In October 2022, there was news from YouTube. The video platform updates YouTube shorts features, while Twitter promotes platform sales in partnership with Shopify. Meta releases a call list feature for WhatsApp and shares repost information on Instagram. Finally, TikTok launches live streams for multiple participants.
Short videos can now be found on every platform besides TikTok, with Meta, TikTok, and Youtube competing for users. Read about the question of who is winning the short video race on the Kolsquare blog.
In July 2021, YouTube first launched their version of short videos, called YouTube Shorts, which are now available in 100 countries worldwide and viewed more than 6.5 billion times a day. In October 2022, YouTube released a new option to enhance the shorts, as creators can now add a voiceover.
As YouTube explains: “Add another layer of creative expression to your shorts by narrating what’s happening in your content (e.g., instructions, explanations, reactions, funny comments, or even adding your own new sounds and more).”
For creators, this is not an update they do not already know from TikTok and Instagram Reels, so it is not a revolutionary addition functionally, but for YouTube, the feature offers new ways to improve their own clips. They should definitely not forget the power of video marketing, especially since YouTube still has the monopoly regarding longer videos, although in turn TikTok also allows longer videos now.
So brands can use YouTube shorts to increase their brand awareness or expand their target audiences. Of course, you need to check whether shorts fit into your strategy and whether it makes sense for you to push your presence on the platform that belongs to Google.
You can now connect your Twitter profile to your Shopify store and link a carousel, similar to Instagram, of about 50 products for sale on your Twitter profile. These will be updated automatically and users will be taken directly to your store with just one click.
However, the update falls short of competing platforms in terms of functionality, as meta platform users do not even have to leave the respective app for the purchase process. In general, many platforms focus on expanding e-commerce capabilities as it increases engagement and income. TikTok, for example, charges a small commission for each sale, and although neither Instagram nor Facebook charges a fee, Meta recommends “sponsored ads” to business users to increase the reach of products to attract customers.
Read more about Shopify and influencer marketing on the Kolsquare blog:
With 360 million users, Twitter can be a lucrative target for your next influencer marketing campaign when extended with Shopify. Management remains simple partly because of the automatic syncing process and partly because of the Shopify dashboard.
As we know it from Zoom or Teams, it is now possible to share links for a WhatsApp call with friends, family or business partners.
At the end of September, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the update and that the company is also testing encrypted video calls with up to 32 people. We have been waiting for this capability for so-called WhatsApp communities since April 2022, and now it appears the feature is available to some, according to TechCrunch. So far, Meta has not published any further details about it, even though it can be assumed that the feature will be launched soon.
WhatsApp users can easily create a call link under the options to create a video call. As soon as the app provides a link, it can be shared in the chats and the video call can be started.
Instagram confirmed to TechCrunch that users will soon be able to repost posts and reels from other users. A spokesperson for the company wrote in an email to TechCrunch, “We’re exploring the ability to share posts in the feed – similar to how you can share in Stories – so people can share what they like and so the original creators are recognized for their work. We plan to test this with a small number of people soon.”
Social media consultant Matt Navarra first discovered the feature on Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri’s own Instagram account. Previously, users had to use third-party apps to re-share posts, reels or tagged photos.
Similar to how the repost icon on Instagram is reminiscent of Twitter’s, the concept of reposting also comes from the short messaging service. TikTok is also working on its own version of Twitter Retweets with a new repost button, but here the reposted videos are only sent to your friends’ “For You” feeds.
In recent months, the feature has been tested again and again, yet only now TikTok users have the option to invite up to five guests to their live stream and increase the interaction of the streams. Guests are given their own guest video boxes that are clearly identifiable to viewers.
Live streams with guests were introduced on TikTok in July 2021, when only one guest could be added in split-screen mode. The update is an opportunity for more live discussions, live TV sessions, and more, while allowing brands to showcase products. Overall, it makes it much easier to collaborate with influencers on the platform.
However, there is one catch. Only accounts with more than 1,000 followers can currently go live on TikTok, while only accounts with more than 5,000 followers can invite guests.
Kolsquare is Europe’s leading Influencer Marketing platform, offering a data-driven solution that empowers brands to scale their KOL (Key Opinion Leader) marketing strategies through authentic partnerships with top creators.
Kolsquare’s advanced technology helps marketing professionals seamlessly identify the best content creators by filtering their content and audience, while also enabling them to build, manage, and optimize campaigns from start to finish. This includes measuring results and benchmarking performance against competitors.
With a thriving global community of influencer marketing experts, Kolsquare serves hundreds of customers—including Coca-Cola, Netflix, Sony Music, Publicis, Sézane, Sephora, Lush, and Hermès—by leveraging the latest Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning technologies. Our platform taps into an extensive network of KOLs with more than 5,000 followers across 180 countries on Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat.
As a Certified B Corporation, Kolsquare leads the way in promoting Responsible Influence, championing transparency, ethical practices, and meaningful collaborations that inspire positive change.
Since October 2024, Kolsquare has become part of the Team.Blue group, one of the largest private tech companies in Europe, and a leading digital enabler for businesses and entrepreneurs across Europe. Team.Blue brings together over 60 successful brands in web hosting, domains, e-commerce, online compliance, lead generation, application solutions, and social media.
