Bluesky: The Social Media Revolution You Didn’t See Coming

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A deep dive into Bluesky, its growth, its history and why it might just be the future of social media.  

 

What on Earth is Bluesky? 

Ironically, Bluesky may feel like it came ‘out of the blue’, but, as you may be able to tell from its Twitter-blue branding, its story is rooted right in Twitter’s history.  

A quick glance at Wikipedia describes Bluesky as a ‘decentralised microblogging social media service’ which is simply a mouthful of tech jargon. Better put, Bluesky is (to an extent) similar to X, where you can share short posts of your thoughts and life updates while interacting with others. 

However, Bluesky isn’t a random startup. In fact, it began as an in-house project under Twitter in 2019, when the then-CEO Jack Dorsey pitched the idea of a decentralised standard for social media. By 2021, the project became independent under the leadership of its now CEO Jay Graber. Since then, Bluesky has bolstered into the social media landscape, with its unique set of qualities that sets it apart.  

 

 

What Does a ‘Decentralised Social Media Platform’ Mean? 

Granted, the word ‘decentralised’ and how it applies to social media sounds very technical, but its implications are important to understand. Unlike traditional platforms controlled by a single company or government, a decentralised platform operates using independently run servers. What you need to know is that this setup empowers users with greater ownership and flexibility over their data, privacy and what they do with their online presence. 

Essentially, this means:  

  • You’re in control: Users can create servers and join communities that interest them and align with their values, giving them more control over what they interact with online. 
  • Data ownership: You aren’t required to link your account to a real-world identity. 
  • No central authority: Instead of a single entity deciding content policies, the community and user collective gets to have a democratic say in the policies. 

 

 

The X-Odus  

Why is Everyone Leaving X and Heading to Bluesky?  

If you’ve been wondering why so many users—and celebrities—are packing up their virtual bags and leaving X, it’s because of both the rebrand and the cascade of controversies that came with Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022:  

As the numbers say:  

  • Between 2022 and 2024 there has been a 15% drop in global monthly active users. 
  • App downloads have also dropped by 38% globally, highlighting how many users are disengaging from the platform.   
  • These drops indicate a growing dissatisfaction, especially as users migrate to other social platforms (such as Bluesky). 

Unfortunately for Musk, X’s downfall doesn’t stop there either. Major brands like Apple, Disney and IBM have pulled out on the advertising spends within the app which has been a huge blow to the platform as its U.S. ad revenue dropped by nearly 60% in 2023. 

Amid this turmoil, big celebrity names like Stephen King and Lizzo have also begun to abandon X and move to Bluesky, where the grass is greener. 

 

Bluesky’s Success So Far 

Bluesky is growing at an exponential rate, gaining more than 10,000 new users every 15 minutes. In just two months, between September and November, its user base jumped from 9 million to over 19 million – and the opportunity for users, creators and brands is huge.  

 

But What Does This Mean for Your Marketing Strategy?  

Do you jump on the Bluesky trend early and carve out a space for your brand before it goes mainstream?  

Do you wait and follow the crowd, steadily learning how the platform works while coming up with a comprehensive strategy?  

Do you wait to see if this is a passing trend and if the X-migration amounts to anything? 

At Source, we specialise in providing expert advice to our clients on the best ways to engage with all social media platforms, and work with them to ensure they have the right content and tone of voice to engage with the right audiences, to boost their business. 

Maximise social media ROI with Source PR today!  

Is Guerilla Marketing an Effective Strategy?

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Back in March 2022, dating app ‘Thursday’ hired a camel to stand outside Liverpool Street Station in London, making it wear a handwritten billboard promoting the app that read, “Happy Hump Day. See You on Thursday.” While the stunt certainly garnered attention, it was widely condemned for animal exploitation. After all, a desert camel has no place standing outside in the grey bustle of Liverpool Street Station.  

But this isn’t all that Thursday has been pulled into controversy for… 

In January of this year, the dating app’s CEO, George Rawlings, found himself in hot water over a social media post that was deemed insensitive toward the layoffs at his start up. In the now deleted post, Rawlings wrote, “70 percent of the people you see in this picture have been made redundant”. He then added, “Here’s the ironic part [. . .] Thursday has never been stronger.”  

The buzz, for better or for worse, around the brand has now been sparked by numerous of its edgy PR stunts, one of which includes an intern being handcuffed to a lamppost as part of a spin on ‘cuffing season’. Though the intern has said she “had the best time working there” she also described her placement as the “world’s most embarrassing internship.” Once more, the campaign struck a nerve with some members of the public who said it was exploitative of those wanting to break into the PR and marketing industry.  

