Young people on social media
How are younger people using social media? Could their behaviour be an indication of the future of social?
A new report from Emarketer shows that young people aged 12-17 mostly use social media to be entertained and communicate with friends. They also search for how-to and tutorial content.
This follows the trend of all internet users who post less and consume more entertaining content. If you want to remain relevant you probably need to ensure you’re entertaining and educational with your content.
https://www.emarketer.com/content/social-media-core-part-of-young-people-s-lives
YouTube Thumbnail Split-testing
Good thumbnails get people to click on YouTube videos, and split-testing thumbnails could mean even more views.
There are already paid tools that can help you split test versions of your thumbnail but now YouTube is testing it with over 50k YouTube creators.
This means you’ll be able to optimise your videos to get more clicks, for free.
It’s also expanding AI features that will help you improve your content and auto-dub your voice into other languages. All of which could help you expand your audience.
Get a headstart on Google Analytics 4 & understand the lingo with the GA4 phrase book
NSFW on Twitter/X
You know what’s popular on the internet? Porn. And if you have a flagging business, embracing adult content could be a way to gather more users.
And X already has a lot of adult content. Around 13% of content on the platform is NSFW.
Now in a new update, X is allowing communities to be X-rated.
Communities, X’s answer to Facebook groups, will be able to mark themselves as NSFW. If you work in the adult industry this could be huge for business.
https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/28/x-is-testing-nsfw-adult-communities-according-to-screenshots/
https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/29/x-confirms-plans-for-nsfw-communities/
Is privacy ruining the internet?
Are big tech companies making their tools annoying deliberately to combat the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA)?
Internet users are becoming increasingly frustrated with tools like Google search and maps. This could be down to what is being called “malicious compliance”, a way to encourage users to complain about the new laws.
Either way, it seems some users are feeling the pain of new privacy laws, and if the EU has its way we could also see personalised ads on Facebook disappear.
This will all become a new challenge for small businesses but you’d imagine the brains at the major tech firms could find a way to comply without breaking everything.
Podcast are hot
Podcast listeners are on the up according to a survey from Edison research. The study covers users in the US over the age of 12 and shows:
- 7% of Americans aged 12 and above have listened to a podcast in the last month, up 12% from last year, and 34% have listened in the last week, up 10%.
- Significant growth in female podcast listeners, with 45% listening monthly (up from 39%) and 32% weekly (up from 27%).
So maybe there is room for more podcasts, particularly if your target market is female.
https://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Infinite-Dial-2024-Deck.pdf
Goodbye Google Podcasts
Where do you listen to your podcasts?
There is so much choice now it doesn’t surprise me that Google is getting rid of its podcasts app.
Google says it will be replaced by YouTube music but many users are saying that isn’t a good alternative.
Will users migrate or will they stop listening? My guess is they will find somewhere to keep listening to their favourite shows.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/google/google-podcasts-service-shuts-down-in-the-us-next-week/
AI for Meta Ray-Bans
Now you can be the smartest person in the room with Meta Ray-Bans.
The augmented reality glasses just got an AI upgrade that will be able to translate (I assume the written word) and identify objects for you.
These features are already available on smartphones, I use the Google app when away but now you won’t need to look down at a screen, it will be right in front of your eyes.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/28/24114454/meta-ai-ray-ban-smart-glasses-launch
