Threads, Meet Ads; Everyone, Meet Edits

Putting “Ads” in “Threads”

Finally, thread brands can buy ads. A small group of brands anyway.

Almost a year and a half after threads first hit the internet in July 2023, Meta is finally starting to flirt with monetization in the US and Japan, Bloomberg news.

The tests will only involve “a handful of brands,” according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, and will be developed with “aim to get thread ads on a a place where they are just as interesting as organic content. “

This shouldn’t be difficult, given that threads have a reputation for “brand on brand” like Wired Put it back after the first launch of the platform.

All kidding aside, brands aren’t the only ones using fibers. As of December, there are now over 300 million monthly active users and 100 million daily active users. (Although we should point out that this was before all the recent changes to the Meta’s review and moderation policies.)

A feather in your hood

Speaking of Threads, a shameless Twitter clone, Meta is also trying to copy and paste an alternative to Capcut, the Creative Production and Editing tool that is Tiktok’s sister app.

Last week, Meta announced What is it called … editing. Hopefully, the app’s features are more creative than its name.

Unlike the thread, which Mark Zuckerberg believes could reach 1 billion users—he said from the start—the edits are for a relatively niche group of creators, as opposed to the occasional video host.

Capcut is a low-key significant differentiator that creates a legitimate moat for the Tiktok business and provides posts on the platform with their particular creative “vibe”. Even without the Tiktok watermark, many Instagram reels are just vids feel As if they were reposted from Tiktok. This is because they were edited with Capcut.

The Meta itself has changed its policy from outright blocking of Tiktok watermarked reels to its current state of formal disapproval. Accounts can share videos with a Tiktok watermark, but those posts are removed by the algorithm.

Smash this Slop button

The YouTube creator community is angry about the platform’s new generative AI designs, Aftermath news.

It started a month ago when YouTube introduced a new version of “Inspiration card“To the creator of the studio. Formerly known as “Research” tab Before being redesigned in June, the feature showed popular trending topics, highlighted existing videos from similar channels, and ranked new search terms based on a viewer’s potential interest.

Now, the Inspiration tab also generates titles, full outlines, and even thumbnail images to help creators find new ideas for future projects. Except his ideas aren’t very good.

According to screenshots video game essayists shared with Aftermath, the algorithm often suggests ideas that feel derivative or that tension of videos it has already published. Not to mention recommending topics that can’t be covered, like video games that don’t exist and generating thumbnails with wrong text.

The real kicker, writes Aftermat’s Nathan Grayson, is that the platform itself often rates these ideas as “low interest” (or “total snoozers,” in his words) to the creator’s audience.

Anyone using these suggestions? Likely. YouTube is a big place after all. But if this willingness is any indication, don’t expect higher quality creators to join.

But wait! There is more

Here’s what could complicate selling Tiktok in the US. [Adweek]

Creators are divided on whether to use the Tiktok Capcut editing app after Tiktok shut down and returned. [Digiday]

The EU plans to grill social media companies about their ability to curb disinformation ahead of the German election. [Reuters]

Daniel Guarnera, a DOJ attorney who worked on the Google advertising case, was selected for the key FTC position. [Bloomberg]

The Meta’s Dei Pivot has yet to affect its lower bound. [Business Insider]

You are hired

Dentsu hires IAB’s Jeffrey Bustos to build retail media measurement. [Adweek]

Consumer Insights Company Azira Names Stephanie Bunnell SVP of Global Marketing. [release]