In a more ‘toned down’ effort of their guerilla tactics, ‘Thursday’ has shown no fear in poking fun at its competitors. The app’s signage around London currently reads, “Bumble? Hinge? Tinder? There’s nothing awkward about saying you met on Thursday.” Shouting out their competitors was certainly a bold move that turned heads, and this time it was for the right and more humorous reasons.  

  

What is Guerilla Marketing? 

So far, Thursday is certainly the champion of guerilla marketing. Guerilla marketing is an advertising/PRstrategy that uses unconventional tactics to ambush, attract, shock and surprise customers.  

When executed well, employing guerilla tactics can generate significant attention around your brand. However, there is a fine, fine line between a clever guerilla campaign and one that is simply in poor taste.  

  

  

The Benefits of Guerilla Marketing 

Budget-Friendly 

Guerilla marketing is about being fun and creative with your brand, rather than investing in a costly advertising campaign. The goal of this sort of marketing is to generate word-of-mouth attention through punchy and newsworthy stunts.  

Virality 

We all know that gossip, controversy and bad news is far more intriguing than good news. That’s why using guerilla marketing can make for a story that’s really newsworthy, granting your brand some free coverage.  

Differentiation 

As in Thursday’s case, the dating game is already an oversaturated market with the likes of Tinder, Hinge and Bumble dominating the field. Quite literally only operating one day a week, Thursday needed to showcase its unique selling point against competitors. It’s fair to say that its guerilla game has certainly allowed the dating app to stand out amongst its rivals.  

Audience Engagement 

Whether through humour, shock or awe, guerilla tactics capitalise on emotion, naturally making these sorts of campaigns garner a wider reach and greater audience interaction with the brand. 

Authenticity 

Guerilla marketing allows you to think outside of the box and tear down everything you think you know about marketing. Humour and wit play a big part in this strategy which can have the potential to make your brand seem more personable, naturally forging a genuine and authentic connection with your target audience.  

  

The Downsides of Guerilla Marketing 

Reputation at Stake 

The effectiveness of guerilla marketing comes with significant risks. As seen with Thursday, there’s always the potential to alienate certain segments of your potential audience. The camel stunt, for instance, likely turned off potential customers who are vegan, vegetarian or simply animal lovers. Now, the brand’s reputation is vulnerable to being stuck with connotations of exploitation. 

Unpredictable Success 

There’s a reason why we don’t see many brands take such a bold approach, these types of campaigns are inherently unpredictable. It’s difficult to predict how an audience will react, and there’s always the risk that the campaign’s message will be misinterpreted, or it won’t resonate as intended. What one person may find funny or innovative, another may find offensive or distasteful.  

  

Feeling Bold and Want to Give Guerilla Marketing a Try? 

Guerilla marketing is a line to be tread carefully. Whilst it can be a powerful tool for grabbing attention and setting a brand apart from its competitors, it can also lead to a controversy that may forever tarnish your brand’s reputation.  

For brands considering this approach, the key is to strike a balance between being bold and being respectful, ensuring that the buzz generated is positive and aligns with the brand’s values. Learn from Thursday’s experience and go viral for the right reasons. 

 

Want to maximise your marketing strategy? Enquire at Source PR today.  

What The TikTok Ban Could Mean For Marketers In The US

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On 24 April, Joe Biden signed a bill that threatens to ban the social media app TikTok. The law has given ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, an ultimatum: sell the app’s US operations or face a permanent ban.  

The ban would take place by blocking TikTok across all app stores and disallowing web hosts from distributing the platform. The law comes after hypothetical concern that data from TikTok’s 170 million US users could be accessed by the Chinese state, breaching national security laws. 

ByteDance has 270 days to make the decision… 

 

…and the clock is ticking 

 

TikTok’s US business could sell for over $50 billion (£39.9 billion), making it no easy bid. As you can imagine, very few companies can afford to splash out like that, but potential bidders could include the likes of Apple, Amazon, Google or Netflix. Even there, buying the app may involve disrupting antitrust regulations and unfairly monopolising on market power.  

If TikTok does get banned, then the US constitutional right to freedom of speech could be threatened and a political storm could follow.  

What Does This Mean for Marketers In The US? 

Economically speaking, the TikTok ban would also shut down a huge e-commerce opportunity. On September 12 2023, TikTok launched TikTok shop. The in-app marketplace takes down the user-barrier of having to leave the app to purchase from a creator. With the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt tag having 7.3 million posts, the app has become a hell of a force in social commerce. 

Further data, as polled by HootSuite, shows that: 

  • On average, businesses use 15% of their marketing budget on TikTok 
  • 1 in 4 business owners use TikTok influencers for product sales or promotions 
  • Advertisers see an average return of $2 for every $1 spent 
  • TikTok is the fastest growing platform for product discovery 

In 2023, TikTok reported it drove $15 billion in revenue for small businesses alone. It’s no surprise then that the ban will bite these enterprises the most.  

