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TikTok Pledges $250 Million to Support Various Groups Impacted by COVID-19

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tiktok pledges 250 million to support various groups impacted by covid 19

Rising video app TikTok has announced a new $250 million donation to assist frontline workers combating COVID-19, which comes in addition to the app’s $10 million donation to the World Health Organization, which it announced last month.

As per TikTok:

We are committed to playing our part in that global outpouring of mutual support and giving. We want to magnify all we are seeing across our community and translate it into concrete relief for those most affected by this crisis.”

TikTok’s latest donation will be split into several elements:

  • $150 million in funding will go towards medical staffing, supplies and hardship relief for health care workers
  • $40 million in cash will be allocated to local organizations which serve diverse user communities, including musicians, artists, nurses and educators
  • TikTok will also match up to $10 million in donations from its user community to support initiatives launched by TikTok users
  • And an additional $50 million will go towards grants for educators, professional experts, and nonprofits that are working to provide distance learning resources during the global lockdowns

​​In addition to this, TikTok will also provide $100 million in ad credits to help businesses get back on their feet once they’re able to resume normal activity, while it’s also allocating $25 million in “prominent in-feed ad space” to NGOs, trusted health sources, and local authorities to help them distribute key health messages in the app.

In total, the funding takes TikTok’s commitment to more than $385 million to assist with the COVID-19 outbreak. That seems like a lot, especially for a platform that’s not yet generating significant income – though TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, and sister app ‘Douyin’, are generating significant revenue, enabling it to make these funding pledges.

ByteDance reportedly brought in $20 billion in revenue in 2019, while Douyin, the Chinese-only version of TikTok, generated some $122 million in revenue for the year, largely fueled by eCommerce integrations within the app. 

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Douyin eCommerce

That’s likely where TikTok will also be heading with its own monetization tools. Thus far, no app has been able to successfully monetize short-form video, as the time limits make disruptive ads non-viable, meaning that they require a different approach to regular video content.

TikTok, which reportedly generated around $36 million in revenue in the US last year, has already started moving towards eCommerce tools within the app. It’s testing product links in clips, and external linking options, in order to provide more revenue generation options for creators. TikTok also recently shared this video in regards to its monetization focus, which highlights eCommerce integration.

TikTok’s seen a big jump in usage amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, and its charitable donations will help to amplify its outreach efforts, while also providing support for relevant communities. The next stage, however, is for TikTok to maximize the attention it’s getting by integrating revenue-generation tools for creators – because if it doesn’t, those popular users will quickly learn that they can make more money on other platforms, and abandon TikTok, leaving it to the same fate as Vine before it. 

Strategy aside, TikTok’s donations are significant, and will provide assistance to many in need, and the platform should be praised for taking positive action. They’re also helping to solidify TikTok’s place within the wider social media landscape – and if TikTok can improve its brand reputation, and deliver better monetization tools, it’ll be on the way to making itself a more important consideration moving forward.  

Socialmediatoday.com

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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