Publishers Posting to Facebook Decreased by 8 Points in 2023

The question of whether or not a publisher wants to post content and advertising on social media platform has become quite pertinent these days. Twitter, which Elon Musk has now rebranded to X, has seen a dramatic decline in referral traffic. Meta’s answer to Twitter, Threads, has seen a similarly tough environment, struggling to receive the amount of publisher attention that Mark Zuckerberg had undoubtedly been hoping for.

A new survey conducted by Digiday+ Research which asked questions of 200 individuals working in the publishing industry shed some light on how things have changed in 2021. 2021 was an especially bad year for Facebook with 95% of publishers saying that they are going to post content on the social media platform with all things having been considered and taken into account.

This increased to 99% in 2022, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, 2023 ended up becoming Facebook’s worst year yet. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that just 91% of publishers admitted that they are willing to work with Facebook this year, which is a steep 8 point decline from the 99% that said the same last year.

Such a drop is concerning because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making Facebook far less relevant than it used to be. There was a time when Facebook was considered to be the foremost social media platform thanks to its widespread reach. These recent developments seem to indicate that Facebook is starting to hold less sway than might have been the case otherwise.

One thing that bears mentioning is that this proportion refers to the number of publishers that have posted content to Facebook over the course of the previous month. Things start to seem even more dire when we widen the scope to take a look at how many publishers are posting their content on a daily basis.

Back in 2021, 85% of publishers said that their content ends up on Facebook each and every day. This dropped to 74% in 2022, although 2023 saw only a single point decrease to reach 73%. At the same time, more and more publishers are opting for weekly posts. Only 13% of publishers stated that they make weekly posts to Facebook in 2021, and by 2022, this had increased to 24% before declining somewhat to 23% by 2023.

This seems to suggest that publishers are now preferring to make weekly posts instead of daily ones, confirming that Facebook appears to be losing favor among them. The numerous controversies it has experienced including the revelation that it tries to stoke anger among its users to boost engagement have left a bad taste in the mouths of publishers. Furthermore, Facebook does not seem to have the same level of influence among the younger demographics.

It will be interesting to see where things go from here on out. We may be entering a day and age where Facebook will no longer be the single most powerful social media platform at least as far as publishers are concerned which could create a ripple effect down the line.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Is TikTok Replacing Google? 51% of Gen Z Say Yes

Google seemed to have complete control over the search engine industry for two decades, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, it is facing some stiff competition from TikTok. Even though Google still controls a whopping 77.5% share of online search in the US, and an even greater proportion of 83.5% around the world, TikTok is giving the younger generations an alternative. Google itself has publicly admitted that TikTok may very well pose an existential threat to their search business.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 74% of Gen Z currently use TikTok as a search engine. When you combine TikTok’s recent search ads that it introduced, Google’s superiority seems less insurmountable than might have been the case otherwise. Furthermore, as many as 51% of Gen Z have referred to TikTok as their preferred search engine, and not just something that they use when Google doesn’t give them the answers that they are looking for.

When asked what their reason was for using TikTok instead of Google, Gen Z survey respondents provided three main answers. Primarily, they seem to like TikTok more because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up giving them video based answers instead of text based answers, with 69% selecting this option. 65% also stated that the answers they received were a bit more relatable, with 47% enjoying how personalized their answers tended to be.

Another interesting factoid is that 72% of Gen Z ended up buying a product after they saw it for the very first time on TikTok. This just goes to show that TikTok is taking Google’s place as a product discovery platform as well. Over 70% of Gen Z rely on influencers in order to decide which products they would like to buy. Hence, it stands to reason that they would prefer TikTok thanks to the immense quantity of influencers that are operating on the platform. Google might not be able to maintain its status if the current trend persists.

H/T: Hercampusmedia

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

The Semiconductor Industry Receives First Quarterly Revenue Uptick in 2 Years Thanks to AI

The semiconductor industry has been experiencing a very trying period in its history due to the aftermath of the pandemic. Supply chain crises erupted around the world that threatened to derail the delicate balance that had been keeping this industry afloat, leading to five consecutive quarters of decreasing revenue with all things having been considered and taken into account.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, the second quarter of 2023 saw a massive uptick in the revenues earned by the semiconductor industry. According to Omdia’s latest report, quarterly revenues for the chip industry increased by 3.8% to reach $124.3 billion. This is actually consistent with the trend that has been seen for quite some time, since second quarter revenues have generally seen 3.4% growth rates for the past two decades.

