The TwoSix team is back and ready to share what’s On Our Radar for November so that you can stay ahead of the always-evolving digital marketing landscape. This month the TwoSix team discusses LinkedIn updates and tips for short-form video, Instagram boost process changes, Dead Internet Theory, a dip in organic reach, and more! Keep reading to find out what we’re keeping On Our Radar for November 2024.
It’s always been a great strategy to test the interest of a post prior to activating it. It used to It is a common practice to see what consumers are interested in and then amplify that. post to increase the reach. Over the years, strategies were modified, and it stopped becoming a tactic due to new limitations based on the content type. However, Instagram has now expanded its post-boosting options to include most posts containing GIFs and stickers, allowing users to promote a broader range of content.
Although restrictions have improved, some do remain, such as the need for a Professional Account and limitations on certain music tracks.
New LinkedIn Features Could be the Perfect Mix
As LinkedIn continues to see consistent growth in engagement, the platform is rolling out a new feature and prioritizing certain formats that could be a real win for your Company Page. These new features could go a long way in helping to enhance marketing efforts directed at group sale!
The first feature that piqued my interest was the addition of a lead generation objective to their boosted posts. This is actually quite exciting. For most DMOs, generating leads is a top priority when it comes to groups, conventions, and sports sales. Adding this option to a simple boosted posts makes lead generation easier than ever. Previously you had to use the LinkedIn Ads Manager to be able to place such ads. One more barrier to entry has been broken! While you won’t have access to the more advanced targeting tools available in the ads manager, you will be able to grow lists with engaged users. Worth a try!
The network has really been pushing the use of video on the platform to compete with other channels like TikTok and Instagram. So much so that they’ve released a guide to publishing video on LinkedIn. If you haven’t seen it already, be on the lookout for a dedicated “Shorts” feed coming to your feed. Not only can you have a more TikTok-like experience on LinkedIn, but you can also publish your own vertical videos to get more exposure. LinkedIn recommends that videos be shot vertically, keep them shorter the better, and don’t overlook the importance of a strong caption to entice views. Now may be the time if you’re not leaning into video on LinkedIn. We’re seeing some very positive signs on LinkedIn when video is utilized. The format is clearly being prioritized for placement in feeds.
Now think about putting these two together! Boosting your video content with a lead generation objective could be the perfect mix. You’ll benefit from increased engagement and a real takeaway in the form of an email lead to help nurture new business. Now there’s one more reason not to ignore the trusty boost button on LinkedIn.
Have you been experimenting with LinkedIn videos yet? We’d love to see what you’re up to!
In the past year or two, when discussing Facebook or Instagram, we’ve been hearing “our organic reach is dead” or “you can’t get anywhere without paying” — over and over. And you know what? It seems to be true. According to Facebook’s own post in 2012, “pages organically reach about 16% of their fans on average” (unsurprisingly, this was coupled with a message to pay to increase your reach). Then, in 2021, a study by Hootsuite found that the “average organic reach for a Facebook post in 2021 was just 5.2% of a page’s total likes”, down from 5.5% in 2019.
To summarize, we see a decline from in organic reach from 16% of likes in 2012 to 5.2% in 2021. Given this trend, it’s likely the average organic reach for a Facebook post is around 4.5% in 2024.
Does that mean organic reach is dead for good? If you’ve heard any of my talks, then you know the answer is absolutely not. We need to put it into context: back in 2012, when “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen debuted, there were a lot fewer businesses leveraging Facebook. It was a completely different platform in 2012. I mean, “Meta” wasn’t even a twinkle in Zuckerberg’s eye. Now, there are more than 200 million businesses on Facebook spending $118 billion — with a “B” — on ads. There’s just less space and it’s a lot more competitive.
There is still plenty of room to leverage this channel organically. But instead of worrying about what days and times are best to post — worry about what you’re posting. You need to provide real value to stand out. And one you do, there are 3.27 billion monthly active users on Meta, waiting to see you.
If you haven’t heard of it yet, the Dead Internet Theory is an idea first introduced in 2021 on a Mac forum. It claims that the internet is no longer dominated by human activity and is instead overrun by bots creating content for other bots, forming an inauthentic feedback loop. As AI and automation proliferate, this theory has gained traction, particularly as distinguishing between human and computer-generated content becomes increasingly difficult.
Meta’s recent announcement that it will consolidate key performance metrics under the new umbrella of ‘Views’ seems eerily aligned with this growing trend of prioritizing quantity over authenticity. Views’ will include video views, impressions, and unique reach across all content types, shifting the focus away from unique human interaction. A ‘view’ is counted each time content appears on a screen, even if the same user (or bot) views it multiple times. This change, while pitched as consistent and transparent, will obscure critical audience data—like the actual size of your audience.
