Now, more and more platforms are trying to piggyback on the success that TikTok has had with capturing attention through vertical video.

Heck, I even remember Netflix trying to do that as well.

I remember them having their own vertical video feed for a while.

Well, I think things have come full circle.

We have Shorts on YouTube, Reels on Instagram and Facebook, vertical video on Reddit.

Even X is going to try to become a video-first platform.

And now, finally, LinkedIn has added a video feed button on mobile.

I personally have enjoyed scrolling through a feed full of business professionals sharing advice, tips, and overall educational content.

I think vertical video on LinkedIn is still pretty early.

If start creating vertical video content for LinkedIn, it will be extremely easy to grab attention and capitalize on all the free reach.

I made the mistake of not going harder in 2022 when creating content on Instagram's Reels.

So I guess the message with this post is that vertical video right now is everywhere.

You don't have to focus on trying to create a ton of different content.

You just have to focus on creating one video and sharing it to all the platforms.

And now that LinkedIn is seemingly embracing vertical video, right now is the perfect time to capitalize on all that potential free attention.

So don't make the mistake of skipping out on posting video to LinkedIn.

You’re still early and you can still build an audience.

And if you're ever on LinkedIn, feel free to connect with me.

I'd love to engage with you over there!

I was recently reading the book Day Trading Attention by Gary Vaynerchuk.

He mentioned that the way to win on LinkedIn in the B2B space is by treating your page like an industry magazine.

He explained that the best way to create content is as if you were the leading magazine in your industry.

Treat every post you share with the intent to educate, inform, and create interest.

In other words, don’t use your LinkedIn page solely to advertise your services.

The goal is to be seen as the expert within your space.

Every post signals your expertise and your ability to solve your customers' problems.

Here are a couple ideas for posts you can do to begin to establish yourself as the expert:

• How-To Guides & Tutorials

• Industry News & Insights

• Case Studies & Success Stories

• Best Practices & Tips

• Behind-the-Scenes Content

• Industry Challenges & Solutions

• Interviews with Experts

• Interactive Polls & Questions

• Infographics & Visual Content

• Myths & Misconceptions

• Q&A or AMA (Ask Me Anything)

I didn’t go to school for marketing, but a lesson I had to learn quickly in the social media marketing space is that you should always create content with the audience in mind.

So, when writing your next set of posts, try to think about what your ideal client would actually want to read and see on their feed.

What would help them the most?

If you start with this mindset, your content will improve drastically, and your audience will appreciate it.

Until next week.

Threads seems to be a wild card at the moment.

Likes and reach aren’t easy to come by on the platform.

Enter Business Insider reporter Katie Notopoulos.

She recently explored how the Threads algorithm operates by conducting a “rage baiting” experiment.

She posted a series of controversial questions designed to provoke strong emotional responses from users.

The experiment revealed that posts generating numerous comments are prioritized in the Threads feed more than those with high re-shares or Likes.

This suggests that Threads’ algorithm emphasizes fostering discussions over other forms of engagement.

Meta, the company behind Threads, aims to create a more positive platform compared to Twitter/X, where Likes and re-posts predominantly drive reach.

By prioritizing posts that encourage meaningful conversations, Threads not only promotes active user interaction but also supports Meta’s broader initiative to develop generative AI models.

Human-generated discussions, especially those involving questions and answers, are valuable for training AI chatbots.

For users looking to enhance their presence on Threads, the key takeaway is to focus on asking questions.

Whether straightforward or divisive, question-based posts are likely to receive a boost in visibility due to the algorithm’s preference for engaging discussions.

This approach not only increases interaction but also aligns with Meta’s strategy to leverage user conversations for advancing AI.

Whether or not you are wanting your content to be used to train AI chatbots, it’s clear that content that caters to Meta’s goals will win.

So will you be adjusting your content accordingly?

Until next week

We've been busy moving to our new home, which involved a full week of boxing up, unboxing, assembling furniture, and setting everything in place.

We even stayed up till 5AM one morning moving things (shoutout to my brother for helping out the whole time).

Now, we're finally settled in, and my office is up and running again!

There have been so many developments in the world of social media over the past couple of weeks.