For marketers, the ban will create a huge rift in digital strategy. With a detrimental loss of audience access and influencer partnerships, marketers will have to ‘think outside the Tok’ by redressing content tactics, shifting spend and revaluating data analytics. Likewise, brands that have built a reputation heavily tied to TikTok would need to modify their branding to better fit other platforms – all of which means adapting to new demographics, algorithms and media formats.  

A New Opportunity? 

Whilst TikTok’s foreseeable expiration date is 19 January 2025, US businesses could use this window as an opportunity to solidify presence on clone platforms. These platforms being YouTube Shorts, Facebook and Instagram Reels, all of which have soared in popularity over the past three years.  

YouTube Shorts, that rolled out in 2021 now accumulates 70 billion daily views, whilst Instagram and Facebook Reels, launched across 2020 and 2021, have a combined total of 200 billion views per day. 

The looming ban could benefit these platforms as businesses race to get there first. Should the ban take place, businesses with a pre-established presence on these platforms would have the upper hand on their social strategies. 

What To Do Now 

According to expert in cybersecurity, Milton Mueller, there is real doubt that TikTok would pose a threat to US security levels. In fact, TikTok has gone to great lengths to delete data of American users from ByteDance servers, and they have also moved all information to US-based servers in an effort to keep data out of Chinese surveillance.  

For those in the US, the advice is to carry on posting as normal. If you have concerns about breaches to your security, then TikTok allows the option to create a new or anonymous account. You are also able to disable TikTok from accessing your contacts and photos via phone settings. 

 

With Source PR, you can champion all social media platforms with a bespoke strategy created by us for your business. Click here to find out more.  

 

We’re Hiring!

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PR Account Manager – Job Description

We’re looking for an organised and passionate PR Account Manager to join our friendly team. Our ideal candidate will have great experience in copywriting, media relations and social media. The role involves managing several accounts in exciting industries including homebuilding, leisure, hospitality and more.

This is a flexible, hybrid role with around 2 days a week working in our lovely countryside office in Tattenhall, Cheshire. Holding a full UK driving license is essential as you may occasionally be required to travel to client meetings.

Alongside being a great employer, with prolific retention rates for both team members and clients, we have a great package available for the right person to join our team. The package includes:

  • Hybrid working
  • Flexitime
  • 25 days holiday + your birthday off, which increases after you’ve been with the company 2+ years
  • 1 additional volunteering day a year
  • Sick pay
  • Access to various benefits through Perkbox including free coffees, healthcare, shopping vouchers, cinema tickets and more
  • Pension scheme
  • A salary ranging between £28,000 – £30,000 DOE depending on experience, with annual pay reviews
  • Staff socials

The ideal candidate will:

  • Have 2+ years of experience working within PR
  • Be able to build strong and lasting relationships with clients
  • Be organised and be able to juggle multiple client responsibilities
  • Have excellent copywriting skills
  • Have a keen interest in PR and a passion to learn and develop
  • Be a great team worker and be comfortable with managing people
  • Have experience in client reporting
  • Have excellent customer service and communication skills
  • Be a problem-solver with a ‘can do’ attitude

We look forward to hearing from you! For more information or to send your CV, contact louis@sourcepr.co.uk.  (No agencies, thank you!).

Neuromarketing: Why Building An Emotional Connection Is Important

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Ever wondered why we make those impulse buys, why we choose one colour over another and why some brands resonate with us whilst others don’t? 

The truth is, whilst we like to think that our decisions are underpinned by logic, a lot of the time our decision making is actually driven by our subconscious minds. In fact, Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman says that 95% percent of our purchase decision making takes place in the subconscious.  

Over the last decade, marketeers have caught onto the idea of looking into consumer ‘brainfluences’ to predict consumer preferences. This has led to a newfound and exciting way of conducting market research known as neuromarketing.  

What Is Neuromarketing? 

Neuromarketing, or consumer neuroscience, explores how we can use neuroscience to examine how our minds work and gain insight into consumer behaviour.  

Whilst traditional market research relies on the likes of engagement analytics and surveys, neuromarketing uses advanced scientific metrics such as heart rate monitoring, facial expressions tracking, eye-tracking, electroencephalograms (EEGs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).  

In essence, neuromarketing looks into the nitty-gritty of what makes us tick and can be an incredibly useful tool for gathering consumer insight. 

How Has Neuromarketing Been Used So Far?

Neuromarketing is a very pricey method of market research and only super brands such as Coca-Cola, Yahoo and Facebook have been able to check out the field so far.  

