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Tag: Instagram

  • Kaumudi Mahajan exits from Meta

    Kaumudi Mahajan exits from Meta

    Mumbai: Kaumudi Mahajan has announced the position of head of content strategy at Viacom18’s Colors. Mahajan shared the news of her move through a post on LinkedIn.

    In the post she said, “My passion lies in the world of entertainment and so even after spending 15 years in it, it has kept me excited, curious and involved. I am grateful to work on brands that I truly admire. When I first started working, I was in awe of the impact Colors had by talking about social realities and now as I experience this brand, I am truly wowed. Looking forward to an incredible journey and can’t wait to learn and unlearn everything I know.”

    In her previous role at Meta, Mahajan served as the head of Entertainment Partnerships. During her tenure, she collaborated with diverse teams to unlock substantial value for partners. She also harnessed the power of pop culture to create engaging opportunities on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

  • Why is social media important for business today?

    Why is social media important for business today?

    Mumbai: Social media has undeniably become an integral part of our lives. Whether it is connecting with friends, sharing our stories, or even conducting business, social media platforms have woven themselves into the fabric of our daily existence. For businesses, social media isn’t just about keeping up with the times; it’s about thriving in a digital world where connectivity, influence, and visibility matter more than ever.

    Before we indulge further in the importance, let’s go back in time and understand the roots of social media. Services like Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) in the 1970s and 1980s allowed users to communicate and share information through digital channels. However, it was in the late 1990s and early 2000s that the concept of social media as we know it began to take shape. The emergence of platforms like Six Degrees (launched in 1997) allowed users to create profiles and connect with others. It was followed by Friendster (2002) and MySpace (2003), which introduced more interactive and personalized features.

    Then, in 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard University roommates launched Facebook, a platform that would revolutionize how people connect and share online. Facebook’s success paved the way for other social media giants like Twitter (2006), LinkedIn (2003), YouTube (2005), and Instagram (2010). These platforms facilitated social interaction and became fertile grounds for marketing and business development.

    The evolution of social media has been nothing short of remarkable. Initially, platforms primarily focused on personal connections, but over time, they expanded their features and capabilities to accommodate a wide range of activities, including business promotion.

    Today, social media platforms are incredibly diverse. You have Facebook, with over 2.98 billion monthly active users, providing a comprehensive environment for various types of content. Twitter(now X), known for its concise messaging, is a hotbed for trending topics and real-time engagement. LinkedIn has become a professional network for career development and business-to-business (B2B) connections. Instagram emphasizes visual content, while YouTube is the go-to platform for video content.

    Newer platforms like TikTok (2016) and Snapchat (2011) focus on short-form video and ephemeral content, appealing to younger demographics. This continuous innovation allows businesses to explore different platforms and tailor their strategies to diverse audiences.

    To understand the importance of social media for businesses, let’s dive into some compelling data:

    Facebook: With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the world’s largest social media platform. It offers a vast user base for businesses to reach potential customers.

    Instagram: Owned by Facebook, Instagram has over 2 billion monthly active users. It’s highly visual and favoured by younger demographics.

    Twitter: Twitter boasts 564 million monthly active users. Its real-time nature makes it ideal for quick, concise communication.

    LinkedIn: With 900 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is the premier platform for professional networking and B2B marketing.

    YouTube: As the second-largest search engine after Google, YouTube has over 2.5 billion monthly logged-in users. It’s an excellent platform for video content.

    TikTok: This short-form video platform has grown exponentially since its launch, with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide.

    India is a global leader in social media usage, with a user base that’s larger than the population of many countries. As of 2023, there were around 467 million social media users in India, and it is expected to keep growing. Besides that, people aged between 16 and 64 used about 8 social media apps monthly. Such statistics underscore the significance of India as a thriving market for businesses seeking to establish a solid online presence.

    How can brands make the most of such a strong user base?

    1. Enhanced Brand Visibility: Social media offers businesses a global platform to reach potential customers. A compelling social media presence can significantly boost brand recognition.

