Midweek Media Breakdown #14

🐦 Twitter trials interactive ads 🐦

*Wipes cobwebs away* People are still advertising on Twitter? Yes. Yes, they are. And now they can advertise in three new creative ways!

Three new ad formats are taking to the platform as Twitter pushes for more creative promotional content. Interactive Text will allow advertisers to select words within their ad copy that, when clicked, drive consumers to a chosen landing page. Product Explorer ads present products in 3D, allowing users to spin and swipe images to view products from different angles. And finally, Twitter is launching their own version of the carousel ad with Collection Ads. These will display a range of images connected to a tweet that users can cycle through. 

The platform said the changes were designed to help advertisers ‘lean into and unlock Twitter’s conversational power.’ 

🛍️ TikTok tests sponsored search content 🛍️

#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt is about to level up. TikTok is currently beta testing ads within its search function. If approved, searches like ‘skincare’ or ‘makeup’ would generate a combination of relevant paid-for and organic results. So, what does this mean for marketers?

An update like this could be hugely influential for eCommerce brands marketing on the platform. If executed well, sponsored TikTok content could put brands right in front of their target audience, who are waiting with their wallets at the ready. Even more excitingly, if TikTok makes the click-through and conversion data available for successful ads, it would be an insights goldmine!  

This is just another strategic move from the video-sharing site that proves it is fast becoming the strongest social media app for product marketing. 

🚨 Meta makes moves against ‘watchbait’ 🚨

YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! Actually, maybe you will…

Meta will stop recommending ‘watchbait’ videos to users in an effort to ensure time is ‘well spent’ on the platform and that ‘video content is meaningful and satisfying.’ 

Meta will screen videos using misleading tactics to lure in viewers, including text, thumbnails and content matter. Posters generating watchbait content may also face reduced distribution. What exactly counts as ‘watchbait’? According to Meta, watchbait includes content that is purposefully misleading, sensationalised or withholding. 

Will this affect ads? While there isn’t a Facebook Ads policy that directly references watchbait, there are policies that target misleading ads and those making false claims. 

Perhaps it’s smart to think twice about using clickbait tactics in your ads if you want to avoid a blow to your performance or distribution.

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We hope you enjoyed this week’s roundup. We’ll be back next week with another dose of media news! Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn if you want to see our weekly roundup posts first. 

Check last week’s Midweek Media Breakdown post HERE on our blog.