In 2018, Hyundai created a unique experiment to find out what consumers would consider as the most positive colour. In the experiment, participants were placed in a blank room that lit up one colour at a time. These participants were also hooked up to EEGs, that read the electrical activity inside their brains, and other bio-sensory tools that read heart rate and galvanic skin response. Hyundai were then able to extract emotional data as to what the individual was feeling in response to a certain colour i.e., bored, excited, relaxed or focused. The result: the colour blue was found to be the happiest colour. Despite ‘feeling blue’ giving it a bad rep, blue was found to be stimulating, energising and comforting. Since the experiment, Hyundai have injected touches of blue through its vehicles.  

Hilton Hotels have been another to experiment with neuromarketing. In 2020, during a conference in Liverpool, guests toured around displays and event stands. Hilton Hotels had placed 24 carefully positioned cameras that tracked each person’s movements and changes in expression as they moved between stalls. This Zenus Emotion AI technology was able to monitor even the most subtle of contractions in an individual’s facial muscles. By using facial expressions tracking to gauge how guests were feeling, the results found that a puppies-and-ice-cream stall was more engaging than the open bar. Though sounding a touch trivial (I know), the same system can be used to detect threat at border checkpoints, evaluate job candidates and monitor levels of boredom. 

Once more, in 2021, Procter & Gamble used an eye-tracking software to monitor participant eye movement and focus when watching some P&G mobile ads. The tool was able to detect which parts of the ads were more engaging and how consumer gaze patterns changed over time. This allowed P&G to tailor their content to better capture consumer attention and evoke the desired emotional response.  

The Future Of Neuromarketing  

Neuromarketing is an advanced method of helping brands to further personalise messages to suit individual customers, understand their emotional responses and use that data to better design products and services. Over the coming years, neuromarketing is expected to witness exponential growth and has a predicted 2029 market worth of USD 2.41 billion. 

That said, looking scientifically into consumer emotions is a difficult metric to capture and far too out of budget for most. However, what we can take away from this emerging discipline is the idea that forging an emotional connection with audiences adds tremendous value.  

Consumers are more driven by emotional responses than we think. The 2024 marketing statistics show:  

  • Ads portraying above-average emotional responses have a 23% potential sales increase 
  • Negative headlines have 30% higher click-through rates than ones with positive superlatives 
  • 82% of highly emotional brand-engaged consumers buy from their brand based on loyalty 

So, the science shows that emotions get the better of us. Building trust, echoing warm values, sparking excitement or even outrage is what draws customers the most. Putting emphasis on what you want to make your target audience feel and how you are going to make them feel that way should be an essential in your PR and marketing strategy.  

At Source PR, our range of marketing and digital strategies allow us to create a bespoke service that suits your chosen audience’s needs. To find out more, click here.  

How Important Are Hashtags On Social Media?

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With everchanging trends and constant techy updates, social media is fast on the move. Gaining consistent and effective reach may often feel like a daunting task with unpredictable outcomes. However, there is always one trusty social media hack that you can rely on: the classic hashtag.

What Is A Hashtag?

Often used in bios and captions, a hashtag is a keyword preceded by the hash symbol, ‘#’. Hashtags are useful content markers that essentially direct your post on a hot algorithm to its relevant target audience. In short, hashtags optimise engagement by making your content more findable, meaning more eyes, more taps, and more shares.

What Do The Stats Say?

In fact, according to market data carried out by Zipido, in 2023, Instagram posts with at least one hashtag received 70% more likes than posts that did not contain hashtags.

It was also found that 48.1% of Instagram users heavily rely on branded hashtags in order to discover new products.

However, hashtags aren’t solely limited to Instagram. Hashtags are an integral feature of all social media platforms from the Meta universe of Facebook and X (Twitter), to LinkedIn, TikTok and Pinterest. For instance, the use of one or more hashtags will increase a LinkedIn post’s visibility by an average of 29.59%. Similarly, on X (Twitter), even the use of one hashtag alone can lead to an average 69.7% more retweets.

So, in essence, hashtags are a very important and efficient method to achieving social media success.

Hashtag Do’s And Hashtag Don’ts

Hashtag Do’s

Be Specific

In order to boost consumer awareness, it’s important that your post reaches its target audience. So, make sure those hashtags can standout. For example, are you posting a #holiday, a #summerholiday or a #summerstaycation? Keeping it brief and unique means the tag is more likely to gain traction from a likeminded and genuinely interested audience i.e., those fancying a UK summer stay rather than a general holiday.

Research Popular Hashtags

Keep an eye out for popular hashtags and jump on trends whilst they are still hot. In 2023, hashtags such as #myromanempire or #girldinner spread like wildfire accumulating over six billion views between them on TikTok. Whilst making sure they still appropriately reflect your brand, using these topical tags can be a great way to look up-to-date and attract new followers.