    2. Cost-Effective Marketing: Social media marketing is often more affordable than traditional advertising, making it an excellent choice for startups and small businesses.

    3. Targeted Advertising: Most social media platforms offer robust tools for targeting specific demographics, ensuring your message reaches the right audience.

    4. Customer Engagement: Businesses can engage with customers directly, addressing inquiries, concerns, and feedback promptly.

    5. Content Distribution: Social media is an excellent channel for distributing content, whether it is blog posts, videos, infographics, or other materials.

    6. Community Building: Social media enables businesses to build and nurture a community of loyal followers and brand advocates.

    7. Data and Analytics: Comprehensive data and analytics tools help businesses understand their audience, evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns, and make data-driven decisions.

    How does one build a solid brand and community on social media?

    1) Understand your target audience’s preferences, behaviours, and pain points.

    2) Regular and consistent posting keeps your audience engaged.

    3) Interact with your followers by responding to comments and messages while creating content that encourages engagement.

    4) Offer valuable, informative, and entertaining content that aligns with your brand’s values.

    5) Visual content, such as images and videos, often performs well on social media.

    6) Encourage your customers to share their experiences and feedback about your products or services.

    7) Collaborate with influencers who align with your brand to expand your reach.

    8) Regularly analyze your social media performance and adapt your strategies based on the results.

    In today’s digital age, the importance of social media for businesses cannot be overstated. It has evolved from being a platform for personal connections to a multifaceted tool for brand expansion, marketing, and customer engagement. With a growing user base and diverse platforms, businesses have an unprecedented opportunity to reach their target audience, build a solid online community, and enhance brand visibility. As social media continues to evolve, businesses that adapt and embrace its potential will be the ones that thrive in this ever-connected world.

    The author of this article is The Hype Capital founder Sachin Shah.

    https://datareportal.com/social-media-users 
    https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-india 
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/ 
    https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-statistics/

  • Threads unleashed: Boosting brands and influencers to stardom!

    Threads unleashed: Boosting brands and influencers to stardom!

    Mumbai: In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is key to success. One strategy that has been gaining momentum in recent years is the use of “Threads” on social media platforms. Threads are a series of connected tweets or posts that allow brands and influencers to tell a more extended and engaging story. When used effectively, Threads can be a powerful tool for boosting visibility, engagement, and ultimately, propelling brands and influencers to stardom.

    At the heart of every compelling issue, Threads is a well-crafted narrative. Brands and influencers can use threads to share their stories, values, and expertise in a more cohesive and immersive way. They can take their audience on a journey, keeping them engaged from start to finish.

    Lets see what the industry experts have to say regarding Threads…

    Edited excerpts

    Animeta CEO Devdatt Potnis

    It is still too early to say whether Threads will be more impactful than Instagram, each one has their own unique advantages & in the long run, I think both of them will complement well from a brand/influencer perspective. Threads has the potential to be a valuable tool for brands and influencers who want to connect with their audiences on a more personal level, while Instagram’s visual appeal provides a wider & popular reach.

    NetSetGo Media co-founder Sundeep Rana

    Threads enable you to interact with those who follow you in a more personal as well as transparent manner. Brands and influencers may utilise this kind of platform to interact with the majority of their devoted followers one-on-one. This can assist to strengthen ties and increase brand loyalty. Individuals may use Threads to offer unique material, sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes shots & promotions with a small number of followers. This could potentially make one’s followers feel unique and inspire them to interact with your company in the future. It might be a useful tool for gathering input from a highly engaged audience. It may be used by brands for carrying out surveys, gathering feedback and obtaining insights about the goods or services they offer.

