Marketers Brace for Soaring Content Needs as Expectations Shift Through 2027

As customer attention continues to fragment across platforms, brands are finding themselves at a crossroads where consistency, speed, and personalization must all converge. New insights reveal just how much pressure is building: the majority of marketing professionals anticipate a fivefold surge, or more, in content requirements by 2027.

In a study, conducted by Adobe, that gathered feedback from over 1,600 marketing professionals, the overwhelming majority acknowledged a sharp rise in demand. Nearly every respondent reported at least double the content workload compared to just two years ago. More than six out of ten indicated that this growth had already surpassed five times their previous volume, and a significant share expects that pace to continue accelerating.

The main driver behind this surge? Audiences are demanding richer, more personalized experiences. Over half of marketers noted that tailored messaging now ranks as the most dominant factor pushing content output higher. At the same time, changing habits, such as the growing importance of short videos and audio-first formats, are forcing teams to rethink how they communicate. Hybrid touchpoints, blending digital with in-person channels, also require more content delivered more frequently, in more styles.

In fact, staying visible in this environment means showing up constantly. A large portion of marketers reported that their audiences now expect updated material at least weekly, often multiple times per week, placing more pressure on already stretched teams.

Among all content categories, social media leads the way in growth. The speed and virality of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and others have shifted the goalposts. More than half of marketers believe that demand for social-first and short-form video content is growing faster than any other type. Yet understanding what resonates across diverse platforms remains elusive. Many teams find themselves producing vast amounts of content without clear feedback loops, which makes optimization difficult.

Across both organic and paid social channels, time remains a persistent bottleneck. Marketers cite challenges in producing enough brand-consistent and timely content. In paid campaigns, teams also struggle to generate enough variety to keep messages fresh or to reach distinct audience segments effectively.

Even when strategy is aligned and messaging is clear, internal roadblocks often slow execution. For many marketing departments, a single piece of content may pass through dozens, or even hundreds, of hands before it’s published. Roughly half of surveyed marketers said the typical review and approval process involved between 50 and 200 individuals. In some cases, that number was even higher.

Volume has followed complexity. About seven in ten marketers now generate at least 1,000 content assets annually, while some organizations report output in the hundreds of thousands. Still, many say that managing this level of production is unsustainable without significant changes.

Among the top challenges: limited time for ideation and creation, disconnected workflows, and prolonged manual approval stages. The result? More than half of marketers say they spend the majority of their time navigating internal reviews rather than developing impactful campaigns.

To address these pressures, many teams are integrating generative AI into their workflows, not as a novelty, but as a core tool. Marketers are applying AI in various areas: optimizing content for better performance, adapting assets for global audiences, and creating new multimedia elements. More than half already use generative AI at multiple stages of production, and a large majority intend to increase that usage within the coming year.

As expectations for speed and relevance continue to rise, marketers are focused on scaling smarter, not just faster. Through redesigned workflows and deeper integration of automation and AI, teams are working to balance high output with brand integrity. The goal isn’t simply to meet content quotas, but to deliver messages that connect, perform, and evolve with audience behavior.

In this climate, operational agility and creative adaptability aren’t just nice to have, they’re now fundamental to staying competitive.

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Meta Faces Backlash Over Mysterious Instagram Bans and Facebook Selfie Checks

For weeks now, Instagram users have reported sudden account bans with no clear explanation or response from the platform. In many of these cases, individuals insist they have not violated any rules, yet they find themselves locked out with little recourse and no reply after submitting appeals. The volume of complaints, especially on Reddit and X, has grown enough to catch wider attention.

Many of the affected users on Reddit describe being stuck in an unresolved process. Some say they uploaded identity documents or submitted multiple appeals, only to be met with silence. Several note that they received no warning before losing access and have not been given a reason for their suspension.