Let's dive into a few of the notable ones:

Head of Instagram shares a couple tips on how to improve your content’s performance:

Chief Adam Moserri says that sharing your posts to your stories isn’t a bad thing:

“Posting a Reel to your Stories will help a bit with reach. Usually, for most people, your feed posts get a lot more reach than your Stories, and this is because there’s a ton of Stories inventory, so there’s a lot more competition relative to feed. But it will just generally be additive, so it’s a good practice, as long as it’s not something that annoys your followers.”

He also says that people should consider doing more collaborations with each other:

“In general, the ranking system [for Collab posts] biases more towards the original collaborator than the person who accepts. It really shouldn’t matter, but right now it matters a bit, so if the original collaborator is the larger account, that will help on the margins.”

You can now comment on Instagram Stories:

Instagram is making a big push to encourage engagement on their platform.

I think this edition is pretty fun and it will likely lead to people connecting over your content in better ways.

This can be turned off or on by searching “comments” then clicking “stories” while in your Instagram settings.

You can now use the sticker and text feature in feed posts:

This new feature is really exciting for me.

It means that you can create posts from scratch with ease based off of simple images in your photo gallery.

I personally have been using them to create quote posts on my page.

These posts were all created using this new feature:

To use this new feature, simply create a new post on Instagram, select a photo, and click on the text, image, or sticker options to add what you’d like to your photo.

Other news:

Brazil recently blocked people in their country from using the platform X.

With this recent ban, X users have shifted over to other platforms like “Threads” and “Bluesky (the lesser known Twitter clone).”

Bluesky even reported to add 2 million new users to their platform in just a few days.

I know I've barely scratched the surface of all the developments this week.

Keep an eye out for another email soon—there’s so much more to share!

Until next time ✌️

Over the last couple of weeks LinkedIn has begun rolling out it’s own version of a vertical video feed.

If you scroll through your LinkedIn feed, you’ll notice a vertical video carousel titled “videos for you.”

Once you click on one of these videos, it’ll all pull you into a vertical video feed similar to how Instagram’s reels tab or TikTok looks.

You can then begin to scroll through an unlimited amount of videos that are algorithmically based on what you like to consume.

In July, LinkedIn reported that 1.5 million pieces of content are now being uploaded to their platform every minute with video being the leading content type. 

This goes to show that vertical video is not going anywhere anytime soon and platforms are noticing an opportunity to capitalize on this type of content.

The positive is that you can upload vertical video to essentially any platform and have a chance for it to perform extremely well.

So the question is, will you start consuming content on LinkedIn in this manner?

Will you lean into it in your own content marketing strategy?

Until next Friday,

Isaac Wooden

About a month ago Instagram CEO Mosseri said the metric they focus on when ranking posts in the feed is no longer primarily likes or saves.

They said that they are focusing on “shares.”

Meaning that if your post gets likes but not shares it won’t perform as well as something that was shared to a story or DM.

Meme pages and comedians are a couple of types of accounts that my feeds are full of these days.

Don’t get me wrong - I like comedians and memes, but I also know my feeds used to be full of motivational and thought provoking content (not necessarily) something you jump to sending to a friend.

Essentially the way to win on Instagram is to focus on the shareability of your posts.

Something we all need to think about is how our content is evoking emotion in our viewers.

Anyways, I threw a lot of my thoughts and predictions in a YouTube video:

It’s an infographic that explains what makes up the emotions behind why content goes viral.

I think it’s important to invoke some sort of emotion in our content and specifically an emotion that would cause someone to want to share our content.

After looking through these graphics - do you see your content fitting into any of these categories?

Until next Friday,

Isaac

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If you're already familiar with this lead generation funnel, that's great.

If not, buckle up.

Here’s a breakdown of the funnel, starting from the beginning:

Step 1: Build an Optimized Instagram Profile

• Profile Picture: Ensure it's clean and professional. It doesn't need to be overly formal—this isn’t LinkedIn, after all—unless that suits your style.

• Bio: Clearly state what you do, why you're credible, and a short call to action.

• Call to Action: Include a brief call to action for your link in bio. It could be something free or simply a Calendly link.

• Aesthetic Feed: Your Instagram profile should be treated like a business card or storefront. Aim to make it aesthetically pleasing and trustworthy.

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Part 2: Choosing the Right Ads

Let's discuss the types of ads you might want to run. There are two main types:

• Follower Ads: These are designed to offer value, encouraging people to like the ad and follow you.

