NYC Bans TikTok On City-Issued Devices Amid Security Concerns
TikTok, a well-known application for short-form videos, has drawn attention from around the world. The most recent entity to impose app usage restrictions is New York City. It has instructed its staff to remove TikTok from phones acquired from the city. By doing this, they join the federal government and more than half of the states in prohibiting the use of the Chinese-owned social media app on government-provided electronic devices. A 30-day deadline has been set by the New York City Cyber Command, a part of the City’s Office of Technology and Innovation, for city employees to quit using TikTok. The division has found that the app puts the city’s technical networks at risk of security. In the previous year, Congress had moved to outlaw TikTok on federal devices, and several states have followed suit.
TikTok-U.S. Hot Waters
In December 2022, the US House of Representatives approved a bill that prohibited the use of TikTok on official equipment. Additionally, the Biden Administration intensified its lobbying campaigns against the app earlier this year to get TikTok to renounce its Chinese heritage and break ties with its parent business ByteDance. This has distinguished the app from other American social media behemoths. Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO, gave testimony before Congress as well. He put up with five hours of intense grilling from senators who were worried that China was using the app’s user data to jeopardize national security.
In response to worries that TikTok’s parent business, ByteDance, was sharing user data with the Chinese government and spying on Americans, the federal government ordered the staff to uninstall the app from government-issued cell phones earlier this year. Similar prohibitions were established in more than 25 states.
Read More: TikTok Market Struggles In Midst Of Trade War Between USA and China!
NYC bans Tiktok
Due to its connections to China and how it manages user data, TikTok has come under fire from American politicians. As a result of the political response, Montana passed a bill that essentially outlawed the app beginning in 2024. The Montana statute was challenged by TikTok, who claimed that it violated the First Amendment. The platform asserted that claims that the Chinese government had access to user data on TikTok were unfounded.
Since 2020, TikTok use on state-owned phones has been forbidden in New York, with a few exceptions for advertising channels. Officials from TikTok have stated that there is no basis for concern about cybersecurity risks associated with the app’s use. A few New York Public Relations platforms were nevertheless permitted under the policy to use the app for marketing. The software is now prohibited on state-owned devices in 30 states.
Three years after New York State discreetly imposed a comparable restriction on government devices in 2020, New York City has decided to limit TikTok to city-owned devices. The city cited federal laws imposed to outlaw the app, as well as U.S. Office of Management and Budget recommendations limiting its usage on government-owned devices. New York City’s actions are now consistent with those of the federal government. Although TikTok had previously outlined its plans to guarantee the security of U.S. user data, little has been done to quench the fears of the lawmakers.
Here’s what they said
Jonah Allon, a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement,
While social media is great at connecting New Yorkers and the city, we have to ensure we are always securely using these platforms. NYC Cyber Command regularly explores and advances proactive measures to keep New Yorkers’ data safe.
Scott Reif, a spokesperson for the state Office of Information and Technology stated,
We seek to meet people where they are and remain vigilant in protecting critical state assets, and urge New Yorkers to use caution when using TikTok and all social media platforms to protect their privacy and security.
Three years ago, TikTok and 49 other Chinese apps were first blocked in India, one of the pioneering nations to do so. Following suit, earlier this year New Zealand and Canada implemented preventative measures to block TikTok from some government-owned devices. They explained it away to app users’ privacy and data worries. Social networking applications are feeling the heat of public outrage as privacy and user information issues persist. The user policies of apps like Zoom, Google, and others had to be updated to comply with the constantly evolving legal framework governing technology. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with TikTok in the US and the business.
Read More: TikTok Being Transparent: Revealed It’s Algorithm To The World
Lemon8, TikTok’s sister app struggles in the US, users cite inorganic feel and influencer bias
Lemon8, the sister app of TikTok by ByteDance started off positively. Thanks to TikTok’s reach and success in the international market, it became widely popular. But like every new app launched, Lemon8 too has become saturated for a very good reason. While U.S. lawmakers were debating on a ban on TikTok earlier this year, parent company ByteDance was quietly preparing the launch of its social media app Lemon8.
