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Snapchat Posts Mixed Results in Latest Earnings Update

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Snapchat Posts Mixed Results in Latest Earnings Update

Snapchat has shared its latest performance update, reporting an increase in users, but slower ad growth as a result of ongoing challenges in the digital ads market.

It’s a mixed report – first off, on users: Snapchat added 16 million more daily active users for the quarter, taking it to 363 million DAU.

As you can see in these charts, Snap is still seeing the majority of its growth in the ‘Rest of World’ category, where it’s added 45 million users year-over-year.

The app has seen significant growth in India, where advancing mobile adoption and improving connectivity are helping it expand its reach and presence. Which is a positive for the app’s longer-term potential, but it doesn’t provide a major boost for the app’s revenue right now, at least not in the way that adding users in the US would.

Snap also says that overall time spent watching content in the app continues to rise, driven primarily by Discover and Spotlight.

“We grew global time spent across our content platforms by continuing to invest in personalization, driving more subscriptions to creator content, improving content ranking through better understanding of new Snapchatter interests, scaling our Creator and Partner ecosystem, and investing in operations to maximize return on content supply and capacity.”

On Spotlight, specifically, Snap says that total time spent viewing Spotlight content has increased by 55% year-over-year, while over 300 million users now engage with Spotlight content every month.

Snapchat Q3 2022 report

Like all platforms, short-form video has been a winner for Snap, and while Spotlight is pretty much a direct copy of TikTok, the numbers here underline why the platforms do latch onto significant trends like this, as a means to maximize engagement.

It’s not original, no, but it works in keeping users in-app for longer, as opposed to them switching to another platform for the same.

And given that Snap has also seen a continued downturn in engagement with Friend Stories, it needs to find new ways to keep people interacting, and spending time in app, even if content from their direct connections isn’t as big a lure.

Though this is a concerning trend note:

“Total time spent watching content in the United States decreased 5% year-over-year as the diminished depth of engagement with Friend Stories was not fully offset by the growth in viewership and growth in time spent with Discover and Spotlight in the US.”

That’s especially relevant when you look at Snap’s revenue stats:

Snapchat Q3 2022 report

As you can see here, while Snap brought in $1.13 billion for the quarter – a 6% year-over-year increase – its income is hugely reliant on the US market.

If Snap’s seeing a downturn in US user engagement, that’s a problem, and it’ll be an important element to track in future performance updates.

“Our business continued to face significant headwinds in the third quarter, and we took action to further focus our business on our three strategic priorities: growing our community and deepening their engagement with our products, reaccelerating and diversifying our revenue growth, and investing in augmented reality.”

Hit by impacts as a result of Apple’s ATT update, and the global downturn in digital ad spend, Snap’s revenue growth isn’t at the levels that it, or the market, would hope. But it remains confident in its strategy, which is delivering more active users.

“Advertising revenues follow engagement, so while we are facing near-term headwinds to our revenue growth, we remain optimistic about our long-term opportunity based on the growth of our community and engagement.”

Snap’s also looking to tap into the popularity of Spotlight as another ad driver, with a range of new ad tests.

“We believe that Spotlight offers an exciting new way for brands to experiment with video creative and learn how to make content that inspires the Snapchat community. We are also working on new tools that enable businesses to easily promote their most engaging Spotlight content, drive conversions, and measure their success with Ads Manager.”

That would also, presumably, involve a level of revenue share for Spotlight creators, who currently don’t have a direct monetization pathway, other than Snap’s Spotlight Rewards program.

Snapchat also says that it’s ‘using this period of reduced demand’ to implement upgrades to its ad delivery platform and auction dynamics.

Snapchat’s also shared a new stat on Snapchat+ subscriptions, noting that it now has more than 1.5 million paying S+ subscribers, up from the million it reported back in August.

Snapchat Q3 2022 report

It’s hard to say whether add-on subscription elements will become a sustainable revenue pathway for social apps, but Snapchat+ is providing some relief in offsetting Snap’s ad losses, which is a positive for the platform at this stage.

More recently, Snap has also made engaging older audiences a focus, which has produced some results:

Daily average time spent for Snapchatters aged 35 and older engaging with Shows and Publisher content increased by more than 40% year-over-year.”