The concern for some users goes beyond lost access to personal profiles. Small businesses and independent creators are also being affected, with some stating that the ban has cut them off from their main marketing platform and customer base. As a result, users are increasingly pointing to automated systems as the likely cause, though Meta has not confirmed any technical details or issued a public statement.

Moderation errors are not unusual on large platforms, especially when artificial intelligence is involved, but the number of cases and the lack of human oversight in the appeal process have left users frustrated. In some instances, people have claimed they were banned for serious policy violations they insist they did not commit, such as content related to child exploitation, a label that carries severe reputational consequences, even if wrongly applied.

Online, calls for accountability are increasing. A petition calling for Instagram to review its moderation approach has gained several thousand signatures. Some users have discussed the possibility of legal action, citing emotional and financial consequences from the account losses.

This incident follows a broader pattern among major tech platforms, where the reliance on AI moderation is being scrutinised. Earlier this year, Pinterest acknowledged an internal error that led to mass suspensions but declined to say whether artificial intelligence was responsible. That company eventually restored affected accounts after admitting fault, but gave few details about the underlying issue.

While Instagram remains under pressure, Meta is also facing a growing number of complaints from long-time Facebook users who say they have been locked out due to the platform's facial recognition checks. As per several comments shared on Digital Information World's post, the process now requires some users to submit a video selfie to confirm their identity. This requirement appears to be triggered in a variety of cases, some after years of activity with no prior issues.

Dozens of individuals have described being asked to submit facial video verification without being told why. Many of them do not own smartphones or desktop cameras and say they are now permanently locked out. Some, including elderly users who only use Facebook to stay in touch with family, expressed confusion and concern about how the change was introduced. Others worry about how the video data might be stored or used, particularly in relation to AI training or personal profiling.

One user explained they had been on Facebook for over a decade and had never posted anything questionable. They were looking at the Marketplace when they were suddenly logged out, then told to verify their identity with a facial video. Another user said they had not used Facebook for years but attempted to log in, only to find the old account inaccessible. After trying to sign up again, they were subjected to puzzles and then a facial scan prompt.

Some individuals speculated that their technical setups might have triggered the system’s suspicion. One mentioned running Linux without geolocation libraries, setting their birthday to 1905, and using privacy-focused browsers that block tracking. Others questioned whether low activity levels or old accounts might be seen by the system as potential bot behaviour.

The consistency across many of these reports suggests that the video selfie check is not just reserved for new sign-ups or flagged activity. It seems to be part of a broader verification push that is catching regular users in the net. Several pointed out that they were not warned about the change and were offered no other way to prove their identity if they lacked a camera or chose not to upload a recording.

Some worry that the system may be biased or discriminatory in how it flags accounts, especially in the absence of transparency from Meta. One user questioned whether certain political views, inactive posting habits, or refusal to participate in advertising were factors that influenced the verification demand. Others said they felt like they were being gradually pushed off the platform, not for breaking rules, but for not aligning with how Facebook wants users to behave or interact.

Despite the volume of complaints, Meta has not publicly addressed the facial recognition issue or explained the criteria triggering the video selfie requirement. For now, affected users remain locked out with no clear timeline for resolution.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: Meta Adds Privacy Warning After AI App Publicly Displays Personal Chats
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Meta Adds Privacy Warning After AI App Publicly Displays Personal Chats

Meta has added a warning label to its AI app after users were found publicly posting personal conversations without realising those interactions were being shared. The update, now visible on the app’s “post to feed” button, advises people not to include personal or sensitive information when publishing content. The change follows mounting concern over how easily private exchanges were being made publicly viewable.

Reports first emerged after users noticed that the app’s public feed, called “discover”, was showing highly personal queries submitted to Meta’s AI, ranging from health concerns to legal questions. In some cases, users even included phrases such as “please keep this private” in what were already public posts. While the app does not share conversations by default, many people appear to have been unaware that using the “share” option meant their chats would be made visible to everyone.

