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Instagram Subscriptions Rise, Pinterest's Account Claiming Excites Creators, LinkedIn Adds A Newsletter CTA
Lindsey Gamble
April 26, 2024
In partnership with
TODAY’S EDITION
Instagram hits a new milestone for creator Subscriptions
Instagram adds yet another feature to the graveyard
Threads tests out automatic post-archiving after initial pushback
Pinterest allows creators to claim their Instagram accounts — and creators are loving it
LinkedIn gives newsletter creators a better way to drive subscribers
X wants to be in your living room
NEWS, TRENDS, AND INSIGHTS
Instagram Introduces New Subscription Features
Instagram introduced a range of new Subscription features:
Story Teasers: Allows non-subscribers to see when creators have posted subscriber-only content and give them the option to subscribe.
Guidance Tools: Highlights best practices, case studies, and successful subscription creators for inspiration.
Subscribe-Sticker Taps: Shows the number of people who have tapped on the Subscribe sticker in stories.
Screenshot & Screen Recording Prevention: Prevents screenshots and screen recordings of exclusive content.
Why It Matters: These updates equip creators with new ways to grow and sustain their Subscriptions. It comes as Subscriptions surpass the 2 million mark, a notable increase from one million in November.
Subscriptions for Short-Form: Despite the challenge for creators to persuade followers to pay for short-form content, platforms are intensifying their efforts to help creators monetize it. TikTok made its subscription feature available to non-LIVE creators, while YouTube recently launched Member-Only Shorts.
Instagram is Phasing Out Its Flipside Feature
Instagram is phasing out Flipside, its 'Finsta' feature. According to an in-app notification:
As of May 24th, the feature will be discontinued.
All Flipside posts and Stories will be stored in users' archives, with an option to publicize them.
Users can also download their posts from the Accounts Center until August 25th.
Why It Matters: Flipside, the latest feature to be added to the social media feature graveyard, had a lot of upside. It provided younger users with a space for private sharing and offered creators and brands opportunities to deepen their connection with followers. Given the overlap between 'Close Friends' and Flipside, it's understandable why it's being phased out.
Features Come Fast, But Go Faster: It's becoming increasingly common for new features to disappear as quickly as they appear. Platforms typically reward early adopters, so it's generally beneficial to use features when available. However, the frequent phasing out of new features will make creators and brands question the effort going forward.
Threads Tests Options for Post-Archiving
Threads
Threads is currently testing post-archiving. Users have the option to manually archive individual posts or set them to automatically archive after a certain period. Archived posts can be unarchived to make them public again.
Why It Matters: Although Instagram head Adam Mosseri initially proposed automatically archiving all posts after 30 days, which was met with resistance from many users, Threads is moving forward with the feature, now offering it as an optional choice.
Given the frequent archiving of posts on Instagram and numerous stories of users facing consequences due to old posts, archiving offers several benefits. However, it may also pose challenges if important posts providing context for discussions are archived.
Steady Growth: Threads' continuous rollout of new features appears to be yielding results. The platform now boasts over 150 million monthly active users, up from 130 million in February. With new incentive programs for creators, this steady growth should continue.
Pinterest Adds Account Claiming for Instagram
Pinterest has added an Account Claiming feature for Instagram. When activated, creators can link their Instagram account to Pinterest, which allows for the following:
Attribution: Any of their Instagram content shared on Pinterest will be attributed to them, with their Pinterest profile and a follow button appearing on the Pins.
Performance: Creators can view analytics and stats for Pins featuring their content.
Cross-Post: Creators can automatically share future Instagram posts to Pinterest and retroactively upload posts from the last 90 days.
Why It Matters: Pinners gain increased visibility and attribution for their Instagram posts and a streamlined method for automatically repurposing them on Pinterest. While there are some nuances, such as Instagram posts with music being muted due to music licensing, overall, it's a low-time and effort way for creators to share content on Pinterest.
More Content, More Shopping: Pinterest should see an uptick in content as more creators claim their Instagram accounts (based on Threads, creators are responding to the feature well). This will aid in Pinterest's shopping efforts as more shared content means more opportunities for Pinterest to drive commerce through features like 'Shop Similar.’
LinkedIn Adds a Newsletter Subscription Option for Custom Buttons
LinkedIn has added a 'Subscribe to Newsletter' call-to-action (CTA) option for Custom Buttons. This feature lets Premium users include a button on their profile, visible in feed, search results, and messages, that directs visitors to a link of their choice.
Why It Matters: This new CTA option gives users a direct way to encourage newsletter sign-ups, whether hosted on LinkedIn or on another platform. Before this, newsletter creators had to use workaround options like 'View My Website' and 'Visit My Blog' to link to their newsletters. Now, a Custom Button can be specifically tailored for this action, which could lead to higher conversion rates.
What to Watch For Next: This update is part of several expected enhancements for LinkedIn Newsletters this year.
X Is Launching A YouTube-Like TV App
X
X (previously known as Twitter) is launching a dedicated video app for smart TVs. The app's interface resembles YouTube's, featuring an algorithm that showcases trending and popular videos, and AI-powered topics for a personalized viewing experience. It will offer cross-device compatibility and casting support, with no ads included at launch.
Why It Matters: X is advancing its goal of becoming a 'video-first platform.' While it has been gradually enhancing its video capabilities with new features, sharing ad revenue with creators, and forming content partnerships, investing in a TV app is its most significant step yet.
In the Living Room: X is among the many social media platforms extending their reach to larger screens in living rooms. This trend provides creators with new discovery avenues and platforms with new revenue streams like shoppable content and ads.
For more news, trends, and insights on the creator economy from the week, visit my website.
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WHAT I’M READING
I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted with everything around the TikTok ban. But, this is a good read by Drew Harwell on whether an actual ban is feasible based on legal experts.
With influencer marketing now impacting every aspect of a business, there's increased demand from brands for platforms and agencies to serve as one-stop shops for everything from influencer marketing to creative strategy to paid media. Phoebe Bain and Gillian Follett dig deep into this trend with insights from leaders at influencer marketing and ad agencies. I shared a few thoughts myself.
The American Influencer Council teamed up with Canopy for Creators and HypeAuditor for a free report that surveyed over 550 career creators to better understand the current state of brand deals and equity. Shoutout to Qianna Smith Bruneteau and Co. for the great work the AIC is doing.