TikTokers were excited about the latest platform, and the app downloads skyrocketed placing the app at #2 in the App Store in the U.S. Before we dive into what issues that app is facing, here is a brief description of Lemon8 for those who have never heard of it.
Lemon8, what is it?
Lemon8 is a social media platform, best known for fusing Instagram and Pinterest. A lifestyle-based app, it allows content creators to share photos and videos curated around a specific topic. Initially launched in Japan in 2020, it quickly gained traction before reaching its peak popularity in the western markets three years later. The app features a main side-by-side vertical feed where users can post images and videos and decorate them with in-app templates. The platform broke the barriers between audiences and influencers with its feature that allowed creators to tag their posts with product details, links, and price breakdowns.
Specifically designed with the younger Gen Z audience in mind, the app is more about aesthetics and DIY tips, unlike other social media spaces. Food, wellness, fashion, beauty, home, travel, and productivity are the seven content categories. Under each topic, one can find recommendations, video tutorials, and perfectly crafted content that appeals to the eye.
But as the initial hype died down, like any other newly launched application, users faced problems with the app. Lemon8’s popularity tanked and since then, its DAUs have nearly halved from 11,930 to 6,360.
Users say Lemon8’s algorithm lacks the magic of its sister app TikTok: “I mostly get bible content from religious people and weight loss tips, and I’m not interested in either of those”https://t.co/GlSBCKlS1k
— Rest of World (@restofworld) July 19, 2023
Aesthetically curated or just a gimmick?
Lemon8, launched as a follow-up app for TikTok, flopped in the U.S. Users complain that the app is too pretty and well-curated to the point of feeling fake. Here are some problems users feel need to be addressed
- The app feels inorganic and well-manicured
- It focuses more on influencers’ needs rather than ordinary users
- Feed crafted to blandness
- Feels like an app created for creators, by creators
- Ordinary users feel left out
- Algorithm lacks gauging user preferences and keeps showing recommendations that users were not interested in.
- App does not support sharing external links, making it difficult to build a brand on social media.
- Everything was well presented and well-crafted when users refreshed their feed
- Users complained of declining engagement
The app sets unrealistic standards and idealizes lifestyles. One user commented that the app reminded her of Pinterest in its early days when it was just “white girls” who posted about their lifestyles. The app is filled with topics like “The time I realized skinny privilege is real”, “Hot Girl Lunch Ideas” and more.
Another user pointed out that niche topics like dark academia, or cottagecore did not gain as much traction as conventional topics did. The user also mentioned that the app did not feel ready to have a real-world conversation. Lemon8 is also recruiting lifestyle influencers to collaborate with them on a paid partnership. In return, the creators are promised exposure and guidance. One of the ads posted by the platform stated that they were looking for “U.S. based women aged 18-25, and had an ‘It Girl’ aesthetic with a background in creating ‘high quality’ beauty and fashion content.
A Chinese app rip off?
Lemon8 is a replica of the Chinese social media giant and e-commerce platform called “XiaoHongShu” which literally translates to a “Little Red Book.” It has been deemed the “lifestyle bible” and hosts more than 200 million monthly active users. In simple terms, it can be described as China’s own Instagram. The platform targets women in their 20s and 30s from first and second-tier Chinese cities. Thus, women belong to affluent families with higher spending capacity. The female-to-male ratio on the app is 8:1 (88.8% of females and 11.1% of males).
Users share their lifestyles, shopping experiences, and other content in the form of photos, videos, texts, and live streams. Content can range from beauty and cosmetics to food, fashion, travel, fitness, entertainment, etc. Social features allow users to discover the latest brands. It is immensely popular among beauty and fashion brands like Chanel and Dior.
ByteDance saw the absence of such a platform on the global market as an opportunity to replicate XiaoHongShu’s domestic success. Therefore, they launched an “overseas Little Red Book” Lemon8 in the hopes of capitalizing on TikTok’s reach and success.