However, it bears mentioning that this new growth rate is far higher than anything that came before. The dynamic random access memory market, or DRAM for short, usually sees 7.5% growth in the second quarter, but it saw a 15% revenue increase this year. While total semiconductor revenues are still at just 79% of what they were in the previous year, this is still a heartening sign that suggest that things will improve faster than might have been the case otherwise.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that generative AI might have had a role to play in this surprise reversal of the semiconductor industry’s flagging fortunes. Data processing has been given an enormous boost thanks to its importance in the field of AI, seeing a whopping 15% growth rate within the span of a single quarter.

Such a trend is pertinent because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up paving the way for more growth in the future. The industry has been struggling to make ends meet, but these new signs indicate that the worst might finally be behind us, since the five quarter losing streak has finally been broken.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Google Search Advocate John Mueller Offers Advice on How to Do Guest Posts

Guest posts used to be a popular way for sites to generate links that would lead back to their page, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, Google cracked down on them. It felt like guest posting was done for good back in 2014, with a series of penalties being handed out to blogs that specialized in guest posting with all things having been considered and taken into account.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google has stopped being as strict with its penalties. However, this does not mean that guest posting is something that a site owner can do without any prior thought. Links containing guest posts no longer get accepted by PageRank, and the discrete nature of this occurrence leads many to assume that there are no penalties being applied whatsoever.

Google’s main SEO chief John Mueller recently shed some light on whether or not guest posts are allowed in a Google SEO Office Hours session. He clarified that Google considered guest posts to be a form of advertising, and so they can’t be used as a form of search engine optimization. Offering paid guest posts to generate links is a violation of Google’s policies because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up gaming the system. As a result, guest posts should be labelled as ads, otherwise the penalty would lead to the site getting ranked even lower than might have been the case otherwise.

However, as long as you mark the guest post link with a nofollow attribute, they can be a useful way to get some eyes on your site. They may not present a viable solution for link generation, but they can nevertheless spread the word about your site, and that can be an invaluable contribution to your SEO as well since more and more people would start to visit it and create organic links of their own. The key is to use guest posting appropriately.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Cracking the Code as X's Mystery Ads Unveiled

Picture this: You're scrolling through your favorite social media platform and stumble upon a post that looks just like any other. You click on it, expecting to see a regular update from someone you follow. But surprise, surprise – it's an ad! Now, what if I told you that this is happening on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, and these ads are slipping through without their usual "Ad" label? It's like a digital game of hide and seek.

Remember how much you get annoyed when you are watching an intense video on YouTube and suddenly an ad pops up out of nowhere? It indeed spoiled your suspense and broke your temper, right? Reports have flooded in, revealing that these sneaky ads have infiltrated users' timelines. They're like secret agents, blending in with regular posts and catching users off guard. You only find out they're ads when you dig a little deeper into the post. Click on the mysterious "..." menu, and there it is – the revelation that it's a paid promotion.

Wait, hold on, is that really going to bother you? This might not sound like a big deal initially, but it's causing quite a stir. Users are getting confused, thinking they're seeing posts from their friends when they're actually ads. But the story thickens since this could get X in hot water with the FTC, which monitors fair advertising practices. Nandini Jammi, the co-founder of Check My Ads, is on the case. She's been tweeting examples and encouraging other X users to do the same.

Now, here's the twist in the tale – we don't know if these sneaky ads are a result of a glitch or a deliberate move by X. What makes it even more mysterious is that X doesn't have a communications department to give us answers. It's like trying to solve a riddle without any clues.

But first, let's take a step back and look at the larger picture. X's advertising business has been struggling recently, especially after Elon Musk took over. Musk just announced that ad income has plummeted by a stunning 60 percent. He blames the economic downturn on activists. X has also said goodbye to two top executives in charge of ensuring that adverts are secure for users. This has created concerns among advertisers, forcing some to abandon the platform.

Think of it like a movie theater without proper signs for the different movie screens. You'd be left guessing whether you're walking into a comedy or a thriller. It's not just confusing; it can be frustrating.

No matter how your day goes out, you will find a piece of news daily based on Twitter, or X. But then you must think that you have switched from your beloved Twitter to X, the unknown mystery, what could possibly go wrong now. As we wait for additional information to solve this digital enigma, one thing is certain: X's advertising scenario is becoming increasingly hazy. With the FTC on its tail and consumers demanding openness, X, the platform that was once Twitter, finds itself navigating dangerous seas in the ever-changing world of online advertising.