Get Creative

Who said you can’t be a trendsetter? With hashtags, there is plenty of room for experimentation. You may wish to create a hashtag that is witty and humorous, that highlights an event, or even begins an interactive campaign such as the #IceBucketChallenge or the #BlindingLights dance off. Similarly, you may want to make a branded hashtag. For instance, if you are a business that people can visit and stay at, you may want to encourage guests to hashtag your brand name. Not only will this help your business grow, but it will also enable potential customers to gain insight into previous customer experiences.

Track Progress

To really optimise hashtag efficiency, it’s important that you measure hashtag performance. Applications such as Sprout Social offer easy to use analytics that can tell you what hashtags to use and which hashtags your viewers have been using to find your content.

Hashtag Don’ts

Unnecessary Hashtags

The hashtag sweet spot, according to recent research, is to keep to 3-5 hashtags. In fact, too many hashtags can do more harm than good. Over saturating hashtags may mark your post as spam which can result in your account being shadow banned. Shadow banning is when your content has been recognised as spam and so no longer appears on a user’s feed despite not having received an official ban or warning. This is a sneaky form of banning used across all social media platforms to prevent spammers from simply making a new account after their old account has been officially banned.  

Being Too Wordy

Whilst hashtags can be more than one word pushed into one, they still need to be readable to be memorable. So, keep your hashtag neat and punchy such as Coca-Cola’s #ShareACoke or Nike’s #JustDoIt – used in over 14 million posts in 2023.

Don’t Leave Stories Behind

Hashtags aren’t limited to permanent tweets or posts; they can be used in Instagram and Facebook Stories too. Though they disappear after 24 hours, stories are still a great way to squeeze in that hashtag and gain those extra views where possible.

#TimeToGetSeen

In all, hashtags are an essential tool for boosting social media engagement. All it takes is a few well selected hashtags and your post can go far and reap the exponential rewards it deserves. Platforms such as Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter) are reliant on hashtags so keeping savvy with tags is a super-efficient way to become viral and become #TrendingNow.

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How To Use TikTok Trends For Your Business

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By now, pretty much everyone has either heard of TikTok, has an account they scroll through daily or is obsessed with posting videos at every spare moment. The app now boasts over 1 billion monthly active users. It’s one of the fastest-growing social media platforms and is perfect for creating more relaxed, consumable and relatable content for your brand.

The key with TikTok marketing, which we’ve written about previously, is to educate your consumer whilst keeping them hooked. But it’s also important to keep abreast of trends to heighten your chances of your videos being picked up by algorithms and being seen by more people. But how do you use TikTok trends for a business? Read on and we’ll delve into this.

  1. Use Trending Audios

If it’s not broken, why fix it? We all know the phrase and now popular ‘TikTok-kers’ are emanating it too.

Trending audios are sounds that have been tried, tested, and have come out victorious, many of them garnering millions of views for videos that use that specific audio. The engagement for videos that use these popular audios is often much higher than other lesser-known sounds so, why not capitalise on it too?

Come up with your own little twist on the trend or even just follow the masses and fully embrace the trend, but just note, that these fast and fun trends can flip like a switch. Make sure you (or your social media agency) are keeping up-to-date with the latest audios; it will help keep users engaged and interactive with your account.

  1. Try Out Popular Filters

TikTok filters can be a rabbit hole easily led down. Fear not though. These filters can be many things; sometimes fun and sweet, sometimes weird and whacky, and sometimes downright scary, however one thing you can be sure of is that a large chunk of the most popular filters can up your Tik Tok game dramatically. They can easily take a boring video and transform it into a viral sensation.

Use your imagination and the sky is the limit with these filters, many of which will be regularly used time and again in the most popular videos popping up in everyone’s feeds.

You might think that these filters aren’t appropriate for businesses, but thinking outside the box can seamlessly shoehorn your brand into the latest trends – think of RyanAir for example, that took the eyes and mouth filter and ran with it – in fact, they pretty much own it now.

  1. Have Fun And Be Brave

Without a doubt, the most successful businesses pages on TikTok are not the ones focused squarely on promoting their product. Why would anyone choose to follow a never ending ad?

The pages that hit the jackpot are always the ones with the most character. They will introduce you to their way of work, their customers, and their colleagues. After scrolling through these accounts, you should feel like they have a personality of their own. One account who encapsulates this perfectly is Innocent Smoothies. From behind the scenes moments to videos made solely so you can have a giggle, customers fell in love with their refreshing insight into the company and with over 100k followers it shows.

