TikTok expands STEM feed to Europe
This week, TikTok announced that its highly anticipated STEM feed option would be hitting the UK, following the success of the feature in America.
To populate the new feed, TikTok will partner with science-based content creators, like physicist @particleclara who works at CERN, as well as @NewScientist, which features the latest news from the world of science. The addition will see the platform broaden its slate of educational content, with a specific focus on younger users.
Those under 18 will automatically be enrolled in the STEM feed as part of TikTok’s effort to educate a younger audience, while older users will be able to opt in to access more scientific content.
Read more here.
X to launch AI Chatbot ‘Grok 1.5’ this week
X recently announced an upgrade to its Grok chatbot which is set to enhance reasoning abilities, particularly in maths-related tasks, and overall performance. According to X, ‘Grok 1.5’ matches and surpasses other chatbots on the market, showcasing notable improvements in coding and maths tasks, and achieving high scores against various benchmarks.
Originally launched in November, Grok offers users generated responses to queries, with additional features such as “Fun Mode”, said to give ‘sassy replies’. Despite limited access to X Premium+ subscribers, X plans to extend Grok availability to all Premium subscribers, aiming to boost usage and address potential issues.
Despite this, there is a rise in concerns regarding system flaws that go hand-in-hand with increased usage, an issue that echoes the challenges faced by other chatbots.
Read more here.
Meta’s new targeting options set to amplify ad conversions
In interesting news for paid social managers, Meta added new insight and targeting options for Advantage+ shopping campaigns which is predicted to increase the likelihood of converting leads into conversions.
As per the update, advertisers can now separate engaged customers within their targeting, which will provide another option for optimising a business’s ad approach. Meta has defined this audience as “people who are aware of your business or interacted with your products or services, but have not made a purchase”, which could improve conversion rates drastically.
There is also the option to segment these audiences within Advantage+ campaign reporting, so that managers can see how each group is responding to the specific ads.
Read more here.
TikTok hits back at ‘fatal’ sell-off bill
TikTok is doing everything it can to fight back against the sell-off bill proposed in the U.S., which would force its owner ByteDance to sell the app to an American company to address national security concerns.
TikTok’s latest effort is a new, £2 million ad campaign, with the aim of showcasing the benefits that TikTok provides to American users. The campaign will be aired on TV in the States, with a specific focus on areas that face fierce battles in the upcoming election.
It is hoped that this will make these senators more likely to oppose the TikTok bill, which expands on TikTok’s efforts to highlight how the app will benefit American businesses.
Read more here.
Google tests generative AI in shopping discovery
Last week, Google unveiled new shopping enhancements, including style recommendations and AI image generation. Users can now refine search results by upvoting or downvoting related product images, offering them a personalised experience each time they search. Additionally, shoppers can specify preferred brands for tailored results.
The AI image generation, allows users to find visual matches for desired products, alongside “virtual try-on” capabilities, showcasing clothing items on diverse models. While these features represent a significant advancement in shopping discovery, they are currently limited in availability and may require further development before reaching all users.
Read more here.