If Snap can get this element right, and keep more older users in the app, as opposed to seeing them drift off from what’s traditionally been a younger platform, that could help it reinforce its growth numbers – and as Snap notes, that, eventually, should see ad revenue increase in-step.

But Snap’s real future may well lie in AR, where it remains the market leader in most respects.

Snapchat Q3 2022 report

Snap’s AR experiences are more refined, more engaging, and more likely to go viral than those in other apps. Whenever a new AR trend comes up – from dancing hotdogs, to aged up effects, to anime characters, to crying face, it’s Snapchat that’s the source, while its advanced AR tools for shopping are also opening up new opportunities for brands across the board.

There are some concerning signs here for Snapchat’s overall usage, and less income leaves less money for investment in its own AR glasses. But Snap’s connection with AR developers, and internal creative nous, leaves it well-positioned to remain a critical platform in the next stage of digital connection, even the metaverse, which will require 3D objects and experiences.

Maybe, then, Snapchat’s future isn’t even the app itself. I mean, it has long called itself a camera company, not a social app.

Overall, it’s difficult to take a lot from Snap’s latest report, because overall market trends are weighing on its results, and its relative growth stats look reasonably solid.

But lower engagement in key markets is a concern, even with more users coming in. I would say that this is the biggest takeaway here, that Snap may be seeing the start of a broader usage shift away from the app.

It’s too early to mark this as a trend, but Snap may need to evolve its business beyond the app to truly maximize its potential.

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Who is HRH Collection founder and YouTuber, Alexandra Peirce?

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Who is HRH Collection founder and YouTuber, Alexandra Peirce?

ALEXANDRA Peirce proves there’s no such thing as bad publicity, garnering more fans and subscribers every time she posts one of her infamous video rants.

Peirce, known better by her social media pseudonym HRH Collection, has been an internet mainstay for years, and her fame only continues to grow after sharing more of her contentious takes online.

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HRH Collection founder and YouTuber, Alexandra Peirce, poses for a photo on her Instagram showcasing pieces from her jewelry lineCredit: Instagram/ therealhrhcollection

Who is Alexandra Peirce?

Alexandra Peirce is a social media personality, influencer, and jewelry designer.

Peirce was born on May 13, 1984, in the US.

She currently resides near Los Angeles, California.

Before launching her famous YouTube channel, Peirce graduated from college in 2007 with a degree in political science.

In 2009, she earned a master’s degree in international business.

While in graduate school, Peirce studied abroad in Shanghai, China, where she says she “fell in love with all things Asian.”

Peirce returned to the US during the peak of the 2008 economic recession, forcing her to move in with her parents.

Despite applying for countless jobs, she couldn’t land a position, leading her to create her YouTube channel.

Peirce post her first video, a “What’s in my bag” vlog where she walked viewers through everyday items she carried in her purse.

Peirce kept the channel going even after landing a job in accounting, posting videos and designing jewelry pieces during lunch breaks and after hours.

Fueled by her growing subscriber count, her design hobby would eventually turn into a full-fledged company, HRH Collection.

While Peirce now runs her jewelry line full-time, she is even better known on the internet for her viral videos, which typically show Peirce sitting in her car, ranting about anything from current events and pop culture trends to hairstyles and holidays.

Her videos are often cut up and reposted on TikTok, where select sound clips go viral.

Some of Peirce’s most well-known tirades include her take on beachy waves – “it’s not the vibe, stop!” – and her controversial views on Women’s Day – ““I think it’s stupid. I really do.”

Nevertheless, Peirce has amassed a legion of hardcore fans and haters who can’t help but watch her scream and shout her opinion on just about everything.

Peirce’s controversial videos (and views) have been compared to other un-cancellable influencers, like Trisha Paytas and Theo Von.

Who else could get away with yelling: “Shut up! Stop being fat! Stop being ugly!” at her viewers, who keep coming back for more?

It seems like no matter what she posts, or how many people disagree with her, viewers can’t help but leave her videos wanting more.

One TikTok user commented: “This woman is actually problematic but my brain is itched by the way she complains because it’s exactly how I think when I’m annoyed.”

Despite – or maybe because of – the controversies, Peirce has continued to grow her social media following.