The volume and nature of the content being exposed drew criticism from privacy advocates, who pointed out that most AI chat apps do not display user interactions in a public-facing stream. Observers have noted that the app offers few familiar cues or design features to indicate that posts are going live. Some compared it unfavourably to Meta’s other platforms, where sharing controls are more visible and widely understood.

The new warning message now appears when users try to post a chat publicly, but based on reports, it only shows once, on the first attempt. It clearly states that prompts shared with the feed are public, may appear on other Meta platforms, and should not include private details. However, critics argue that a single disclaimer may not be enough to prevent confusion, especially for users who miss or dismiss the initial notice.

Image: Business Insider

At the same time, it appears that Meta has altered what kind of content is shown in the app’s public feed. Text-based conversations no longer seem to appear. Instead, the feed is currently displaying AI-generated images and video content. It is unclear whether this change is permanent or whether it reflects a temporary shift following the attention the app has received in recent days. Meta has not confirmed whether this is part of a wider redesign or a direct response to the criticism.

Those who have already shared personal content can still take steps to reduce their visibility. Within the app’s settings, it is possible to hide all past posts by adjusting the privacy options under the “Data & Privacy” section. Users can make every prompt private in just a few taps, though the setting may not be obvious at first glance.

The issue has sparked renewed scrutiny of how emerging AI tools are being integrated into social platforms. While many users approach chatbots expecting private assistance, the blending of conversational AI with public sharing features appears to have created misunderstandings, with very real privacy consequences.

Read next: Meta Expands WhatsApp Monetization with In-App Ads and Paid Channel Subscriptions
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Meta Expands WhatsApp Monetization with In-App Ads and Paid Channel Subscriptions

WhatsApp is preparing to introduce advertisements in parts of its app that are not tied to private conversations. The changes are expected to appear first in the Status and Updates tabs, both of which are designed for broader, public content rather than one-to-one chats. Ads will be shown in between Status posts, which work similarly to Stories on Instagram, and in the Updates tab, where users can browse and follow Channels.

The platform, owned by Meta, says these ads will not affect the main inbox or compromise the privacy of encrypted messages. Instead, ad targeting will rely on general data such as a user’s country, city, app language, and their activity with ads or Channels they’ve followed. Users who have linked their WhatsApp account with Facebook or Instagram may receive more tailored suggestions, based on preferences from Meta’s broader ecosystem.

WhatsApp has also opened the door to subscriptions for exclusive content in Channels. Businesses and creators will be allowed to charge followers a fee for premium updates, with payments processed through app stores. The company has indicated that it will eventually take a percentage of these payments, and that the final cost may vary depending on the platform or size of the business.

Over 1.5 billion people are currently using the Status and Channels features every day, according to Meta. Until now, WhatsApp’s revenue has come mostly from its Business API and click-to-chat ads that link from Facebook or Instagram. These new features represent a shift toward more visible monetization inside the app itself.

While WhatsApp executives describe the move as a natural progression, the company is aware that changes to the app’s quiet interface could draw criticism. In some countries, especially in Europe, WhatsApp is still seen as a messaging-first platform. Some users may not respond positively to the idea of sponsored content appearing near personal content, even if it doesn’t enter the chat interface.

There has already been some backlash over the recent addition of a button for Meta’s AI tool, which cannot be removed from the app. Other tabs, including Channels and Updates, also remain fixed and cannot be hidden. WhatsApp has responded by emphasizing that users who choose not to interact with these features won’t be forced to. If someone uses WhatsApp solely for messaging, they will not see any ads within their inbox.

Despite that reassurance, the direction is clear. Meta is investing in ways to grow revenue within WhatsApp without touching its encrypted core. As people increasingly shift their social activity into private spaces like DMs and temporary stories, Meta appears to be positioning WhatsApp as a quieter, commerce-friendly alternative to its more public platforms.

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Why Changing Jobs Means More Than Just Changing Desks

When habits forged in one workplace clash with the culture of the next, even seasoned professionals can trip up.