So, you need to inject as much life into your page as you can; interview your colleagues over silly things, run through the streets for the sake of that viral video. Go crazy, be funny, go off-track, take the mick out of yourselves; it truly is hard to go too far.

  1. Tell A Story

TikTok videos are purposefully short. The average user spends over an hour and a half a day simply swiping through videos on the app but only a few seconds on each clip.

There’s no question to the fact; you need to stand out to make it, keeping users engaged when it could be so easy for them to swipe on past. It could be straightforward, like keeping the surprise, entertaining or shock factor of the video until the end, building their curiosity after hinting to it at the start. Or it could be deeper, such as detailing interesting parts of your lives, why you started your small business or even, the funny story of your after-work drinks on a Friday night.

Engagement is the key so, be relatable, be real and be personable.

  1. Be Clever In Comments

Users on TikTok want to know you. Many successful accounts engage constantly with customers in their comments and even pop up in the comments of other businesses’ TikTok accounts. The comments tab on TikTok is used to convey a deeper understanding to videos and / or, more often than not, becoming a mini comedy show of one-liners.

Users love a quick sweep through the comments and will dive head-first, grinning, down rabbit holes of accounts if they find pages writing things that made them cackle. Ryanair, for example, is a master of both finesse and hilarity in TikTok comments. They promote the best version of their company all the while never forgoing their need to make people laugh at the teasing jokes they regularly drop in the comments, whether on their page or others.

They don’t ever underestimate the power of a good comment and the new level of engagement it can bring. You shouldn’t either.

  1. Produce #ShareableContent

There’s not much more that will spark the interest of the social media generation than a challenge.

Challenges will often involve one account creating a video provoking users to attempt their own creative take on the video, completing the challenge and posting the video with the corresponding hashtag. Companies can grow their audience exponentially through this method. Chipotle created one challenge, in particular, that shot off; the #LidFlip challenge which watched users try flip the lid onto the bowl without using their hands. This saw their videos climb thousands of views that you could emulate, all you need is a bit of imagination and a catchy hashtag. No one can resist the challenge of competition nowadays!

First starting a TikTok account can feel incredibly daunting. However, once you jump in, you open up so many doors and opportunities you didn’t even realise were there, from expanding your audience to connecting with customers and showing a new side of the business. To find out about how we could help your business with this, pop us a message!

Instagram Reels vs. TikTok – Where Should You Be Focusing?

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It’s no surprise that short-form video content is essential to your marketing strategy, but with two key players to choose from, you might be struggling to pick which platform to share your video efforts.

 

Between Instagram Reels and TikTok, which channel is right for you? TikTok videos can go viral easily. But so can Instagram Reels. To those that are social media savvy like us at Source, TikToks and Reels are simple to create. In fact, most things TikTok can do, Instagram Reels can do just as well. But which one should you focus your marketing efforts on? Let’s take a look.

 

Getting Started

 

The first thing to note is your own following on these platforms, if you already have an established community on Instagram, then branching out to TikTok could be counter productive. On the flip side, if you have similar-sized followings on both, or you are looking to start your social media journey then let’s break them down.

 

Instagram vs. TikTok

 

What’s the difference between TikTok and Instagram reels? TikTok is more popular and videos are more likely to go ‘viral’ even if you don’t have a lot of followers, but Reels has more features. Both apps have their own advantages, so you’ll have to decide what is important to you. If you’re looking to reach a larger user base and filter through endless content, go with TikTok. But if you want something more community-based and feature-packed, then Reels might be the right choice for you.

 

Here’s some more information on their similarities and differences broken down:

Instagram Reels TikTok
Max. video length 90 seconds 10 minutes
Sound library Y Y
Audio Limited library

Copyright restrictions

 Extensive library

New sound creation
Upload pre-recorded videos Y Y
Account interaction Collab Duet, Stitch
Business account restrictions Y Y
Product links Y Y
Subscription features Y Y – additional non-subscribed gift feature
Strongest suit Increasing impressions and brand visibility Encouraging UGC (user-generated content)

Instagram Reels

 

Instagram Reels are short, fast-paced videos that often consist of different clips put together. Creators can record, edit, add music, and finetune their videos with the help of Instagram’s built-in tools and filters. Typical videos include clips of food, OOTD (outfit of the day) videos, gym routines, day in the life, and product launches.

Some examples of these kinds of Reels can be found here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvF_RXUL98D/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv9bNv6IDbP/?hl=en

 

Once published, Reels can be found on newsfeeds, stories and in the dedicated Explore tab. Being featured on Explore, Reels will reach completely new audiences and could go viral fast as the Instagram algorithm favours video content over its original static posts.