• Direct Call-Out Ads: These ads target your ideal client, speak directly to their needs, and encourage them to send you a message for more information or follow you to learn more. This type of ad is excellent for filtering out unwanted followers, but it can be more expensive and may not perform as well.

As long as you have step three it’s not super important which ads type you run as long as you are attracting your ideal clients.

Step 3: Convert Traffic into Appointments

This step is crucial.

You can attract all the traffic in the world to your pretty profile, but if you're not converting those visitors or messages into calls, you won't fill your calendar.

This is where an appointment setter comes in.

Your appointment setter should be sending messages to people who:

• Like your ads

• Send you DMs

• Follow you

Typically, these individuals work off a script tailored to your brand's voice.

Their primary goal is to convert this traffic into a call booked on your calendar.

The best appointment setters treat every DM like a casual conversation.

Their aim is to make the the person like you, trust you, and share their pain points with you.

Then they ask the person if they’d like some help solving their pain point (the service you offer) and send them a link to your calendar.

Thanks for reading this one.

This funnel is pretty simple.

A variation of this strategy helped me earn over six-figures online.

Anyways, I hope this helps.

If you have any questions feel free to send me a message here or on Instagram, @isaacjwooden

One of the key building blocks for social media and perhaps the most important part is your bio.

An optimized bio has three key elements:

1. What you do

2. Your experience/ credibility

3. Call to action

Let’s take a look at a few great bios…

If you break each of these down you’ll see that they start out with what they do.

Then they lead into what they’re building and what makes them credible.

Next they provide you with a clear call to action (These are usually free just so they can get you into their ecosystem and start the sales process).

Building a great bio isn’t hard - so don’t overcomplicate it!

4 days ago, Instagram posted to TikTok for the first time.

That’s not entirely weird since social media platforms historically have had accounts on other social media platforms.

What is weird is their timing.

If you’ve been following the news, you’d know that TikTok has been in court over potential privacy violations for the last several months.

President Biden officially signed the bill to ban TikTok back in April.

So why is Instagram trying to build a following on TikTok all of a sudden?

Could it be that Mark Zuckerberg, owner of Instagram/Meta, is trying to acquire the platform?

This wouldn’t be anything new because back in 2012, he bought Instagram for $1B and in 2014, he bought WhatsApp for $19 billion.

These are only two of the long list of companies Zuck has bought over the last several years.

So what could this mean for creators?

If Meta were to buy TikTok, my immediate thoughts are:

1. Instagram would most likely go back to prioritizing photos over videos.

2. The platform's creator partnership program may decline, with Meta keeping more of the ad revenue rather than paying out to creators.

While this is all speculation, I do believe that there is a reason for Instagram’s sudden interest in posting on the TikTok platform.

But enough about what I think—what do you think the result of this potential acquisition will be?

Threads has expanded its capabilities within the fediverse, now allowing users to like and view replies from other federated social media platforms directly within Threads.

Previously, users would need to toggle between platforms like Mastodon to track responses to their posts.

YouTube Elevates Shorts with New Features

YouTube is enhancing the viewing experience for Shorts with the introduction of picture-in-picture mode for Android users, allowing Premium subscribers to watch Shorts while multitasking on their devices.

This update enables users to minimize the Shorts window and engage with other apps or check messages.

In addition to the picture-in-picture mode, YouTube is testing new functionalities, such as the ability to mention other users in comments through the @mention feature.

This is currently available to a select group of creators in the test phase, enabling them to link other channels directly in comments.

LinkedIn Unveils Premium Company Pages for Enhanced Engagement and Conversion

LinkedIn has introduced a new subscription option: the Premium Company Page, designed to help businesses stand out on the platform and convert more LinkedIn members into clients.

Some of the benefits include a custom call-to-action button for increased user interaction, insights into page visitors to expand your network, and the ability to showcase client testimonials and credibility highlights for trust-building.

Additionally, AI-powered post writing assistance and automatic invites for engaged users streamline content creation and follower growth.

A distinctive gold LinkedIn logo marks the premium status of the page.

Read more about the release

TikTok Announces AI Influencers

TikTok has unveiled Symphony, a suite of ad solutions powered by generative AI, at TikTok World 2024.

The new offerings include Symphony Digital Avatars and AI Dubbing for global translations, aimed at boosting creativity and productivity on the platform.

Symphony allows businesses, creators, and agencies to merge human creativity with AI efficiency, significantly enhancing content development.