When Bob Baxley left Apple, he did what many in tech do, he jumped straight into his next role, wasting no time between jobs. But in hindsight, that decision tripped him up. After a Friday farewell at Cupertino, he walked into Pinterest the following Monday, expecting to carry on as usual. What he hadn’t expected was to collide with a different kind of company rhythm.

At Apple, work was intense but clean-cut, Baxley explained this in a recent Lenny's Podcast. Disagreements were normal, even welcomed, so long as the end goal was clarity and excellence. The culture was sharp, well-oiled and quietly unforgiving. It didn’t just shape how people worked, it soaked into their thinking, their timing, even how they spoke in meetings. That way of doing things, honed over years, had become second nature for Baxley.

But Pinterest wasn’t Apple, and it didn’t want to be. The atmosphere there was softer, slower, more reflective. Baxley, still wired for Apple’s pace, quickly found himself out of step. He didn’t fail in the traditional sense, but as he put it, he “bounced off the culture”. He had brought along too much of his old self and hadn’t given the new place enough space to breathe.

It’s a problem that crops up often in tech, especially when people jump from one high-pressure company to another. Cultures at big firms like Apple, Google or Meta aren’t just guidelines, they’re deeply ingrained habits. After a few years, you don’t even realize how much you’ve adapted. You’ve soaked up the norms, how to give feedback, how to push an idea, how to read a meeting room, and those instincts can clash hard with a new environment.

Some people, Baxley noted, manage the switch better than others. One example he pointed to was Hiroki Asai, a former Apple executive who took a break of several years before stepping into his next big role. That pause, deliberate or not, gave him time to unwind old patterns and tune in to a different kind of workplace. It acted, in Baxley’s words, like a second "car wash", a way of rinsing off the mindset of the previous company before taking on something new.

The lesson here isn’t that people should forget what they’ve learned, only that they need to carry it differently. What made someone valuable at one firm might still be an asset, but not if it’s wrapped in the same packaging. Apple, for instance, thrives on detail, polish and a refusal to settle for “good enough”. Those values can serve someone well elsewhere, but only if they’re expressed in a way the new team can hear.

By the time Baxley landed at ThoughtSpot, a later role in his career, he had learned to hold on to the values but leave behind the tone. That meant aiming for excellence but not insisting it arrive in an Apple-shaped box. It meant asking not just “What would Apple do?” but “How do these people work, and how can I meet them where they are?”

For anyone moving between roles, especially in tech where the ground shifts quickly, that kind of recalibration can be the difference between fitting in and falling flat. The temptation to jump straight into the next big thing is strong, but it comes with risk. If you don’t pause and watch, you might miss what’s really going on around you.

Careers rarely unfold like neat ladders. More often they twist and turn, with moments of clarity followed by long spells of trial and error. One role might stretch you, another might humble you. But each stop along the way leaves a mark, and if you're not careful, that mark might shape more than just your resume.

In the end, what matters most is not just where you go, but how well you listen when you get there.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

TikTok Shop Sees Surge in U.S. Activity but Still Trails Its Vision

TikTok’s effort to turn scrolling into shopping is picking up speed in the U.S., where the app says user engagement with in-stream purchases has grown quickly in recent months. Yet despite the gains, the company’s broader retail ambitions remain a work in progress.

Over the past year, TikTok has expanded its marketplace to cover more than 750 product categories. It now lists over 70 million items globally, and its U.S. operation has seen a 120% jump in sales compared to the same period last year. Popular purchases include women’s fashion, skincare, electronics, health goods, and sports gear, areas TikTok says reflect changing user interests across the platform.

Short-form videos and livestreams have become the main gateway for discovery. Shoppers are increasingly drawn to creators who showcase how products work, answer questions on the spot, and turn browsing into real-time decision-making. According to figures TikTok cites from market research partner GlobalData, over 8 in 10 TikTok users have come across a new product through the app’s shopping features, while 70% say they’ve discovered new brands they weren’t previously aware of.