Our thoughts
In their optimism about imitating a widely successful app, ByteDance, and Lemon8 failed to consider the drawbacks. XiaoHongShu users also complained that the app set unrealistic standards for women’s beauty and wellness. Over in the US, its adversary faces similar problems. When one opens Lemon8, the very first thing that runs through the mind is that it is filled with clickbait-ish content, including how to lose weight in 40 days, apps to get free products from any brand, etc.
In addition, the app was full of white women between the ages of 20 and 30. They promoted beauty, Christianity-related posts, and high fashion, which not many users can relate to. This in many ways contrasts with the ongoing body positivity initiative that encourages women to feel comfortable in their own skin. As there are no brands allowed on Lemon8, it is impossible to convince people to make a purchase. Despite losing active users, ByteDance is still promoting the app to increase outreach, and posting upcoming job listings as well.
Lastly, the app lacks inclusivity. Lemon8 is women-dominated with next to zero male audience. It is highly likely that Lemon8, which is also owned by a Chinese company, will be banned like TikTok.
All in all, like every new app, Lemon8 too has had its fair share of fame, is becoming less and less relevant to its audience. It has come to this point also because the platform has not taken any plausible action to convert targets into users. The app feels like a space with pretty content, but not relatable. Users have mentioned giving it a try again, if and only if the platform brings changes to make it more than what it already is.
What do you think is the future of this obsolete social media app?
Read More: TikTok Gets More Visual, Launches ‘Interactive Add Ons’ For In-Feed Ads
Tiktok Diversifies Content with Text Posts, Sparks Rivalry with X
TikTok becomes the latest company to exploit the audience shift from Twitter, or now, X with the launch of its latest text posts feature. The Chinese-owned corporation, best known for its video content, has now added written content. TikTok users can freely express themselves with this tool. This action is supported by TikTok’s dedication to creativity and individuality.
The introduction of short form material is the newest tool in TikTok’s arsenal for producing content. Content creators now have an additional tool for connecting with their audiences. The text post format will allow them to express their ideas through posts, poetry, and other written material.
You can now share text posts on TikTok ✍️ Text posts open exciting possibilities for creators to share their stories, poems, lyrics, and more – giving you another way to express yourself and making it even easier to create! Learn more ⬇️ https://t.co/XX18GERQRE
— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) July 24, 2023
Why Written Form Content?
With TikTok’s updated functionality, businesses can publish text posts to their followers to broaden their reach and boost engagement. Users on the platform are video-responsive. Some people, however, might find text posts a better way to connect with brands. Marketers can now reach audiences they previously had no access to thanks to this extra source. Larger audiences result in more exposure, participation, and return on investment.
What to Expect from this feature?
TikTok has introduced various features to make text posts more interesting and appealing. They include:
- A wide range of STICKERS creators can use to boost their written form posts
- TAGS and HASHTAGS can be used with text posts, just like video and photo posts.
- Content creators can choose from a variety of colorful BACKGROUNDS to make their posts more appealing.
- The creator can store their posts in draft if they do not wish to publish them and also discard them later.
- The limit for posts is 1000 words.
How To Create Text Posts on TikTok?
TikTok has simplified the text creation process, making it easier for users to share content.
- To post a text message, a user must navigate to the camera page and select the text option.
- After choosing, the user is taken to the creation page, where they can input their material.
- They can also add songs, location tags, activate comments, and use the Duet function to personalize their content.
This inclusion of text posts demonstrates TikTok’s dedication to supporting community creativity. The addition of this function might change the platform’s fundamentals from long-form video content to short-form light text content. The range of content marketing strategies might then be explored by organizations.
TikTok has now joined the cat race with X and Threads to control the text-based market. However, X, formerly known as Twitter, is in financial turmoil due to a 50% decline in ad sales. At the same time, Thread’s popularity is steadily eroding as DAUs gradually shrink. ByteDance, the firm that owns TikTok, also made strides in generative AI with the recent launch of the CapCut plugin for ChatGPT for AI-created videos.
The stage has been set for a revolutionary shift in the social media sector with TikTok’s entry into the text-based market. As these competitors square off, social media enthusiasts anticipate a fascinating showdown in innovation and engagement.
