Digital Dose: TikTok’s Search Ads and Instagram’s New UI

Welcome to your dose of trending news from the digital universe, courtesy of the Spectrum Science Innovation Team. 

In this edition of Digital Dose, we’re diving into social media search and the potential of TikTok’s Search Ads Campaign and Instagram celebrating 3 billion users by launching a new user interface.

TikTok Search Ads Campaign: Unlocking incremental growth in the future of search  

A recent meta-analysis, collected across the United States and Canada, found that TikTok marketing initiatives that included the use of keyword-based ads targeting TikTok’s search results page – led to more gradual conversions and user growth than initiatives without search. These findings showcase the power of search queries on social media platforms like TikTok, the unique precision of Search Ad campaigns, and its potential in unlocking powerful new opportunities for success in the ad space. Read More. 

Why it matters: Search is evolving fast, making it critical for companies to keep pace with how users, especially younger users like Gen Z, are discovering content. TikTok is emerging as a powerful search tool, with 34% of users starting they search on the platform before turning to traditional search engines. As people increasingly seek inspiration over information, social media is a key part of the journey, shaping user behavior. In discovering more effective ways to reach audiences, brands should explore TikTok’s Search Ad Campaigns, to meet audiences where they’re already searching. 

Instagram Reaches 3B Users, Launches New UI 

Instagram just hit a major milestone of 3 billion users, making it Meta’s third user app to reach this mark. To celebrate this achievement, Instagram shared that it will be updating its user interface, prioritizing Messaging, Reels, and Recommendations to increase user functionality and algorithmic control. Read More. 

Why it matters: Instagram’s push to expand its reach and modernize its interface offers valuable clues for crafting content that aligns with this evolving algorithm. The latest updates from Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri spotlight a clear shift towards Reels and enhanced app capabilities, signaling where user engagement is headed. These changes could reshape the types of content brands create to connect with audiences, especially as the UI becomes more intuitive and tailored to current usage trends. Companies should keep a close eye on how users respond to a more customizable feed, seeing how it impacts growth and visibility over time. 

Interested in more? Don’t miss these additional digital headlines: 

• X Is Moving to a Customizable AI-Powered Algorithm [Social Media Today] 

• Threads is developing a tool that lets you ‘tag’ its algorithm to configure your feed [TechCrunch] 

• Threads Is on Track To Exceed X in Active Usage [Social Media Today] 

• Bluesky says it’s getting more aggressive about moderation and enforcement [TechCrunch] 

• Threads Is Hiding Hashtags in Cross-Posts From Instagram [Social Media Today] 

Have questions or comments on the content of this blog? Contact us.