Everything Old is New

IT'S NEVER BEEN EASIER (AND MORE IMPORTANT) TO CREATE GOOD QUALITY VIDEO CONTENT

Remember back in 2014 when we were all saying that brands needed to figure out how to share interesting photo content on social media because that's where the attention was going? There were two common responses:

1. We don't have the time/budget/resources that it would take to shoot the steady stream of photo content that a channel like Instagram would require
2. Even if we did, what would we share?

Those same conversations are happening again, but this time the content is video. Just when brands and marketing departments had gotten comfortable with the idea that they need content calendars, briefs, and a healthy mix of user-generated content, the market has shifted.

Here are a few recent numbers to show just how dramatic that change has been:

• Meta just reported that Reels makes up over 20% of all time spent on IG
• TikTok was the world's most downloaded app in Q1 of 2022
• The average session on TikTok is 10 minutes (vs 3 minutes on Twitter)
• Even customers report that video is their favourite content type from brands – 54% say they want to see more

Does this mean that you should run out and start a TikTok for your brand today? Maybe, but just like in 2014, there are a variety of ways to act on the trend. Remember, in those days, the two most common types of brand content on social media were text-only, or text with links posted to Twitter or Facebook. The rise of Instagram didn't mean that every brand should drop everything it was doing and rush over the photo app, but years later a lot of people are wishing they had made the transition earlier.

That's where we are with this new form of video. What may feel inconvenient or uncomfortable right now is quickly becoming table stakes, but we're still early enough with content opportunities like IG Reels, or even Linkedin Video, that there are early-mover advantages to be had.

In case any of that resonated and you're wondering how to get started, or step your game up, we've put together a set of recommended resources. I also know that there a lot of talented content creators who read The Brief, so if you know of something that we missed, please hit Reply and let us know.

• How to create an IG Reel + 19 ideas — Wordstream
• How brands are going viral with Reels — Later
• Beginner's guide to TikTok marketing — Shopify
• 8 TikTok marketing examples — HubSpot

HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HOTTEST SOCIAL CHANNEL IN 2022?

Its sales are up 230% year over year, and user signups increased 19% in a single day because of an Elon tweet.

The most underrated channel this year is Tumblr. Yes, the same platform that nearly went out of business when it banned adult content and then was purchased for a 97% discount by Automattic (the same company that owns WordPress).

It's more than a retro-culture cycle, too. Tumblr is attracting users who are looking for a place to share their creativity, curate niche content and have a generally more positive experience than they find on the other channels.

Brands are jumping on board, too. With its all-new self-serve ad platform and re-blogging features, companies that are looking for less competitive, under-appreciated spaces are trying their luck. Manscaped, for example, has built its brand by spending millions with Meta and is now reporting early success on Tumblr:

“It’s safe to say that’s the quickest Manscaped has grown to 10,000 followers on any social media channel we’ve launched. Tumblr has great discoverability capabilities with hashtags and various niche communities you can tap into, which are ultimately the right variables for organic social media success.”
— Tyler Wentworth, Manscaped’s Director of Social Media

Given its underdog status, there is significantly less content out there about how brands can take advantage, but this primer by Zoho is a good starting place.

Written by Conner Galway, Junction Consulting