    Digital Eminent founder Mukul Raj Sharma

    When contrasted with Instagram, Threads has a lower base of users. To get the most out of it, one needs to first recognize and interact with your most devoted fans, who will probably utilise the app. Threads may be used by influencers to partner with businesses or communicate with their fans in an interpersonal manner. It may be an efficient venue for holding Q&A sessions, AMA sessions  or possibly exclusive giveaways. It may be used to communicate critical news and updates to your most devoted followers, ensuring that they get the info directly and swiftly. Brands and influencers may also use Threads’ Stories feature to tell interesting stories while sharing their journey among their core following

    In the end when executed thoughtfully and strategically, Threads can propel them to stardom in the competitive digital landscape. So, whether you’re a brand looking to tell your story or an influencer wanting to engage your audience, consider embracing the power of threads and watch your online presence soar to new heights.

  • GUEST ARTICLE: A rundown of the remarkable growth of Instagram Reels in 2023

    GUEST ARTICLE: A rundown of the remarkable growth of Instagram Reels in 2023

    Mumbai: TikTok dominated social media for the longest time, with a robust user base of over 120 million as of 2019. Despite close competition and a nearly equal extent of popularity, Instagram’s growth in India could not match up with that of TikTok. But with TikTok’s exit in June 2020 and the emergence of Reels in the same year, Instagram made its way to the top and continues to block the coveted spot with new updates and unrivaled features.

    How? We will find out. First, let us understand the basics.

    What are Instagram Reels?

    Instagram Reels are short-form videos that allow users to record, edit, and string together multiple clips to produce an engaging video in just a few minutes. The video clips can range from 15 to 30 seconds and be merged with audio clips or music and enhanced with fun elements like filters or Instagram stickers. Unlike Instagram Stories, Reels do not disappear within 24 hours after uploading them; instead, they stay on the timeline for as long as one decides to retain them.  

    In terms of usage, this feature is easily understandable and doesn’t demand much time or external resources. Users can select the Reels tab on Instagram and press the camera icon on the top right. A Reel can either be recorded in a single stream or series of clips or pre-recorded and uploaded later.

    For those who want to add music to the footage can tap the audio icon and select music from Instagram’s library. Alternatively, adding original audio by importing the file is possible. The seamless transitions between different clips can be attained by accessing the aligning and editing feature. Upon reaching a point of satisfaction, users can preview the Reel, add a cover photo, and write an interesting caption that resonates with the video.

    Reasons behind the popularity and acceptance of Reels

    Ever since Instagram introduced Reels, the new feature has grabbed the attention of younger audiences for various compelling reasons, such as:

    Short Content Format: In today’s fast-paced digital world, capturing and maintaining the audience’s attention is essential for social media success. Reels’ short content format catered to the shrinking attention span of users by delivering succinct, fun, and engaging messages, thereby increasing their likeability.

    Content Versatility: Reels are incredibly flexible and versatile. Scroll through the explore page on Instagram, and you will find Reels being used in every way possible – whether it is for sharing personal finance tips and makeup hacks or cooking tutorials and educational content. In addition to entertaining the audience, Reels helped users stay connected with their followers, showcase their creativity, and improve engagement. In a way, this web of infinite Reels has attracted and retained users on the platform.

    Wider Reach and Better Engagement: Users that embraced Reels saw a tremendous rise in their follower count, engagement rates, and overall profile visibility. This helped them reach newer users and serve the videos to a larger audience. The sharable nature and potential for virality encouraged users to create more content and add to the platform’s exposure.

    How are marketers leveraging Instagram Reels to grow business

    Given that Instagram Reels can be made seamlessly, allow for plenty of creativity, boost reach and engagement, and help generate leads and sales, brands are purposefully making it a part of their social media strategy. In fact, brands skeptical of this format are now swiftly investing in short-form video content, partly due to its resemblance with TikTok. But fast forward to today; there are some Instagram Reels that you do not want to miss!

    Britannia’s Reel Ad with content creator Danish Sait for Nutri Choice Protein is one of them. In the video campaign that read “Make Protein Routine,” Sait can be seen lifting weights and exercising while playfully and effectively getting his message across, including Nutri Choice cookies.

    Similarly, the popular clothing brand – Bewakoof – which boasts over 1.7 MN followers on Instagram, has often grabbed the limelight for their approach to launch a new collection via Reels. Besides selecting impactful models & influencers and creating smooth product-focused videos, Bewakoof demonstrates a portfolio of its products using fresh and unique content formats on the platform, thereby breaking the monotony and making the timeline aesthetically pleasing.

