Top 5 trends in Social Media and Influencer Marketing | September 2020

September flew by, and back-to-school has never been so surprising. We have all found new ways to redefine our routines with more digital and social features. Because of this, we have lots of exciting digital news to share with you this month.

1. The clock is ticking down for TikTok

Photo Credits: TikTok via Twitter

Many things have been said since June 21st, 2020, when Trump’s Tulsa rally was disrupted by TikTok users which helped to leave hundreds of seats empty in a 19,000-capacity venue and may have led Trump to start a war against the platform. The past few months have been challenging for TikTok Beijing-based parent ByteDance but solutions are now urging to be found.

Earlier this month, Microsoft revealed that ByteDance had declined its offer to acquire TikTok U.S. operations leaving to Oracle the opportunity to become TikTok’s Tech Partner. To maybe avoid a last-minute US ban last Friday, TikTok Beijing-based parent ByteDance and the US government would have come to an agreement involving Oracle and Walmart.

The two American multinational would claim a 12.5% for Oracle and 7.5% for Walmart investment stake in a newly formed TikTok Global company that will run the platform service’s operations in the US and “most of the users” worldwide.

The agreement would lead Oracle to become TikTok’s “secure cloud provider” and hold on to US data, and Walmart to operate its advertising and E-commerce technology. Additionally, TikTok Global would agree to pay over $5 billion in “new tax dollars” to the US Treasury, to participate in launching an AI-powered educational video program along with Oracle, Walmart and investors like Coatue and Sequoia. TikTok Global would also be required to have an IPO on a US stock exchange, and American ownership is expected to “grow over time.”

2. Celebrities are temporarily freezing accounts in support of #StopHateForProfit movement

Photo Credits: Kim Kardashian West via Twiiter

A few months ago, the Stop Hate For Profit movement gathered 1,100 brands to stop their advertising spending on Facebook and Instagram for the month of July in order to call out the social media corporation for not taking enough action to stop the spread of hateful content on its platforms.

The coalition has now followed up with the Week Of Action, encompassing a 24-hour Instagram freeze. From Monday 14th to Friday 18th of September, a group of influencing voices including Kim Kardashian West, Katy Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Mark Ruffalo encouraged users to join the movement on socials.

The Week of Action started on Monday with a 24-hour Instagram “Freeze” where users refrained from posting on Instagram. The participants pursued the week by posting specific messages about “the harms that Facebook is inflicting on our society and the importance of voting”.

3. YouTube is entering the short-video race with YouTube Shorts

Photo Credits: Startup News

Earlier this week, YouTube has launched a new feature in India called YouTube Shorts (still in beta), which allows users to shoot and upload 15-second videos. This new feature enables Youtube to compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels in the landscape of short-video content.

YouTube Shorts is a new short-form video experience right on YouTube for creators and artists who want to shoot short, catchy videos using nothing but their mobile phones. Users can create up to 15-second videos in an easy and fun way using a multi-segment camera to string multiple video clips together, speed controls that expand the creative opportunities, a timer and countdown to easily record, hands-free, and the option to record with music from a large library of songs that will continue to grow.

The platform is pushing its new feature through the creation of a dedicated homepage and a new watch experience that lets viewers easily swipe vertically from one video to the next while discovering other similar short videos.

The early version of the product is a way for Youtube to invite its global community of users, creators and artists to collaborate to build and improve Youtube Shorts, with more creation tools and country launches planned in the next months.

4. Facebook and Ray-Ban will soon compete with Google Glass

Although Google Glass was a big fail a few years ago, many players including Apple, Amazon, Snapchat and now Facebook still believe in the strong opportunities of smart glasses. 

Last week, Mark Zuckerberg announced that its company would launch “the next step on the road to augmented reality glasses” next year. As always, Facebook thinks big and has teamed up with EssilorLuxottica group, and its Ray-Ban brand, to create the smart glass.

The company has not provided much information about the product features, except that it would not have a display — meaning the smart glass would be closer to Snapchat’s Spectacles than Google Glass.

The testing phase of the products will be leading by Facebook employees on Facebook campuses and real life. The participants will have to wear clothing identifying them as participating in the project and will receive dedicated training. Facebook has already committed to protecting participants’ data - the data retrieved will be secured on the company's servers, people’s faces automatically blurred and the device will not embed a facial recognition device.

Photo Credits: Facebook

5. The Fashion season is open with #TikTokFashionMonth

Photo Credits: CNN

With many people still quarantined at home and with social engagements limited, Fashion weeks cannot remain the exact same and fashion has to rely even more on digital. 

In celebration of its social community and the diversity of its platform, TikTok have collaborated with several fashion creators and brands to launch #TikTokFashionMonth. Until October 8th, the platform community, fashion brands, creators and celebrities can go on TikTok to strut their stuff through a series of hashtags, LIVE streams and new creative effects.

Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent have already kicked off the celebrations by organising their runway on the platform early September. Other brands and creators hosted special virtual events like “Get The Look” event with Ariam, or will host some soon like the reveal of its new collection with JW Anderson (8/28). The #TikTokFashionMonth will end with the TikTok Runway Odyssey, an exclusive, first-of-its-kind virtual fashion runway LIVE stream in partnership with PUMA and Alice & Olivia hosted by Nick Tangorra (1.2M followers).