Read More: The New World Of TikTok Marketing, Everything You Need To Know!
Integral Ad Science Expands Brand Safety Partnership With TikTok
Integral Ad Science and TikTok, a global leader in digital media quality, has expanded their existing partnership with TikTok. In addition to the IAS, Brand Safety Solution launched last September, IAS will now be able to measure viewability, invalid traffic (IVT), and app-level brand safety, allowing brands and agencies globally to effectively monitor the quality of their media buys on TikTok’s platform.
The company said advertisers will now be able to verify the performance of their TikTok campaigns, with trusted third-party measurement powered by the Open Measurement Software Development Kit (OM SDK). The OM SDK is governed by IAB and designed to facilitate transparent third-party viewability and verification measurement for ads served to mobile apps and open web environments.
Additionally, IAS will provide advertisers with granular campaign performance reporting 24 x 7 via its ‘Signal UI’, which will assist them to take immediate action and remain informed on campaign performance in real-time. Third-party verification is key to ensuring advertisers are getting the most out of their campaigns. This facilitates planning, KPIs, and measurement.
Interesting Read: The New World Of TikTok Marketing, Everything You Need To Know!
And That’s What They Said
Lisa Utzschneider, CEO, IAS said,
“We are excited to offer marketers an increasingly comprehensive set of IAS Media Quality Solutions to manage their advertising campaigns on TikTok. It is more important than ever for marketers to engage with users on social platforms and ensure that their ads appear next to brand safe & suitable content on a global scale. We are thrilled to deliver a holistic solution on TikTok and provide new levels of transparency and precision for these campaigns.”
Melissa Yang, Head of Ecosystem Partnerships, TikTok added,
“We’re thrilled to build on our partnership with IAS and introduce new solutions that give brands the confidence to scale their businesses and audiences on TikTok. Through this expansion, brands and advertisers around the world will have access to IAS viewability and invalid traffic measurement tools to monitor the quality of their campaigns on our platform. We’re excited to see how this will usher in new levels of transparency and success for our clients.”
Interesting Read: 6 Data Privacy Trends To Look Out For In 2022!
TikTok Gets More Visual, Launches ‘Interactive Add Ons’ For In-Feed Ads
Earlier this week, TikTok announced it now offers interactive add-ons for in-feed ads to brands globally to help them make more engaging ads. The short-form video platform is adding a range of new ways to encourage engagement with the in-stream ads.
Interactive Add-Ons Categories
There are two types of interactive add-ons available for brands: standard and premium.
Standard Interactive Add-Ons: These add-ons are excellent for achieving lower-funnel marketing goals, such as generating clicks and conversations. It includes:
Display Card: Highlight important messages, share exclusive offers, and drive traffic to your website or app.
Gift Code Sticker.: Viewers can click for an exclusive promotional code and copy it before heading to purchase.
Voting Sticker: This allows companies to poll, quiz, or collect user feedback to encourage audience participation.
Countdown Sticker: Add a timer to your video ad to catch your audience’s attention for upcoming releases or important dates.
Premium Interactive Add-Ons: These add-ons can be used to achieve higher-funnel marketing goals such as brand awareness and community building.
Pop-out Showcase: This image element will lay over the ad with the ability to spotlight products through a pop-out element to drive clicks.
Gesture: A user can interact with the ‘Gesture reward card’ by tapping or swiping to obtain reward credits.
Super Like 2.0: This will be available soon, but it will allow for even more visuals after a user likes an ad.
These creative new ad enhancers are unique and exciting to add interactivity for more ad engagement. TikTok stated in their blog,
“Our research shows that 57% of viewers are more likely to search for brand information online when they connect with businesses on TikTok. Acting as an extension of your creative idea, Interactive Add-Ons offer flexible formats that encourage consumers to join in the fun when they see your ad.”
Interesting Read: Instagram Shuts Down IGTV For Longer Videos, TikTok Expands Video Length
Instagram Reels Gets Two New TikTok-Like Features!
