This newsletter is a 10 but...
Just Another Day in Social Media. 😉
This will be the last newsletter until Monday, Aug. 22nd as I take a break for summer. But I leave you with this earworm. It was 10 years ago that Psy's Gangnam Style music video debuted on YouTube, and it made history as the first-ever music video to reach 1 billion views (it currently has 4.4 billion+ views). YouTube recently celebrated by asking people to tweet them a pic that they then added to the Gangnam Style video. A great example of how brands can engage their communities for big milestones. ⭐️
Here are today's top stories:
WYNTK about the latest trending memes
Facebook tests multiple accounts
Instagram Notes slide into your DMs
And Emmanuel, don't do it!
If I text you 🪺 it means...
I've really been enjoying the James Webb Space Telescope memes, like these ones compiled by BBC Science Focus Magazine. I've also noticed some new memes floating around, but I haven't had a chance to really dig into them, so I thought I would use this week's newsletter to see what's trending in one of my favourite forms of social media communication. Let's go!
What is a Meme?
Ok, before we dig into the latest trending memes, I thought it might be worthwhile to clarify what they are exactly. If you really want an in-depth analysis, the NY Times published an article in February on The Meaning and History of Memes. It's a pretty good read, but so many definitions! My favourite quick definition is from the Oxford Dictionary: an image, a video, a piece of text, etc. that is passed very quickly from one internet user to another, often with slight changes that make it humorous. I would also add that they often become like an inside joke to users who truly understand what they mean, which is why I like to do a lot of research before using one. (You never know when one has gone sideways).
"He's a 10 But"
If you've noticed posts that say something like "He/she's a 10 but..." followed by some characteristic, you've stumbled across a meme started on TikTok by sisters Mary and Leah Woods. According BuzzFeed News, the sisters started it as a way to rate whether to date someone. The idea was to start with a number from 1 to 10, and then add a characteristic that shifts it either up or down (the responses can be just as funny as the tweets). Here is an example. However, there has been concern that some men are using it to make sexist jokes. But it's still pretty light-hearted at this point, so I say brands can proceed with some caution.
If I Text You
There's a Twitter meme floating around that combines emojis with a random meaning for that emoji. It is set up as: "If I text you [insert emoji] it means..." followed by a silly or outlandish definition. An example from @TheDJRello: "When I text you "🎬" it means I'm about to make a scene in this bitch." My favourite is when they are combined with an image, like this one. This meme trend definitely leans on the sexual side, so I say definitely proceed with caution if you're tweeting from a brand account.
Instagram Meme Accounts
While a lot of memes circulate on Twitter and TikTok, there are definitely some good Instagram meme accounts. Here are a few:
@workinsocialtheysaid
@sainthoax
@fuckjerry
Let me know if there are any others you like!
SOCIAL SNACKS
Facebook Tests Multiple Accounts
Not happy with one Facebook profile? You might soon be able to have as many as five! Meta is conducting a test that would allow users to have up to four additional accounts, with the idea that you could segment what you share. For example, you might have an account for friends, for co-workers, for personal interests, etc., according to an article in The Verge. And users won't even have to use their real names on the sub accounts. All I have to say is — if this is an attempt to win back users, it's a bit odd. If you're not already using Facebook regularly, you probably don't want more accounts to manage.
Instagram Notes Slide Into Your DMs
If you've been in your Instagram Direct Messages recently, you might have noticed a new feature called "Instagram Notes." They appear right above your DMs. What are they? Think of them like Post-It notes that you can share with your "Close Friends" list or followers who follow you back, according to Later.com. They disappear in 24 hours, and can be 60 characters in length. Not sure why you would use these instead of a DM, but ok. And this is not to be confused with Twitter's new feature, also called Notes, which is a long-form content option currently being tested with a small group of content creators. Wondering who should use Twitter notes? Marketing Brew has this take.
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ICYMI
🔴 Meta tests new subscription features for creators on Instagram [Meta Blog]
🔴 TikTok introduces new tool to filter out words, videos and hashtags from your FYP and Following feeds [TikTok Blog]
🔴 Pinterest says searches containing "weight loss" have decreased 20% since introducing a weight loss ad ban [Pinterest Blog]
🔴 LinkedIn acquires EduBrite "to test and verify skills" [LinkedIn Blog]
🔴 Twitter Gaming reports record conversation volume for first half of 2022 [Twitter Blog]
GOOGLE LOSING OUT TO TIKTOK
Just Google It. That phrase may become outdated as younger generations change how we all search. According to recent comments from a Google exec, most young people don't start their searches in Google. “In our studies, something like almost 40% of young people, when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search,” said Google's Senior Vice President Prabhakar Raghavan. “They go to TikTok or Instagram.” Raghavan made the comments at the Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference, according to an article in TechCrunch.
WE ARE "EMU"SED
I have learned a lot about farming thanks to TikTok. However, I never knew that emus were so curious, but I do now — thanks to Emmanuel the Emu. The content for Knuckle Bump Farms, a hobby farm in South Florida, features a variety of animals, but Emmanuel just can't seem to resist videobombing. And more than that, he likes to knock the camera over, even as his owner warns him, "Emmanuel, don't do it!" This is one of the best examples. All I have to say is, #DoItEmmanuel
See you back here on Monday, August 22nd!
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