to “unlock the phenomenon of TikTok”. Citing that brands have run 10,000+ Instagram campaigns on TRIBE, they now aim to do the same for the video platform, helping brands navigate the vibrant community of TikTok creators. When running influencer marketing campaigns, The Tribe may be a good resource to tap into as they help you source and manage creators and measure success.