 

TikToks

 

TikToks are short-form vertical videos published on TikTok (originally musical.ly). In just a few years, and with the help of pandemic isolation, TikTok has evolved to become the biggest video-sharing platform to exist. Starting with 15-second dancing and lip-syncing clips to featuring 10-minute presentation videos, TikTok has evolved to suit the masses.

 

Typical videos include dance trends, in-depth product reviews, story times, lip-syncing clips, and GRWMs (get ready with me). Brands have also jumped on the trendy platform to engage with their audience in often humorous ways. Just take a look at TikTok channels @ryanair and @duolingo for some guaranteed giggles.

 

Examples can be seen here:

 

https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanair/video/7269809004837211424

https://www.tiktok.com/@duolingo/video/7210480530628922670

 

Content Style

 

Deciding on content style is key. Having an idea of the audience you want to target and the content you want to share could help you decide which platform to target.

 

Instagram is all about aesthetic lifestyle content. To gain traction with Reels, your videos should be polished and capture the audience’s attention with an appealing opening shot and cover photo. Instagram Reels work well for brands that are ready to invest their time and money in building a consistent brand image.

 

TikTok on the other hand has a less conservative and more experimental vibe. It doesn’t matter how structured or unstructured your video styles are and whether you’ve picked a nice-looking cover image or not, sometimes, the more chaotic the better! However, this does mean that there are many instances in which content plans are scrapped because there’s a hot new trend you need to jump on.

 

Our Verdict

 

Instagram Reels and TikToks offer users an opportunity to create communities with light, entertaining content. It should be noted that TikTok is undoubtedly the trendsetter of the two with Instagram trailing behind, but for a business entering video marketing, the best choice would be to double up. Jump on those TikTok trends, create that engagement, and spread it across both platforms. That’ll provide you with the perfect launchpad for your business.

 

At Source PR we’ve been developing our expertise in this area and now work with several clients on content creation. If you’d like to pick our brains, we’re here to chat!

Social Media Trends That May Dominate 2024

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Social media is an ever-evolving landscape, and each year brings new trends and changes (as well as a fair share of challenges for us social media agencies!) With just a few months to go to 2024, we wanted to get ahead of the curve and make our predictions as to what trends will shift in the social media sphere – so we can start preparing for them!

Trend #1 – ‘Meta Verses’, VR And AR

Something that’s really exciting is the development of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) on social media. With Meta (formerly Facebook) leading the way, it’s thought that soon, users will be able to interact in shared virtual spaces and even attend virtual events. Is this something we need to think about in a social media strategy for 2024?

At the moment, the use of AR and VR on social media is still in its early days – however, ideas for virtual tours of our client’s show homes, and virtual conferences for some of the businesses we work with have already begun buzzing around our brains. Let’s see what happens next year.

Trend #2 – Long-Form Content Creation

Content creation (a service that we offer now at Source PR) has been growing for the past two years, especially when it comes to using Instagram Reels for businesses.

It’s not breaking news to say this should continue into 2024 and beyond, but something we think will make more of a comeback is long-form content shared through these platforms. Think: explanation videos, tips and tricks, even stories. Already we’ve seen creators racking up the views with this kind of content, and with maximum video lengths being extended to 10 minutes on TikTok, it’s not a crazy leap to make. Instagram are yet to follow suit, with their maximum video length still at 90 seconds – do we think they’ll make it longer?

It’s worth noting, though, that long-form content will only work for a certain type of client, and one that you know will have an engaged audience. For most B2C social strategies and with clients wanting far-reaching content, short, snappy videos work the best. 15-30 remains the optimum length by our book!

Trend #3 – AI… (Maybe!)

If you look up social media trends for 2024 now, it’s hard to get through a piece without AI being mentioned in some capacity. But are we worried it will take our jobs? Nah!

ChatGPT and other similar tools have certainly risen in popularity, and agencies have been trialling and testing them for a while now. Hardcore believers will say that AI can replace the person at the other end of the laptop, typing up social media content, but we think that will never happen.

Though clever, we don’t believe that AI can ever truly replace the human emotion and empathy that goes into social media management. Plus – we can’t see robots heading out to film your Reels and TikTok videos any time soon, can you?!

Trend #4 – Sharing Sustainable Initiatives

As the world grapples with more environmental issues by the year, we’d like to think we’ll see more businesses adopting and sharing eco-friendly practices and promoting sustainability.

We’re lucky enough to work with some great, pioneering businesses in the sector and also have clients that are open to our suggestions on how they can become greener and communicate it to the world too.

Trend #5 – Better Ephemeral Content

Content that is only around for 24 hours or less, also known as Ephemeral content, started with Snapchat but has been stolen by Stories. Including Instagram Stories in your social media strategy is not a new thing, but we think long may it continue into 2024 and beyond. We love collaborating with our clients to bring you ‘here and now’ content that goes on to Instagram Stories and actively promotes what a business is up to, or what they’re all about.