Her Instagram account boasts 118,000 followers, despite several of her past accounts being banned or deleted.

Peirce’s X account is currently suspended, but that hasn’t stopped the internet icon from sharing her views online.

Her YouTube channel, which hosts over 600 videos, has 449,000 subscribers.

The hashtag #hrhcollection has also garnered nearly 1 billion views on TikTok, from reposted videos to sound bites.

Peirce has also garnered fame via interviews with BuzzFeed News and Interview Magazine, and appeared on podcasts like The Spillover With Alex Clark.

What is HRH Collection?

HRH Collection is a jewelry line created by Alexandra Peirce.

Besides rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, the website also sells bag chains, keychains, ankle socks, t-shirts, and a windbreaker.

On the company’s about page, Peirce explains that the e-commerce site “started as a hobby and has now grown into a company that I’m so proud to call my own.”

Peirce first designed “a Japanese style frosting cupcake ring and key fob,” sharing the pieces on her YouTube channel.

Viewers were interested in purchasing the items, leading Peirce to create La Lumiere, mixing chain metals with assorted crystals to create bracelets and necklaces.

Peirce wore her jewelry to work and showcased her pieces on her social media, leading to steady stream of customers and orders.

From there, Peirce launched an Etsy shop, juggling her full time job alongside designing new pieces and fulfilling online orders.

Peirce states that she is “so thankful” for everyone who helped her along the way, but also offers some practical advice for anyone who hopes to turn their hobby into a viable career, saying she was “strategic” in developing HRH.

She writes: “Many of you guys ask me if you should quit your jobs to pursue YouTube or your other hobbies.”

“To be completely honest, I do not think you should quit your job for any hobby, until you have grown your company into one that can reasonably replace your job – this is very important.”

HRH collection features hundreds of items, with most priced between $50 and $150.

Shoppers can also select items from “Alex’s Musts,” which includes products like a $190 sterling silver tennis necklace, a trio of mixed metal rings for $87, and $59 diet soda hoops, resembling soda can tops.

Consumers looking for unique pieces are in luck, as there is a limited amount of inventory available per item, with many pieces already sold out.

Alexandra Peirce poses with her husband, Jason Locke, and her dog, Ming, for a photo on Instagram

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Alexandra Peirce poses with her husband, Jason Locke, and her dog, Ming, for a photo on InstagramCredit: Instagram/ therealhrhcollection

Is Alexandra Peirce married?

Peirce came under fire from both her fans and haters after getting married on June 16, 2023, to her second husband, Jason Locke.

The influencer was mocked for her dress, venue, food, and overall wedding aesthetic.

She was also trolled on social media for live-streaming the event, charging users $25 to watch the party.

Peirce chose to wear a short, white, recycled Zara dress for the reception, while the groom chose to don a camouflaged Trump/Pence hat.

After a small ceremony at Bethania Lutheran Church, a reception was held in the parking lot of the Hitching Post, a BBQ joint in Buellton, California.

The eatery’s website says it is known for its wines and West Coast barbecue, and guests dined on veggies, garlic bread, and quesadillas, among other items.

Decorations were minimal, with few flowers adorning the white tent erected in the parking lot.

Each table did come with a cherry-scented ashtray candle, personalized with ‘Mr. & Mrs. Locke’ in a gothic font.

Peirce then changed into yoga pants before heading off to a local casino with her new beau and a few close friends, keeping the party going well into the morning hours.

Many users took to X to share their thoughts.

Some users called the wedding trashy, while others lamented the party’s seemingly low budget.

One user tweeted: “You had a trailer park wedding” along with a crying and skull emojis.

Another wrote: “how can hrh collection talk about anyone when her dress looks like it came out of a Zara clearance section?”

One influencer even branded the event as “the tackiest wedding ever.”

Peirce fought back, going after her online haters and critics in another one of her infamous video rants.

In a video titled Addressing The Devils, Peirce asks her viewers: “Do you think I didn’t know what my wedding was gonna be like? Like, I didn’t plan my wedding?”

“I don’t like big to-dos. I’m the least to-do person ever.”

She added: “B***h, I could fly to the f**king Maldives with every damn f**king person in my damn family and pay for everyone and not have it impact me at all, you f**king idiots.”