Two new TikTok-like functionalities are coming to Instagram Reels, announced Instagram recently. Text to Speech and Voice Effects, two new audio capabilities, provide content producers greater possibilities when making Reels.
Creators may employ the Text to Speech function to have an artificial voice read any text they add to their video instead of using their own voice, and Voice Effects can be used to enhance the audio and voiceover in Instagram Reels.
The most recent elements of Meta’s (previously known as Facebook) social networking platform are already featured on TikTok.
Interesting Read: Google Is Reportedly Planning to Index Instagram and TikTok Videos
The Text to Speech and Voice Effects options are intended to let users become more creative with Reels. The text tool in the Reels camera may be used to access the Text to Speech function. It allows an auto-generated voice to read aloud the text that has been added to Reels. As previously noted, Voice Effects allows you to use a fake voice instead of your own to narrate your video.
This is one of the recent attempts by Instagram to attract users to engage in making Reels. The other one being – incentivizing the creative process by a large margin.
According to claims from TechCrunch and Business Insider, Instagram is paying creators large sums of money to publish videos on its Reels. Instagram unveiled its Reels rewards scheme in July, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing that the company will pay $1 billion in bonuses to artists until 2022.
Also Read: Instagram Rolls Out Ad Feature To The Shops Tab Globally
The New World Of TikTok Marketing, Everything You Need To Know!
What is TikTok in three words?
Real. Short. Videos. And, real short videos.
The video-sharing platform has taken the digital world by storm with its immensely growing popularity. The app recently passed 1 billion users. TikTok has solidified itself into one of the social media powerhouses. It is a one-stop destination for all – creators and marketers. At a global virtual event ‘TikTok World’, it introduced a range of new ad solutions, product updates, and initiatives. The aim is to help brands of all sizes to buy ads on their platform, track performance, and scale the most effective ones.
Blake Chandlee, President, Global Business Solutions said –
“So when businesses of all sizes come to TikTok, we’re excited to help them connect with their community, market their products, and build their brand in a way they can’t do anywhere else.”
At the TikTok world event, the platform announced a package of new features for brands. They can run ‘effective, predictive, and transparent’ campaigns on TikTok. This will help brands reach out to a larger volume of users and boost their impressions by choosing into higher frequency for their ad placements.
TikTok Marketing: Rewriting The Narrative With New Elements
During the TikTok world event, the social media giant provided an insight into all the key elements. Here are some of them –
Facilitating Brand/ Creator Partnership
The first key element is the – brand-creator partnership – to maximize brand performance. The study suggests, 61% of users find advertising on TikTok is unique from any other platform. The data proves that users enjoy TikTok ads.
The highlight of the brand-creator partnership was the updated version of the self-serve portal TikTok’s Creator Marketplace. Brands can discover creators of the same interest with ease.
The new version includes more performance insight, sorting tools, and monitor the campaign in real-time. This helps brands to track their influencer campaign progress and maximize the ROI.
TikTok Creator Marketplace API
Another key element is TikTok Creator Marketplace API (application-programming interface). It provides access to TikTok’s first-party marketplace data to creator marketing experts including Captiv8, Influential, and Whalar.
Open Application Campaigns
Another element of TikTok marketing for brands is Open Application campaigns. It enables brands to list their campaigns on TikTok Creator Marketplace for interested creators to self-apply. It is another opportunity for brands and creators to broader monetization efforts.
TikTok Creative Exchange
Complimenting the TikTok Creator Marketplace is the launch of a new initiative is the ‘The TikTok Creative Exchange’. A portal helps brands match with creative experts to generate high-performing ads that meet the objectives.
Creative Centre
Another feather in the TikTok marketing cap is the new creative center. It is designed to help advertisers analyze the performance of the campaigns in real-time. Brands can explore top-performing ads, identify trends and be more creative using TikTok’s audio library.
Branded Content Toggle
TikTok’s marketing strategy for brands and creators also includes branded content toggle. It allows creators to make videos and disclose commercial content without any disruption in the flow. Brands can also create a customized landing page that loads in seconds- 11x times faster than standard mobile pages. Isn’t that amazing?
