Social in Short

Social in Short: January 2022

Each month, our team of social experts dig through the trenches of the internet to find the biggest, best and most important news coming out of the social platforms we and our clients use daily.


Influencers’ increasing impact in the age of authenticity

Sideqik’s latest ebook, The 21st Century Social Circle, highlights the increasing importance of influencers on social media. Influencer marketing has become a billion dollar industry, with 2021 spending reaching almost 14B, and consumers are buying what they are selling: 70% of consumers trust influencer recommendations more than their real-life friends. 

What it means for brands: There is no end in sight for the influencer boom, but the influencers you select are key. Gone are the days of paying top dollar for high followings—engagement is king, and micro-level influencers (2.5k–100k followers) are leading the way. When looking for an influencer to promote your brand or product, look for someone who not only fits your audience, but someone who has an affinity for your brand already. 75% of consumers are more likely to trust a paid promotion when the influencer has mentioned the brand or product in the past.

See also: 5 Trends that will Dominate Influencer Marketing in 2022


Pinterest expects more engagement, spending from men in 2022

A recent study by Talkshoppe and Pinterest found that men are looking to spend big in 2022—especially when it comes to seeing movies, eating out and finding more family-friendly activities. Pinterest notes that men spend less time searching than women before purchasing, as well as being more likely to pay full price than waiting for sales.

What it means for brands: Let’s not forget that only 14.5% of users on Pinterest are men. While the users on Pinterest do tend to be more active and more likely to purchase, men are still less likely to be present on the channel. Until the distribution is more equal, we’ll stick with other platforms when trying to reach men.


Twitter testing new ‘Flocks’ option for more selective tweet sharing

Twitter is looking to borrow another feature from Instagram’s playbook with ‘Flocks,’ an option to share your tweets with a select group of individuals. People subscribed to your ‘flock’ will be notified when a tweet is sent. 

What it means for brands: With up to 150 users in a ‘Flock,’ brands could create curated lists of fans to highlight products, news and more. Since these tweets show up as an alert (or first in the timeline), it could be a great spot to activate brand advocates.


Other updates of note

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