For advertisers, content creators, and brands, this raises serious concerns. ‘Reach,’ which measured the number of unique users who saw a post, was a cornerstone for assessing campaign success and understanding audience demographics. By replacing it with ‘Views,’ there’s a risk of inflated engagement figures that mask declining audience size or over-reliance on algorithms and automation. In a way, it mirrors the fears of the Dead Internet Theory: the push for metrics and machine optimization over genuine human connection.
You may have noticed that AI has been infiltrating ad platforms even more recently with more sophisticated software. On Meta, there is now an option to generate backgrounds and images based on photos that you upload. This has added time to how long it takes to create the ad and the ad set up process in general looks different. There is potential here but as it stands now, the AI may need to advance a bit before it turns out quality images.
TikTok has created a new video generation process where AI can create a video based on a URL or product description. You can also add a digital avatar to narrate your video and even translate in another language. This feature could help create more content in the future. Like Meta, it may take a bit before this is successful, after all TikTok is still testing this feature before rolling it out to the public.
Platforms like Pinterest and TikTok haven’t been rolling out AI enhancements quite as frequently as Meta has so by the time they do they could be more refined. As for now, AI isn’t going anywhere and these new features are certainly interesting!
If you’re considering hopping on LinkedIn’s new vertical video feed, now may be the perfect time. LinkedIn released a report last month showing its record levels of engagement on the platform, including 6x the “Immersive Video Views” quarter-over-quarter and a 36% increase in total video viewership year-over-year. Additionally, LinkedIn has just released some advice for reaching new users with this video feed. Here are the key notes:
-Vertical videos with a 15-second to 2-minute duration perform best.
-Include a relevant caption that provides context or is a continuation of the video. Use a minimum of 50 words.
-Create videos that prompt users to comment or share!
-Make sure the video is fast-paced, immediately grabbing attention.
-Some themes that perform well: workplace humor, informative content, and industry-related updates.
-Themes to avoid: overly promotional content and videos without clear context.
Photo from @mattnavarra
Original Audio & Voiceovers are Powerful Engagement Tactics for Vertical Video, and We Have Proof!
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok, Reels, or other video platforms, you’ve likely heard us—and countless other industry experts—stress the importance of using original audio in your videos.
Using original audio not only protects you from copyright headaches and the risk of your sound being removed (remember when TikTok pulled Universal Music from its library and creators scrambled to adjust?), but it also delivers exceptional results. And we have the data to prove it.
Last summer, we ran a campaign for Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on Meta that featured three video ads side by side, each with different audio strategies. Two of the videos included voiceovers describing the Soo Locks Boat Tour experience, while the third video featured only music paired with clips of the locks and boat tours. The results were striking.
The voiceover videos saw click-through rates of 6.5% or higher, while the music-only video just surpassed 3%. If you’re doing the math in your head, that’s over a 100% improvement in click-through-rate for the original audio videos! Plus, the voiceover videos achieved a cost-per-click that was two cents lower than the music-only video.
Post reactions, saves, shares, and comments were also far superior for the original audio videos, again indicating that this strategy is a proven mechanism for driving engagement.
But it’s not just us seeing these kinds of results. Michigan Playground recently shared a post on LinkedIn about a video that went viral thanks to original audio. And we’re also loving how Visit Yosemite used both trends and original audio in their TikTok to creatively market their experience.
In short: original audio isn’t just a best practice—it’s a proven strategy for boosting engagement and driving better results in your video campaigns.
With the ever-changing digital marketing world, we are here to keep you informed of new digital trends and what we are keeping on our radar for November 2024. Have any questions? Contact us! We’re here to help.
Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop on all things TwoSix Digital.
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
863
1079
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-11-19 15:07:202024-11-20 11:34:07On Our Radar | November 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Untitled-design-7.jpeg
864
1080
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-10-09 19:20:332024-10-10 09:34:44On Our Radar | October 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
863
1079
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-09-11 17:59:252024-09-11 19:55:20On Our Radar | September 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
863
1079
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-08-07 11:54:532024-08-08 10:08:22On Our Radar | August 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
1079
1080
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-07-09 13:50:112024-07-09 15:53:43On Our Radar | July 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
863
1079
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-06-12 12:17:242024-06-17 10:37:05On Our Radar | June 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
863
1079
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-05-07 13:27:062024-05-09 09:46:53On Our Radar | May 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
1079
1080
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-04-08 12:29:322024-04-08 12:33:16On Our Radar | April 2024
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Untitled-design-2.jpeg
1079
1080
2sixdigitaltwo6
https://twosixdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TwoSixDigital_logo_Stacked_RGB-300x142-300x142.jpg
2sixdigitaltwo62024-03-06 14:10:142024-04-08 11:59:06On Our Radar | March 2024