That exposure appears to be paying off. More than 8 million hours of live shopping streams were hosted in the U.S. alone over the past year. TikTok claims that nearly three-quarters of users who interacted with its shopping features ended up buying something from one of these livestreams. Small businesses, in particular, are seeing a lift, over 170,000 independent sellers now run shops on the app, and year-on-year sales to U.S. small businesses are reportedly up by 70%.

To support this momentum, TikTok has rolled out a set of new tools aimed at sellers. These include tailored recommendations within its Seller Center dashboard, designed to help vendors fine-tune product listings, improve content, and better connect with interested buyers. A summer promotion titled “Deals for You Days,” running from July 7 to 19, is expected to spotlight deeper discounts and introduce a live price-match program that offers cash-back to viewers who spot lower prices elsewhere.

Still, TikTok’s broader vision for in-stream commerce, modeled after the success of its sister app Douyin in China, hasn’t yet fully materialized in Western markets. While Douyin racked up nearly half a trillion dollars in product sales last year and has become one of China’s biggest ecommerce players, TikTok’s U.S. performance remains modest by comparison. The app saw roughly $6 billion in in-app sales across 2024, a 15% increase from the previous year, but a far cry from Douyin’s scale.

• Also read: OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT Search in Ongoing Effort to Challenge Google’s Grip on Web Discovery

TikTok hopes to replicate Douyin’s model more closely by adding services beyond shopping, such as food delivery and transportation, directly into the app, features that have already gained traction in China. The idea is to embed spending more deeply into the user experience, making TikTok not just a content platform but a full-service digital economy.

However, several hurdles remain. TikTok’s future in the U.S. is uncertain amid ongoing efforts by U.S. lawmakers to force a change in ownership. Internally, the company also overhauled its American commerce team earlier this year after missing 2024 performance targets.

While TikTok’s latest stats paint an optimistic picture, the gap between its current sales footprint and its long-term ambitions remains wide. Whether Western users will fully embrace video-driven shopping as readily as their Chinese counterparts is still an open question, and one TikTok appears determined to answer with deeper discounts, new features, and continued pressure to reshape online retail habits.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: TikTok Shop Loses Its Spark as Sellers Face Paid Reality
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT Search in Ongoing Effort to Challenge Google’s Grip on Web Discovery

OpenAI has rolled out a major upgrade to its ChatGPT Search feature, introducing smarter, more context-aware responses as part of its ongoing push to compete directly with Google in the online search space.

With an estimated 177 million daily visitors, ChatGPT has become a central platform for AI-assisted information access, making improvements to its search functionality especially impactful. The update, which began rolling out on June 13, is designed to deliver more accurate results across a wider range of topics, including real-time data such as news, stock information, and sports scores. Users can now expect more thorough answers that draw from multiple sources, with improved clarity and better alignment to the intent behind each query.

The new version also responds more intelligently during extended chats, reducing the need for repetition and offering continuity in longer interactions. This refinement stems from a clear improvement in how the model interprets and retains context across several turns of conversation.

While OpenAI has not disclosed the exact technical changes behind the update, internal testing showed a clear user preference for the new experience. The search tool now runs multiple queries in the background when tackling more complex questions, making it more effective at breaking down layered prompts without requiring users to rephrase.

Another enhancement allows users to initiate a search by uploading an image, adding a visual layer to the platform’s input methods and expanding the ways users can retrieve information.

Despite the improvements, OpenAI acknowledges that occasional inaccuracies still occur. Users are encouraged to verify the results, particularly when relying on the system for critical or factual information.

This upgrade signals OpenAI’s continued ambition to carve out a space in the consumer search market, one still largely shaped by Google’s longstanding dominance. With a more dynamic and responsive toolset, ChatGPT Search now presents a sharper alternative for users looking to blend conversational interface convenience with real-time information access.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World