    Reels should be a top priority for brands looking to build awareness and win more customers via Instagram. They are worth the time and an important content format for business owners and marketers to leverage!

    The bottom line

    We all need to keep up with the ever-evolving paradigm of social media to remain relevant. Until now, it was TikTok and Twitter. Now, it is Instagram and the Reels feature. Tomorrow, it can be something else!

    The author of this article is C Com Digital founder and managing director Chandan Bagwe. 

  • Shaktimaan celebrates sibling love in its new Rakshabandhan campaign – #LifeofaUPSCAspirant

    Shaktimaan celebrates sibling love in its new Rakshabandhan campaign – #LifeofaUPSCAspirant

    Mumbai: India’s first adaptive learning ecosystem, Shaktimaan has launched a new campaign, just in time for the biggest celebration of the bonds between siblings. The campaign, titled ‘Rakshabandhan in the Life of a UPSC Aspirant,’ revolves around the heartwarming story of a sister’s thoughtful gift to help her brother conquer the UPSC with the help of Shaktimaan.in. Through the campaign, the company aims to represent the bond between siblings, highlighting the importance of having the support of loved ones in the preparation of the Civil Service Examination. The campaign is LIVE on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook and has already garnered over 20.4K views on Twitter and more than 2K views on YouTube.

    The campaign is strategized internally and focuses on the struggles of UPSC aspirants and how Shaktimaan can empower them to access top-tier mentorship and a disciplined ecosystem personalized as per their needs. It highlights the story of a diligent UPSC aspirant, Raghav, who is trying to cope with The Hindu newspaper editorial. On seeing his struggles on Rakhshabandhan, the elder sister, Meera, gifts him Shaktimaan, a powerful mentor for students to help him in his UPSC preparation. As the brother unveils the Rakhi gift, he explores the different features of Shaktimaan, such as the daily Hindu summary, instant doubt resolution, daily learning targets with Prelims MCQ, and MAINS hand-written answer evaluation. Their story highlights the challenges faced by Civil Service Examination candidates and how their family and friends support them in their exam preparation. The access to personalized solutions represents the support that siblings can provide for each other.

    Founding team member Lakshay Nagpal remarked, “Our Raksha Bandhan campaign highlights how family supports a UPSC aspirant. The desire to showcase the passion of today’s students and our eagerness to offer them the best solutions lies at the heart of the campaign. At Shaktimaan, we use our deep insights and execute them with the help of artificial intelligence to help students stay disciplined and focused.”

    The Rakshabandhan campaign serves as a powerful reminder that students’ family members will always be there to guide them through their struggles and support them to achieve their goals. With the help of Shaktimaan and the support of their loved ones, students can find the right balance and achieve their dreams.

  • Meta to unveil web version of Threads next week, suggest media reports

    Meta to unveil web version of Threads next week, suggest media reports

    Mumbai: Meta, the social media mammoth, is planning to launch the web version of Threads next week, as per media reports. Threads, as we all are aware, is the rival app to Elon Musk’s Twitter/X.

    The reports mention that Meta is planning to roll out the web version of Threads early next week but the plans aren’t yet final and it could be changed. The users can see the thread’s posts on the web but access to it is limited as the threads app is built keeping mobile users in mind.

    Last week, Threads and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri brought to the fore that the web version of Threads is being tested internally.  The reports noted that Threads had started showing labels for state-controlled media outlets in a bid to stop fake news and propaganda.

  • Meta to unveil web version of Threads next week, suggest media reports

    Meta to unveil web version of Threads next week, suggest media reports

    Mumbai: Meta, the social media mammoth, is planning to launch the web version of Threads next week, as per media reports. Threads, as we all are aware, is the rival app to Elon Musk’s Twitter/X.