H/T: CheckMyAds / @jaydilinger

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by Rubah Usman via Digital Information World

Good News For TikTok Creators As App Expands Its Creativity Rewards Program

If you happen to be a top creator on TikTok and really do enjoy putting out some great content but never really got rewarded for your hard work, well, now is the time to celebrate.

The popular social media platform is expanding its Creativity Program where top stars are rewarded and motivated to continue posting on this app.

After the initial launch back in the month of May of this year, we saw how the app really was keen on rolling this initiative out to beta testers. These experiments were carried out in countries like Germany, Korea, Brazil, Japan, and also the United Kingdom.

The initial program was similarly launched in the US as a beta starting in February and many did see this as the actual evolution of the famous Creator Fund. This provided a lot of chances for monetization of the app’s favorite creators.

While it does have the same focus in place as the actual Creator Fund, the company did launch a statement on this front. It claims the program has been created to make videos that are longer and better quality, really unlocking the potential of creators found in the real world.

TikTok did go on to explain how this offering is bound to provide further cash incentives. And the earnings depend totally on views. Moreover, this generates the chance to make earnings that are 20 times greater than what was offered by the firm in the past.

So clearly the deal happens to be linked to getting more funds for the right kind of content on the platform while adding incentives along the way. And we’re sure any TikTok star will welcome this change with open arms, especially considering how most people are wandering off to YouTube to make more money.

However, there are some really stringent requirements that must be fulfilled if you’d like to be a part of the whole Creativity Program. For starters, having at least 10k followers is a must, followed by 100k views on your video content, in the past month.

Depending on how you feel and how far off you are in terms of reaching your goals on the app, this might be a lot to handle. However, anyone who happens to be meeting these requirements already should definitely see their income stream flow in the right direction from such efforts.

This provides greater focus and incentives to enhance their presence through the TikTok platform. But one question still remains, Is this really enough to help ensure creators of the app remain glued to the app and stop moving toward places that are much greener?

The right incentives continue to remain an integral challenge for TikTok as the demand for short-form content is high. Secondly, the app can’t simply decide one day to roll out ads before and after the content, if they wanted to. After all, the videos are just 30 seconds in duration.

Therefore, as you can tell, making money through direct means on TikTok is not simple. This might be why the app relies so much on other things such as live streams and shopping on the app as it provides great income opportunities for everyone.

On the contrary, apps like YouTube allow creators to generate more funds through longer content. This also entails Shorts that help to drive more users to a specific channel. Then there are Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms which are similarly providing direct streams to make more money.

Read next: TikTok Ventures Into The U.S. In-Stream Commerce Market With The Launch Of A New Shop Tab
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Top YouTuber MrBeast Proves That Thumbnails Featuring Closed Mouth Faces Have Longer Watch Times

Selecting the right thumbnail for your YouTube video can really increase the chances of its success. But you’ll be amazed at how it’s the little details that make all the difference in the world. And this was proven by the man with the greatest number of subscribers, MrBeast.

The renowned video creator is shedding light on how thumbnails featuring closed mouths are bound to increase viewer watch times as compared to those featuring open mouths and shocked expressions.

The news comes after the star carried out his own test to determine whether or not these things made a difference and some people were in awe at the response. On most occasions, you’ll find thumbnails featuring faces that have people with shocked expressions and open jaws, big enough for a fly to enter easily.

That used to be deemed as the template for thumbnail success but thanks to this latest research, creators definitely need to think twice when adding images of themselves or models with mouths open. This seems to be MrBeast’s go-to thumbnail design and he’s more than happy to see the drastic difference in watch times that the change has made.

More details were unveiled through a series of screenshots provided by him on his X account. And while the images don’t represent the changes in watch time, they show how thumbnails featuring the star with his mouth closed were a clear winner against all others.

There are nearly 12 new videos from the world’s biggest YouTuber that feature him on the cover with his mouth closed. It’s a small but necessary change he says when comparing it against older videos released recently.

In case you’re still wondering why the star suddenly opted to include this new ability for thumbnail testing, well, the answer is simple. The idea came when the app announced it was working on launching a feature that tests which thumbnail works best, A/B Test. And for that, several top creators were chosen for the beta. The rest of the world can benefit from this test with a global launch, starting next year.

Meanwhile, considering how popular this YouTuber is, we’re bound to see his influence take center stage with more and more creators adopting the closed-mouth approach versus the open-mouth one on thumbnails.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World