Three Frames, You’re OutImagine: You spend your morning crafting the perfect 10-part Instagram story. You check your analytics and see the first three frames have great metrics … but then it immediately drops off. What gives?
Instagram is testing a new update in which Stories only display three frames. If you have more slides than that, you'll see a tiny button in the top left of the screen prompting you to show all.
The new prompt is pretty small and easy to miss, which could lead to a significant drop in views. Loyal followers may still tap to see more, but even our most dependable Story watchers (hi, mom) may not notice when breezing through all their Stories.
Marketers don't like it when you mess with their metrics. So why is Instagram doing this? The social platform hasn't said, but many speculate it's due to its increased focus on Reels. Remember, at this point it’s only a test. But if you're worried that your long-format Story content will take a hit, it may be the time to start experimenting with shorter Stories or even start making Reels instead.
A New Type of Influencer
TikTok is changing the influencer game, and it could be good for your business. While other platforms have curated shiny influencers who always seem to have the right lighting and filters, TikTok creators have found success by cultivating more authenticity and honesty — imperfections and all. The platform's new report points to one big reason why it’s become so popular— the trust its influencers gain through authenticity and practicing what they preach. The most successful influencers on TikTok participate in trends and actively use brands’ services or products alongside the viewers. Thanks to the TikTok algorithm, influencers are less dependent on follower count. Instead, they are discoverable based on the viewer's interests, giving them way more uncurated credibility.
When partnering with influencers on TikTok, lean into the platform’s reputation for unfiltered realness. If you still think of influencers as the super-polished and perfect prototype that were popularized on Instagram, it’s time to update your views to be more in sync with the current wave of genuine and original creators.
TL;DR: Being an influencer is more than just having a fancy ring light. TikTok has created a desire for honest and authentic content that B2B marketers can take advantage of.
Action Item: To connect with your target audience on TikTok, consider working with influencers who get your brand's unique personality and can create content in your voice. But if you’re not ready to partner up just yet, consider these steps to get your brand acquainted with the TikTok culture and create content that resonates with users:
What Lit Us Up
Let the (Marketing) Games BeginWhether it’s besting your family members in Uno or beating your own personal record in Wordle, the taste of victory is sweet. Noodles & Co. bet big on people’s love of playing games and winning rewards with a new mobile-based strategy to boost customer loyalty through its app.
The fast casual chain offered perks to Noodle Rewards loyalty program members in exchange for their participation in quick polls and games ahead of a new brand positioning campaign. One poll asked users to choose their favorite offer. The options were:
Noodles employed a multichannel strategy for the promotion, using email, social, display, and CTV (connected television). The company saw a ninefold gain in its click-through rate while earning $71 for every 100 emails it sent with a promotion for its rewards program. Utilizing a gamification strategy in your marketing is a smart way to leverage people’s natural tendency toward reward-seeking behavior. It also serves as an effective method to collect valuable first-party data about your audience, which is becoming more difficult for marketers to come by in the era of major privacy changes. If you need more gamification inspiration, take a look at the recent work of Panera, Threadless, Adobe, and Salesforce. All of these brands have tapped into the strategy for winning results.
TL; DR: Noodles & Co. used gamification to boost customer loyalty and increase sales. Consider how your brand can leverage this powerful strategy.
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