by Tod Maffin and Steph Gunn
Today's News
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Why “Should” Drives Engagement
Your ad copy might be lacking words that could change everything.
Research shows that using words that highlight gaps between the current state and an ideal one, such as should, could, and lacking, can boost engagement by up to 20%.
The power of a simple change
Imagine launching a service with a unique flat fee structure, unlike your competitors’ pay-per-use models. When crafting your tagline, a subtle change can make all the difference:
ACME Solutions – No need to worry about how much you use
ACME Solutions – You shouldn’t have to worry about how much you use
Research suggests that the second option is likely the most effective at grabbing attention and driving engagement.
Why it works
According to the study, when people encounter words like should, want, wish, or desire, it highlights the gap between the way things currently are and the way they'd like them to be.
These words trigger psychological reactions that drive actions, like engaging with an ad or social media post.
However, how much someone engages depends on how personally meaningful the message feels. For instance, when people feel a lack of control, they focus more on themselves and pay more attention to relatable content.
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Canada Orders TikTok to Cease Operations
Canada has officially banned TikTok's business operations.
Yesterday, the Canadian government ordered that the Chinese-owned company “wind up” its business in the country due to national security concerns.
National security scrutiny
This decision follows a multi-step national security review process, which revealed potential risks tied to TikTok’s planned expansion in Canada. Based on these findings, the government advised blocking the company’s operations.
No full ban… yet
Unlike the U.S., which is pushing for a nationwide TikTok ban, Canada’s move stops the platform’s expansion but lets users continue using the app.
TikTok, however, is not backing down and said it will challenge the order in court.
What Reddit's Growth Means for Ads
Reddit’s recent spike in traffic is hard to ignore.
As we reported last week, the platform has seen a 45% increase in daily active users, from 66 million to 97 million over the past year, outpacing every other social app’s growth.
But does that make it a better platform for advertising?
The Google effect
Social Media Today reports that Reddit's deal with Google has boosted its visibility, with its content now showing up 4x more in search results. This partnership has helped Reddit grow to 365 million Weekly Active Users, a more than 50% increase from last year.
Unlike most social apps, Reddit’s daily-to-weekly usage is much higher, suggesting that people use the app less consistently.
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YouTube Lets Shorts Creators Court Brands
YouTube is flipping the script when it comes to brand deals for Shorts creators.
The platform has announced a new process that will let creators take the lead in securing brand partnerships to sponsor their content.
How it works
With the update, Shorts creators can post brand-related content and ask brands directly if they'd like to feature the video in their campaigns.
Previously, creators could only accept video linking requests from advertisers through emails or YouTube Studio notifications.
Now, creators in YouTube’s Partner Program with more than 4,000 subscribers have the ability to send these requests directly.
YouTube will recommend creator-initiated tagged content to brands, and if they choose to run ads, these links will function like advertiser-initiated links.
Creators don't get a cut of any ads that run using their content.
In other news:
YouTube is also rolling out an updated “Data Story” feature, which will provide an overview of your latest video’s performance within the first 24 hours.
The platform is also testing a new “Most Relevant” comment filter, designed to highlight questions and other comment types that may invite responses.
Snapchat Adds Ad Placement Verification
Snapchat has expanded its partnership with third-party verification provider DoubleVerify, by adding ad placement verification.
How it works
This integration lets advertisers check ad placements, and whether their ads are being displayed alongside harmful or inappropriate content. The tool lets advertisers align their brand promotion with suitable content based on the parameters they've set.
The update builds on Snapchat’s partnership with DoubleVerify, which already provides ad viewability and fraud verification for Snap campaigns.
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Microsoft Updates Shopping Audience Campaigns
Microsoft has made a couple of changes to Shopping Audience campaigns.
First, the setup workflow for creating Shopping Audience campaigns has been simplified.
You can also now create Product Groups, bringing Shopping Audience campaigns in line with regular Shopping Search campaigns.
If you’re running an existing campaign, Microsoft said you can opt into this feature by visiting the product group page and selecting “Create first product group.” Furthermore, product groups will automatically be created for any new Shopping Audience campaigns.
This update is optional and won’t impact the performance of current campaigns.
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