AI Wins, Hashtag Bans & Birthday Madness!
AI Wins, Hashtag Bans & Birthday Madness!
We've got AI court battles, Instagram getting cosy with Spotify, and Elon having another aesthetic meltdown over hashtags.
July's already flying by faster than a TikTok trend, and the social media world has been having quite the month. We've got AI court battles, Instagram getting cosy with Spotify, and Elon having another aesthetic meltdown over hashtags.
Plus, we've got some fun team updates!
But first, what's been happening in the wild world of social media...
💎 SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES
💎 Meta wins big in AI copyright battle
Remember that whole drama about AI companies "borrowing" copyrighted material to train their models? Well, Meta just had a massive court win that's got everyone talking.
A federal judge ruled that Meta didn't violate copyright law when training their AI models on original works - including books by comedian Sarah Silverman and other authors. The judge's reasoning? Meta's use was "transformative”, and they weren't trying to create competing works.
The judge essentially said that on a case-by-case basis, where someone can prove their work has been directly copied and they've been harmed financially, they'll probably win. But this broad-scale lawsuit didn't have enough evidence of actual market damage.
What does this mean for everyone else?
AI companies can probably keep using publicly available content for training, but individual creators might still have a shot at protection if they can prove direct copying and harm. It's messy, but that's what happens when new technology meets old copyright laws.
💎 Instagram and Spotify team up
You can now listen to music previews when someone shares a Spotify track in their Stories, instead of just getting a boring link.
This might not sound revolutionary, but it's another step in Instagram's mission to become the TikTok replacement if the whole US ban thing happens. Music discovery and sharing is huge on TikTok, so Instagram's making sure they're ready to swoop in.
You've been able to add music to Stories forever, but now the Spotify integration works properly. Small wins, people.
💎 TikTok's getting into the group chat game
TikTok's testing something called "Bulletin Boards", basically their version of Instagram's Broadcast Channels. Creators and brands can now share updates, photos, and videos with their followers in a one-way messaging format.
Think of it as a VIP newsletter that lives in your DMs. Followers can react but can't reply back, which is probably a blessing for anyone who's ever had to manage a chaotic group chat.
Some big names like Paris Saint-Germain and the Jonas Brothers already have hundreds of thousands of followers on their boards. It's another way for brands to share exclusive content and keep their audience engaged beyond just posting videos.
💎 Elon Musk declares war on hashtags
In what can only be described as peak Elon behaviour, X has banned hashtags from all promoted posts because Musk thinks they're an "aesthetic nightmare."
Now, Twitter's old ad team had been telling advertisers to ditch hashtags for years because they can distract from the actual call-to-action. But completely banning them? That's pure Elon.
The logic makes some sense, if you want someone to click your link or follow your account, you don't want them wandering off to explore a hashtag instead. But completely removing the option seems a bit extreme, especially for branded campaigns.
Still, it's his platform.
💎 LinkedIn embraces video everything
LinkedIn's jumped on the video bandwagon with both feet; you can now add video covers to your articles and newsletters instead of just static images.
The videos play right in your feed, which could be brilliant for grabbing attention. LinkedIn recommends keeping them around 30 seconds and in 16:9 format.
This makes sense when you consider that videos on LinkedIn are 20x more likely to be shared and get 1.4x more engagement than other posts. If you're publishing articles or newsletters on LinkedIn, this could be a game-changer for getting eyeballs on your content.
💎 Exciting partnership alert!
We're excited to announce our partnership with the brilliant team at First Frame! After years of having a rock-solid relationship with Ryan and his crew, it feels like the most natural next step to start collaborating.
We've always believed that working with genuine human beings makes all the difference, and Ryan and the 1st Frame team are exactly that. Real people who care about the work they do and the clients they serve. That's exactly the kind of partnership we want to be part of.
What do First Frame do?
First Frame are the video marketing experts you've been looking for. While we handle your written content, social media strategy, and all things marketing-related, they're the ones who'll make you look brilliant on camera (even if you think you're camera-shy).
They specialise in everything from CEO and leadership content that builds your personal brand, to case study videos that showcase your success stories properly. Whether you need monthly video content to keep your social channels fresh, personal branding content that actually connects with your audience, or want to learn how to create professional-looking videos with just your smartphone, they’re here to help!
They've got some excellent new packages that'll suit different budgets and needs, so it's definitely worth having a conversation about what might work for your business.
Why mix written and video content?
Think of it this way - if written content is your marketing foundation, video content is the bit that makes people actually stop scrolling and pay attention. Together, they get people engaging with your content, work for different types of people (some love reading, others prefer watching), make your brand message much stronger, get shared more often, and convert browsers into buyers.
Get in touch with First Frame:
💎 TEAM UPDATES
Jem's European adventure and birthday boy celebrations
Our fearless leader Jem recently escaped to Bucharest for a few days with her good friends, and it sounds like it was exactly what she needed. Amazing pools, incredible food, and great company - sometimes you just need to get away and remember that there's life beyond client calls and content calendars.
But the real celebration was Charlie's 13th birthday! We still can't believe our honorary SocialJems team member is officially a teenager. To celebrate, the family headed off to Wales for a holiday, where Charlie got to indulge in his favourite pastime - opening packet after packet of Pokémon cards.
Happy birthday Charlie!🥳Thirteen feels like a big milestone, and we're sure you'll handle being a teenager with the same enthusiasm you bring to everything else.
Between holidays and birthday celebrations, Jem's been busy doing what she does best - talking to clients, bringing in new business, and working ridiculously hard (seriously, the woman doesn't know how to stop). She's also been diving deep into exploring AI and how it can work alongside marketing, which we'll be sharing more about soon.
The morgenmuffel finally wins the beach weather debate
After six months of Sarah insisting it was beach weather while everyone else reached for their coats, she's finally been vindicated! The Morgenmuffel managed to convince her friends that yes, it really was warm enough for a swim, and off they went to the beach.
She also had some lovely visits recently - friends came up to see her, and she spent time with Joe's family, including her favourite niece. There were arcade adventures (because Sarah never says no to winning stuffed animals) and more beach trips.
Between all the swimming and socialising, Sarah's back to doing what she loves most - creating amazing content for our clients.
💎Twinnie's Blissful Month
Sarah (aka Twinnie) has had what can only be described as a gloriously smooth month and frankly, she deserves it after all the chaos of recent months!
She's been making the most of quality time with her partner Brian, and there's something lovely about seeing her truly appreciate the simple moments in life. You know when someone just seems more content with everything? That's Twinnie right now.
Her new favourite hobby? Strategic napping. And we're not talking about those accidental desk snoozes we all pretend didn't happen - we're talking about full-on, guilt-free, champion-level napping.
When she's not perfecting her nap technique, she's been spending loads of time with her gorgeous dogs. Beach trips have become a regular thing too - because nothing says "living your best life" like sand between your toes and salty air in your lungs.
Family time has been high on the priority list as well. Sometimes the best months are the ones where you're not rushing around like a headless chicken but actually enjoying the people and moments that matter most.
We love seeing Twinnie in this happy, relaxed phase!
💎 READY TO JOIN THE SOCIALJEMS CREW?
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