Research indicates that TikTok-first ads increase purchase intent by 37% and brand favorability by 38%.

The platform's latest feature, Symphony Digital Avatars, introduces both stock and custom avatars, enabling brands and creators to produce personalized, multilingual content that resonates globally, increasing trust and engagement among TikTok users.

Read more about their new release

Previously, they did not intend to allow users to schedule posts on Threads because of concerns that it might change the platform's culture.

Although this announcement is somewhat surprising, it is not unexpected.

I believe that allowing everyone from small creators to large companies to schedule content on Threads will cause the platform’s culture to shift dramatically, resembling Twitter in its heyday.

We’re likely to see many more businesses and creators joining the platform to establish a presence and publish content.

This change will most likely result in the platform maturing even more quickly, with ads being added soon, and potentially taking X’s place as the “internet’s water cooler.”

However, there are potential challenges to consider.

The shift could lead to an increase in automated, less personal content, which might detract from the organic, community-driven feel that Threads currently offers.

Maintaining a balance between scheduled and spontaneous content will be crucial to preserving the platform's unique culture.

At the moment, this is my speculation on the future of Threads.

So, I guess the question is: will you be adding Threads to your social media marketing toolkit?

My plan with this is to share strategies, updates, and things I find interesting within the tech space.

I’ve been working in social media marketing for the last two and a half years, so I know people like to skim these things - so let’s hop into it.

5X your Instagram story views with this feature

People all over Threads and Instagram have been complaining/noticing the lack of reach on the Instagram platform.

It seems that Instagram is prioritizing viral content in it’s Reels feeds as well as Explore feeds.

So, it's hard to stand out.

It was a bit of a surprise to see my views on my IG stories jump from 600 average views to 5000 when I participated in a “share yours” story feature.

Nobody is 100% sure why the algorithm is favoring this so much right now, but historically, Instagram has always rewarded its creators for using its new features.

So, how do I use this strategically?

Last time I used this feature, I did not have a story posted already.

Creators like @brock11johnson have suggested that people also delete their stories or participate in this when they have no stories active.

Now, I don’t suggest just trying to participate in all of them.

Keep an eye out for ones that would help your brand.

This is a great opportunity to build trust, connection, and rapport with your audience.

Check out @addyoursextra; they’re a page dedicated to sharing stickers like this.

A deep dive into the state of Instagram with CEO Adam Mosseri

The YouTube channel, Colin and Samir, had an opportunity to sit down with Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri.

The interview is an interesting one to watch as Adam is seemingly open about everything from monetizing to growth to what is currently the standard for reach and engagement.

Adam expresses that the ratio of sends to impressions is what to watch for when analyzing a piece of content’s performance.

The standard historically has been likes to impressions.

If you want to take a deep dive into the episode, here it is:

iOS 18 has just dropped and it’s gonna be a big help to creators

On Monday, Apple announced their plans for iOS 18.

Essentially, Apple is doing a huge overhaul of their operating system and integrating AI into everything.

Their product reveal lasted two hours, so I definitely will not dig into all of it in this article, but there are two noteworthy additions.

First they are dropping the ability to use your iPhone from your Mac.

This will you give you the opportunity to use all of the apps and files that you have on your iPhone on your computer without ever picking up your iPhone.

This will make content creation and sharing even more seamless.

The second biggest thing is Siri getting a huge facelift.

Siri will be able to read through all of your apps, images, files, and text messages and provide you real-time responses and updates according to your questions and needs.

You essentially get Jarvis on iPhone. Pretty cool.

If you want to watch the recap or the full announcement, I will leave the links here:

The Short Recap from Apple
The Whole Event | WWDC 24
iOS 18 Preview

Make content creation easy: Tim Stoddart’s formula

I had the privilege to work with Tim Stoddart on his podcast for about a year and a half, and one of the things that I learned from him is how he creates content and builds systems.

I’ve really come to love his system for creating content. So here it is:

Elon hides likes on X

As of June 12, you can no longer view who has liked particular tweets on X.

Here’s the post announcing it: Post by X

You can still see the total like count on the tweet, but you cannot click and expand to see who has liked it.

The company says this is a privacy thing, but what do you think?

All right, that’s all for this article.

This week has been crazy in the tech world, and I am sure I did not get to everything that’s happened.

If I missed anything noteworthy, let me know. I would love to hear from you.

See you in the next one!