Digital Marketing Apprentice

TikTok Updates Alcohol Policy

TikTok has quietly updated its advertising policy to allow alcohol adverts on the platform in the United States, subject to certain restrictions.

For the first time, it’s now possible to reach a legally-aged audience via ads on the platform – a game-changer for alcohol brands looking to tap into TikTok’s growing community.

The updated policy states that digital marketing communications that are advertising alcohol, should be placed only in media where at least 73.8% of the audience is reasonably expected to be of the legal purchase age. With TikTok’s user base rapidly growing, it has become the latest social media platform to meet the 73.8% threshold. Taking effect in the US first, watch this space for it happening in the UK and Europe in quick succession.

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Instagram Shifts Primary Content Metric To Views

Instagram creators will soon have a better understanding of how their content is performing. The platform has aligned its primary metric for all types of content –  including reels, stories, and posts – to views.

However, Instagram recommends creators still pay attention to the metric ‘sends per reach’, alongside views, in order to have a better understanding of the overall reach of their content. 

The change will be rolling out across the next few weeks.

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Facebook Offers Educational Training To Help Creators Avoid ‘Facebook Jail’

Facebook has announced a new policy that allows users with professional accounts to complete ‘educational training’ in-app. This does not apply to serious offences. 

This would assist in avoiding a ‘strike’ on creators’ accounts for first-time violations. Facebook wants to help creators correct unintentional mistakes, hoping to prevent them reoffending. 

Although this is not the first time Facebook has attempted to reform the penalty system, it has previously been criticised by users who have received ‘strikes’ for mundane comments taken out of context. 

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LinkedIn Allowing Brands To Sponsor User-Generated Newsletters

LinkedIn is now allowing brands to sponsor newsletters created by users in the app, so that branding can be used on popular newsletters made by thought leaders. 

Brands are able to request to sponsor a newsletter, in order to boost its reach through paid promotion. The platform wants to extend the reach of existing newsletters, by providing more exposure opportunities.

This comes after LinkedIn saw an engagement rise in newsletters by 47%, a significant increase in the amount of time being spent reading and engaging with this type of content. 

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Youtube Studio Tests Google AI Feature For Content Ideas

Youtube Studio is introducing a new AI feature called ‘Brainstorm with Gemini’, which provides concepts, trend notes, and thumbnail suggestions to help improve performance. 

The idea aims to give creators guidance on what users are responding to and what is popular, to better inform their approach.  

However, it has been criticised as it may stifle creativity by overwhelming creators with too many possibilities. At this stage YouTube is collecting feedback ahead of a potential broader roll out. 

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