Peirce then stressed that her and Locke wanted to keep the wedding “casual and mellow.”

She said: “I did exactly what I wanted to do for my wedding and I would do it all exactly over again.”

Peirce ended the video by saying: “I’m happy, I’m in a really loving relationship. I basically have everything I want.”

“I have my own business, a beautiful house, I have a husband. I’m really happy right now and you guys are so vicious and mean.”

Then, in her signature fashion, she addressed her haters head-on, explaining: “I get it, because you’re miserable and ugly.”

“And you’re a loser, I understand. Life isn’t fair.”



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New Guide Highlights Key Considerations for Effective TikTok Ads

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New Guide Highlights Key Considerations for Effective TikTok Ads

Looking to make TikTok a bigger focus of your marketing effort in 2024?

This will help. TikTok recently partnered with creator intelligence platform CreatorIQ to conduct an analysis of the key factors that make for a resonant TikTok promotion, culminating in a 26-page report which covers a range of key notes and tips for your planning.

You can download CreatorIQ’s full TikTok ads guide here, but in this post, we’ll look at some of the key notes.

The report is broken up into five key pillars of TikTok ads creation, which echo much of the best advice that’s been shared for the platform over time.

CreatorIQ’s five key TikTok marketing notes are:

  • Grab attention from the start
  • Foster a personal connection
  • Show your product in action
  • Use high-impact creative elements
  • Close with a clear call to action

For each of these elements, the guide digs deeper into how to enact them, and the critical considerations of each, including stats on effectiveness:

Tips on TikTok-specific trends and tools:

CreatorIQ TikTok Ads Report

As well as case study examples to underline each point:

CreatorIQ TikTok Ads Report

It’s a handy overview, with a range of valuable notes, though the main finding, above all of the creative pointers and advice, is that established creators perform better for TikTok promotions.

As per CreatorIQ:

The report found that creators overwhelmingly make the best-performing TikTok ads, with recommendations carrying more weight than traditional brand advertisements and celebrity spokespeople. In fact, after watching a creator-driven Spark Ad, 57% of TikTok community members say the creator is trustworthy, 56% say they can trust the brand because the creator shared it, and 71% say creator authenticity led them to buy a product.

So while there are a heap of practical notes and pointers for increasing the resonance of your in-app promotions – like this:

CreatorIQ TikTok Ads Report

The key point of emphasis is that creators make better TikToks, and thus, better ads, so partnering with relevant influencers in your niche is still likely a better way to go.

Some good considerations, and some valuable, data-backed tips, which could help to get your TikTok promotion plan on the right track in the new year.

You can download CreatorIQ’s full TikTok marketing report here.

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Adobe Highlights Rising Visual Trends in 2024 Creative Trends Report

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Adobe Highlights Rising Visual Trends in 2024 Creative Trends Report

Looking for creative inspiration for your 2024 strategic planning?

This will help. Today, Adobe has published its annual Creative Trends Report, which incorporates insights from Adobe’s 30 million+ Creative Cloud users, in order to determine rising visual styles of interest, which look set to resonate with audiences in the new year.

Based on its research, the Adobe team has established four creative trends that are worthy of note:

  • Calming Rhythms – Fluid and flowing forms that soothe the senses and support emotional balance
  • Wonder and Joy – Visuals that inspire a sense of awe, joy, and enchantment
  • Dynamic Dimensions – Where all dimensions and types of content seamlessly merge
  • The New Nostalgia – Contemporary interpretations of vintage styles

Adobe’s 22-page report, which you can download here (with email sign-up), provides more insight into each of these trends, along with various examples, and data that explains why they’re set to gain more momentum.

There are handy notes and insights for each, which help to illustrate how to use them in your process.

Adobe 2024 Creative Trends Report

Interestingly, a lot of the images used by Adobe in the report look like they’ve been created by generative AI. I don’t know that they have, but it is worth noting the composition in this regard, as another potential means to tap into these trends.

Adobe 2024 Creative Trends Report

The report provides some interesting perspective on rising visual trends, which could help in your planning. Maybe one of these resonates especially well with your branding, or aligns with what your target audience has been sharing.

Either way, some additional, data-backed considerations, which could be helpful in your process.

You can download Adobe’s “2024 Creative Trends Report” here.

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