Hey Statusphere,

Need a break from news about the TikTok “ban?” We’ve got you covered!

In this month’s newsletter, I’m covering:

📈 Why we love Instagram’s latest update

❤️ Our pick for viral TikTok creator of the month

🗞️ Major marketing headlines you may have missed

✨ And more!

Algorithm updates are a mixed bag for brands and creators.

Because as soon as you figure out what’s working and what’s not, things change.

But IG’s latest algorithm announcement is a pleasant surprise for once!

The goal of this update? In Instagram’s own words: “Give all creators an equal chance of breaking through.” Okay, you have our attention.

Here’s a quick rundown of the update and what it hopes to accomplish:

• Increase the ranking potential and content distribution of “smaller” accounts
• Punish accounts reposting unoriginal or “watermarked” content (TikToks)
• Deemphasize reach for engagement bait and other sensitive content

Collaborating with micro-influencers and creating original branded content? Then this update is great news! These changes will roll out in the coming months.

As noted by Social Media Today, this update comes shortly after a now-deleted post from Instagram telling creators to “Stop crying over Reach & Followers.”

Yikes. We’re glad that IG changed its tune. Here’s our take for brands: 👇

• Creator variety keeps brands safe from algorithm changes
• The impact of an influencer shouldn’t be tied to their follower count
• Influencer content does best when it’s unique and platform-specific

Check out the full story here!

TikToker @mirandawillcry earned 4.9 million views, 500,000+ likes, and 185,000+ saves thanks to her mind-blowing makeup tip.

The hack? Applying budget lipstick (Revlon Smokey Rose) to contour her blush instead of shelling out for a premium beauty product.

Mirana seamlessly narrates her bite-sized before-and-after tutorial while entertaining us every step of the way. Even she’s left in disbelief by the end of it:

“Put your wallet away. $9.99 at the drugstore. Are you kidding me?”

Funny enough, the creator picked up this makeup hack from another influencer with 175,000+ followers. But it was Miranda’s video that went viral despite having less than 6,000 followers herself!

What We love:

• The creator believes in the product she’s promoting. Note how Miranda mentions that she’s been using this hack for years. That’s brand loyalty!
• This video highlights the power of unfiltered content. The creator’s conversational tone, sense of humor and relatability keep us hooked. That’s why this video doesn’t feel “salesy” at all.
• The creator proves that follower count isn’t everything. This video has some of the highest engagement we’ve ever seen for our Creator of the Month, especially relative to the creator’s follower count.

Check out the full video here!

Photo Credit: @mirandawillcry

Social news moves fast! Here are a few headlines to keep you in the loop: 

• 💰 Amazon, Apple and Oracle emerge as top buyers if TikTok gets sold.
• 🏛️ TikTok sues the US government for First Amendment violations
• 📈 New data suggests that Threads is surging past X in daily active users.
• 🛒 TikTok reveals how the app onboarded 6+ million Shop sellers.
• 🤖 ICYMI: AI chatbots are all over Meta’s suite of social apps.
• 🍪 Google’s cookie removal delay is making the ad industry nervous.
• 🎵 Universal Music Group and TikTok aren’t splitting up after all.

So many brands expect influencers to be miracle workers.

But creators can’t promote you without the right products in their hands.

This is especially true for brands shipping items to hundreds and thousands of creators through seeding campaigns. Poor product choice is a recipe for a low posting rate and time wasted.

Not sure what makes a “good” influencer product? We’ve got you covered!

Drop in for tomorrow’s live webinar where I break down what influencers want.

You’ll learn:

• How to make your influencer offerings more enticing to creators
• What the best products for creators have in common
• Examples of awesome brands nailing their product choices
• And more!

Seats are filling up fast so reserve yours today! 👇

Check out these resources from Statusphere that you might have missed: 

• 5 Ways to Improve Influencer Management in Less Than 5 Minutes
• Why Your Influencer Discovery Tool Isn’t Helping You Find Creators
• How Long Should Social Media Videos Be for Influencers
• How to Find Influencers to Promote Product Launches
• How to Sell on TikTok Shop (and Optimise Your Shop for More Sales)
• 4 Influencer Automation Hacks to Save 100+ Hours on Campaigns

We’ll be back next month with more tips to enhance your digital marketing strategy!

Best,