    The reports mention that Meta is planning to roll out the web version of Threads early next week but the plans aren’t yet final and it could be changed. The users can see the thread’s posts on the web but access to it is limited as the threads app is built keeping mobile users in mind.

    Last week, Threads and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri brought to the fore that the web version of Threads is being tested internally.  The reports noted that Threads had started showing labels for state-controlled media outlets in a bid to stop fake news and propaganda.

    In a post on Threads, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the web version would reach users over the next few days. Meta brought out that it will add more features to the web version of Threads in the coming weeks. But, some features of the mobile app won’t be available just yet. For instance, web users won’t be able to edit their profile or send a thread over to Instagram direct messages.

    Meta revealed that the web experience would permit posting, viewing the feed, and interacting with others’ posts.

    Threads crossed 100 million sign-ups for the app within five days of its launch on 5 July. Consequently, it saw a decline in its number of users.

    The launch of the web version of Threads is much awaited and is expected to receive wider acceptance among companies, brands, advertisers, and media professionals – they would be able to exploit the platform’s web version to its full potential.

    As per a Reuters report citing analytics platform Similarweb data, the daily active users on Android version of Threads app fell to 10.3 million from the peak of 49.3 million in a period of over a month.

  • Times Now tops the chart with 116 mn views on YouTube & Facebook in October

    Times Now tops the chart with 116 mn views on YouTube & Facebook in October

    Mumbai:  Times Now has emerged as India’s most-watched English news channel on digital platforms in the news genre.

    According to a data released by Crowdtangle & Vidooly, Times Now clocked a staggering viewership of 116 million on YouTube and Facebook in October surpassing CNN-News18 (105 million), India Today (104 million), NDTV (82 million), and Republic TV (18 million). On the back of the fastest news, exclusive news breaks and most viewed prime-time shows – India Upfront and Newshour, the channel registered a phenomenal reach of over 1 billion on digital.

    Times Now claims to be a leader in the digital space with innovative content formats that seamlessly adapt to the preferences of viewers who are tech savvy, setting industry benchmarks with its distinct brand of action-oriented journalism that is firmly based on reliable, accurate, and decisive news reporting.

    According to Facebook Data, as informed by the media conglomerate, Times Now attracted over 210 million views on its digital films across Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Timesnownews.com with a series of digital-first videos that include comprehensive insights on every significant news topic of the day. With 2.35 million interactions, the highest number in the cohort, and a total reach of 125 million for the month of October on the platform, Facebook saw a channel with a high level of engagement.

    Times Network president & COO of digital business Rohit Chadda said, “We are overwhelmed with the viewer’s response as their preferred news destination on digital platforms. The growing reach and engagement on digital are a testament to the viewers’ trust in Times Now. Video has now become the preferred format of news consumption and will only grow further with the launch of 5G. We are committed to expanding our video coverage to cater to all cohorts of users consuming content online.”

    With a focus on in-depth, well-researched content, coupled with coverage of big-ticket events, Times Now has been expanding its digital footprint globally with over 50 per cent of views on YouTube from International markets including US, Europe and APAC regions.

  • Navi onboards MS Dhoni as its brand ambassador

    Navi onboards MS Dhoni as its brand ambassador

    Mumbai: Sachin Bansal-backed Navi has appointed cricketer MS Dhoni as its brand ambassador. MS Dhoni will be the face of Navi’s branding initiatives. The association with the iconic former team India captain strengthens the brand’s trustworthiness as it works to fulfil customer goals by providing simple, affordable, and easily accessible financial services across India.

    Navi has launched its first ad with Dhoni on Hotstar during Thursday’s India vs. England T20 semi-final match. The goal of this campaign is to promote Navi’s prompt and accessible financial services by dismantling the old and conventional ways of doing business in this sector. The campaign will initially run on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube before moving on to print and out-of-home (OOH) advertising in the second phase.

    Dhoni said, “Today’s India is intelligent, aspirational, and always working toward its goal. It is crucial for billions of Indians to achieve and surpass their life goals, which is why Navi and I have teamed up to make this vision a reality. Navi’s mission is to make financial services easily accessible whenever they are needed. I am very excited about this new journey with Navi.”