Interesting Read: TikTok: A Digital Ecosystem For Content Creators To Earn Extra Income!
Measuring The Effectiveness of The Creative Tools
In order to leverage the entire TikTok marketing strategy, the company announced brand safety tools and ad measurement tools.
To measure its value and impact, it teamed up with DoubleVerify and MOAT for ad viewability. Furthermore, it will collaborate with Integral Ad Science (IAS), OpenSlate, and Zefr to ensure brand safety.
It is also working coherently with Kantar and Nielsen for Brand Lift Studies. TikTok introduced an inventory filter to enable advertisers to gain more control over what type of content their ads will run adjacent to TikTok.
Interesting Read: Taboola And Double Verify Partners For Brand Safety
Let’s Go TikTok Shopping
In this new era of TikTok marketing, these creative and innovative tools will attract ad spend. However, eCommerce is a promising platform. The company is expanding its investment in Social Commerce. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt received over 5 billion views. A survey by Material suggests TikTok users are 1.7 times more likely to purchase products they discover through the app than they are on other social networks.
TikTok detailed TikTok Shopping suite of advertising tools and solutions to empower brands and merchants.
TikTok shopping includes direct integration for merchants to tap full commerce from product upload to fulfillment. Sellers can also opt for third-party integration via commerce partners. TikTok has rolled out new shopping partners like Square, Ecwid, PrestaShop beyond pilot partner Shopify. Wix, SHOPLINE, OpenCart, and BASE are to be added soon.
Another tool of TikTok’s marketing strategy is developing Product links. Merchants can include multiple product links directly in an organic TikTok video to drive users to the product detail page.
Brands on TikTokk can connect with users in real-time via Live Shopping. It can share dynamic links to products and services while streaming. Walmart was the pilot partner for this feature.
Interesting Read: TikTok To Move Into Social Commerce Game, Partners With Shopify
TikTok marketing gambit offers a trio of in-feed ad products for shopping: Collection Ads, Dynamic Showcase Ads (DSAs), and Lead Generation.
Collection ads allow brands custom, swipeable product cards in their In-Feed video ads.
Dynamic Showcase Ads allow merchants to serve users multiple products SKU’s via personalized, targeted ads based on their interests.
Lead Generation is available within in-feed video ads that allow brands to collect TikTok user information using online forms. The partnership with Leadsbridge and Zapier will help to connect a brand’s CRM in real-time to TikTok for lead generation campaigns. This will eliminate the need to download data manually.
Interesting Read: A Panoramic Perspective Of Amazon’s Advertising Business!
Final Thoughts
The innovations are just the beginning of the new TikTok marketing era. There’s a heap to take in here as TikTok scales its ad business. The new tools and partnerships paves way for better opportunities especially as we head towards the holiday season. The roadmap of TikTok world is fairly clear. eCommerce is the primary focus providing monetization opportunities for both brands and creators.
It will be interesting to witness the next milestone as the story of the new TikTok marketing has just unfolded!
Also Read: Here, There, Everywhere, It Is Cross-Screen Advertising!
TikTok Partners With Double Verify For Ad Measurement And Brand Safety
Highlights:
-Partnership with Double Verify will help brands to authenticate media quality on the short-video sharing platform TikTok.
-TikTok entices advertisers with new ad measurement, and brand safety tools, and combat ad fraud.
-The partnership will bring advertisers greater visibility into ad metrics.
TikTok announced a partnership with the leading ad measurement and analytics platform Double Verify to measure viewability and invalid traffic.
What Will This Partnership Offer Advertisers?
Over the years, TikTok has scaled its advertising business. Double Verify(DV) will provide complete transparency to the brands into their TikTok campaigns for in-feed formats through TikTok’s Open Measurement SDK. All joint clients will have access to DV Pinnacle’s measurement data and insights. This is the first platform integrating reporting and service platforms so that campaigns on TikTok can be monitored and optimized.