We hope to see more interactive elements and widgets introduced and think that ‘shoppable stories’ will become more prevalent as this feature moves out of infancy and is used more often by companies.

Trend #6 – Regulation And Accountability

And finally, as social media continues to influence society, we are all responsible for the content we put out there. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are doing a lot more to banish ‘fake news’, and in other news the ASA continues to put pressure on influencers to declare sponsorships and collaborations.

We think we’ll see more of this into 2024 and will continue to always make sure we’re following the latest guidelines and putting out genuine, authentic and honest content for our clients.

 

We hope this blog gave you some more progressive social media trends for 2024 than the usual ‘younger audiences’, ‘TikTok trends’ and ‘updated algorithms’ roundups. What do you think? What quirky trend do you think will dominate social media as we head to a new year? Always happy to chat on Twitter, you can reach me (Jess) directly at @jessicapardoePR.

Why Is Press Coverage So Important For A Business?

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Being featured in newspapers, magazines, on radio and TV is an unparalleled win for a business. It’s a remarkable way to cultivate influence, establish yourself in your industry, and amplify brand awareness. However, many smaller businesses often face challenges in terms of both knowledge and time when attempting to establish their presence.

The good news is that with a dash of knowledge and a PR team behind you, together we can master your media coverage journey.

 

The Power of Press Coverage

Press coverage can be a game-changer for businesses of all sizes. It’s like an amplifier that broadcasts your achievements, products, and stories to a wider audience. From boosting brand visibility and credibility, to attracting potential clients and investors, press coverage opens doors that might otherwise remain closed.

In today’s digital age, press coverage has transcended traditional print and broadcast mediums. Online articles, social media shares, and digital platforms give your story an extended shelf life. A well-placed article can generate a ripple effect, as readers share, comment, and engage with your content across the vast expanse of the internet. This amplification can drive organic traffic to your website, expand your online presence, and spark conversations that can shape your brand narrative.

Navigating the Time Maze

Crafting compelling press coverage takes time – time that many business owners often find themselves lacking. This is where a skilled PR team shines. We’re your dedicated time-savers, using our expertise to define and target the most appropriate media outlets for your business. Your focus remains on your core operations, while we work tirelessly to ensure your story gets the attention it deserves.

And when the opportunity for coverage knocks, timing is crucial. A PR team is prepared to seize these moments without hesitation. They have the flexibility to scale their efforts based on the urgency of the situation, whether it’s a breaking news story, a product launch, or an industry event. By having a team dedicated to monitoring, strategizing, and executing press opportunities, you ensure that no chance for impactful coverage slips through the cracks.

Pitch Perfect Strategy

The art of pitching is where a PR team truly shines. In a world where attention spans are shorter than ever, conciseness is key. A pitch that rambles on risks losing the attention of time-strapped journalists. A PR team understands the art of concise communication, distilling your story into a punchy yet informative message that grabs attention from the first sentence. Every word is carefully chosen to convey your story’s essence without overwhelming the reader.

We craft pitches that resonate with journalists and editors, focusing on what makes your story relevant, unique, and newsworthy. By tailoring our approach, we increase the likelihood of your story catching their eye and earning a place in their publication.

Tapping into the Right Connections

Ever heard the phrase “it’s not just what you know, but who you know”? In the world of PR, this rings true. Our extensive network of media contacts spans different industries and locations. This means we know exactly who to approach for specific topics, giving your story a higher chance of being picked up by the right people in the right places.

The Follow-Up Game

Getting a pitch accepted is just one step in the process. The follow-up is where the magic happens. We don’t just send a pitch and cross our fingers; we meticulously follow up, nurturing relationships and addressing any concerns. Our persistence ensures that your story remains on the radar until it’s a published reality.

Managing Expectations, Delivering Results

Here at Source PR, we believe in transparent communication. Managing client expectations is a cornerstone of our approach. While we work thoroughly to secure press coverage, it’s important to remember that not every pitch will result in an immediate feature. Sometimes, it’s about timing, the news cycle, or the angle. Rest assured, we’re committed to continuously refining our strategy and delivering tangible results.

 

In conclusion, press coverage is a potent tool that can elevate your business to new heights. Yet, navigating the complex world of media requires finesse, time, and an insider’s perspective. A dedicated PR team like ours can be your guiding light, ensuring your stories are strategically targeted, perfectly pitched, and relentlessly pursued. By enlisting our expertise, you gain more than just press coverage – you gain a partner dedicated to propelling your business forward.

 

Ready to take the plunge and harness the power of press coverage? Contact us today and embark on your new PR journey with Source.