    Navi Group co-founder Sachin Bansal said, “We are thrilled to introduce MS Dhoni as our brand ambassador and the newest member of the Navi family. He personifies trust, ambition, and dedication—qualities that resonate powerfully with Navi and all we stand for, making him the ideal brand ambassador. Associating with him, in my opinion, would greatly enhance the value of our brand and further our mission to provide every Indian with simple, affordable, and reliable financial services.”

  • Mark Zuckerberg expects Meta to return to healthier revenue growth trends next year

    Mark Zuckerberg expects Meta to return to healthier revenue growth trends next year

    Mumbai: In a conference call with analysts to discuss the third quarter 2022 results, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that in terms of the business, total revenue grew slightly this quarter on a constant currency basis. “We’re still behind where I think we should be, but we believe that we will return to healthier revenue growth trends next year. That said, it’s not clear that the economy has stabilised yet, so we’re planning our budget somewhat more conservatively.”

    He noted that the company in the quarter had launched JioMart on WhatsApp in India. “It’s our first end-to-end shopping experience that shows the potential for chat-based commerce through messaging.” He said that beyond Reels, messaging is another major monetisation opportunity. “Billions of people and millions of businesses use WhatsApp and Messenger every day, and we’re confident we can connect them in ways that create valuable experiences.”

    For the record, Meta’s share price fell by 20 per cent in after-hours trading after it reported its fourth straight quarterly decline in profit. Analysts want Meta to cut costs. Some analysts describe Meta’s investments as being confusing and confounding.

    Zuckerberg also said that Meta’s product trends look better than what the commentary that he has seen suggests.

    “Our community continued to grow this quarter. We now reach more than 3.7 billion people monthly across our family of apps. And while we continue to navigate some challenging dynamics—a volatile macroeconomy, increasing competition, ad signal loss, and growing costs from our long-term investments—Iq have to say that our product trends look better from what I see than some of the commentary I’ve seen suggests.”

    He said that three of the areas that Meta is very focused on are the AI discovery engine, the ads and business messaging platforms, and the future vision for the metaverse. “I believe the tougher prioritisation, discipline, and efficiency that we’re driving across the organisation will help us navigate the current environment and emerge an even stronger company.”

    Reels, which is its short-form video platform, continues to grow quickly across apps—both in production and consumption. “There are now more than 140 billion reels played across Facebook and Instagram each day. That’s a 50 per cent increase from six months ago. Reels are incremental to time spent on our apps. The trends look good here, and we believe that we’re gaining time spent on competitors like TikTok.”

    While analysts are unsure about whether the big bets on areas like the Metaverse will pay off, Zuckerberg expressed confidence in the work being done in the Metaverse space. “We just had our Connect conference and announced Quest Pro, which we just started shipping. It’s our new high-end VR headset that delivers high-resolution mixed reality so you can blend virtual objects into the physical environment around you. It’s pretty amazing when you see it, and it’s going to enable all kinds of new experiences in socializing, gaming, fitness, and work. I’m really looking forward to seeing what people build with this new capability.

    Working in the metaverse is a big theme for Quest Pro. There are 200 million people who get new PCs every year, mostly for work. Our goal for the Quest Pro line over the next several years is to enable more and more of these people to get their work done in virtual and mixed reality, eventually even better than they could on PCs.”

    He dwelt on the importance of partnerships. “To deliver a great work and productivity experience, I’m excited about the partnerships we announced with Microsoft bringing their suite of productivity and enterprise management services to Quest, Adobe and Autodesk bringing their creative tools, Zoom bringing their communication platform, Accenture building solutions for enterprises, and more.

    “There’s still a long road ahead to build the next computing platform, but we are clearly doing leading work here. This is a massive undertaking, and it’s often going to take a few versions of each product before they become mainstream. But I think our work is going to be of historic importance and create the foundation for an entirely new way that we will interact with each other and blend technology into our lives, as well as a foundation for the long term of our business.”