How Will Double Verify Benefit Advertisers?
As per the official statement rolled out by DoubleVerify, here are some ways this negotiation can help advertisers:
- Validate TikTok’s media quality using a third-party, trusted, objective, and MRC-accredited solution
- Optimize campaigns running on the platform based on comprehensive data insights like viewability, video quartile completion, and audibility
- Analyze trends and create reports to inform budget allocations and planning strategies across open web and social platforms, including TikTok
Relevant Read: Taboola And Double Verify Partners For Brand Safety
That’s What They Said!
Melissa Yang, Head of Ecosystem Partnerships is excited about the new partnership. She said brand relationship is built on transparency,
Partnering with DoubleVerify will allow our advertisers the in-depth insight they need on invalid traffic and viewability to confidently evaluate and validate campaign effectiveness on TikTok
TikTok is a staple of the marketing mix according to Mark Zagorski, CEO of DoubleVerify. He said,
As spend on the platform continues to grow, TikTok has been proactive in engaging with partners like DV to expand independent, third-party measurement capabilities and build confidence in brands’ digital investments
He added that he was equally excited to work with the growing platform,
We’re thrilled to work with TikTok to bring advertisers a higher level of trust and transparency and, in turn, broaden our quality coverage across this growing platform
TikTok and Double Verify are also working to expand their viewability offering to other ad formats. They will soon launch comprehensive measurement and additional media quality solutions.
Relevant News: Google Is Reportedly Planning to Index Instagram and TikTok Videos
TikTok MENA Newsroom: An Opportunity For The Region’s Finest Creators!
TikTok has created a dedicated MENA newsroom, in accordance with industry best practices, to provide media partners with the most up-to-date regional news. On the newly established TikTok MENA Newsroom, you can follow up with real-time updates on trends, in-app developments, creators, and safety.
TikTok wants to make sure that everyone has access to all of its news in one accessible spot because the platform is bursting at the seams with content and exciting new upgrades. Press releases and media alerts unique to the MENA area, as well as blog articles and feature content, will be housed under the MENA Newsroom.
The MENA newsroom will focus on spotlighting some of the region’s most inspiring and creative content creators, in addition to the newest updates.
Also Read: TikTok Partners With Shopify In The Middle East
Google Is Reportedly Planning to Index Instagram and TikTok Videos
Google is working on a potential deal with Byte Dance and Facebook to bring TikTok and Instagram videos respectively in Google Search results. At the moment, reuploads of Instagram or TikTok videos on YouTube or any third-party platform can be seen on Google. However, Google is trying a big change. If the deal goes well, Instagram and TikTok videos can be seen on the Search using the keywords. The tech giant is negotiating a deal to get data to rank and index the Instagram and TikTok videos on Search.
Regarding the deal talks, a Google spokesperson provided the below quote to The Information,
We help sites make their content discoverable and benefit from being found on Google, and they can choose how or whether their content appears in Search
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A Similar Deal With Twitter
In 2015, a similar deal was formed between Google and Twitter. As per the deal, Google pays a licensing fee to access the tweet data for indexing. Prior to the partnership with Twitter, Google did not rank and index individual tweets in search results like today. However, it is now easy to find Twitter content with a simple search.
If the said deal pans out, then it will be easy to find short-format video content as common as tweets in the search results. But the big question is will Instagram and TikTok hand over data to Google? Their reluctance is understandable, as Google owns YouTube and competes for the same short-format videos audience. Therefore it will be interesting to know if the deal turns into a formal agreement.
Interesting News: Google’s New Advertising Page Will Show Brand’s Recent Ad History
Win-Win For All!
If the internet giants agree then it will be a win-win situation for all. The Instagram and TikTok content will be discoverable on Google and receive an annual compensation similar to Twitter. In the long-term, Google will have billions of new videos to an index which will make the search engine a destination for articles and videos. This will also increase the search volume on Google which means more opportunities for publishers.
Presently, the terms of the agreement are not available between Google and Facebook as well as Byte Dance. We will keep you posted on the progress of the deal. Stay Tuned!
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