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In this newsletter, you’ll find,

🤩 The Evolution of UGC: From Stale to Stellar

📈 Mark Zuckerberg’s Growing Shopping Empire: Facebook Marketplace Surpasses Amazon in Users

🎥 June Microsoft Advertising Updates: Video Ads, AI Tools, and More!

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UGC

🤩 The Evolution of UGC: From Stale to Stellar
^{Insights from Nativ Yanko}

Farewell to Traditional UGC, 2019-2024 😓 Yes, you read that right. The era of traditional user-generated content is over.

What’s No Longer Working:

Scripted Narratives: Content that feels forced and unnatural.
Poor Lighting: Bad visuals that detract from the message.
Generic Messages: Lack of originality and creativity.
Salesy Tones: Overly promotional content that turns viewers off.
Slow and Boring: Content that fails to engage quickly.

The New Era of UGC:

But here’s what’s thriving:

Strong Hooks: Content that starts with a bang, using psychological triggers.
Authentic Creators: Influencers and users who sound genuine and relatable.
Well-Crafted Content: Research-backed and meticulously written narratives.
Unique and Creative: Standout ideas that break the mold.
Platform Native: Content that feels right at home on the platform.
Human Alignment: Messages that resonate with real human behaviors and emotions.
Subtle Marketing: Ads that don’t feel like ads.
Innovative Visuals: Eye-catching and trend-riding graphics.
Trend-Responsive: Content that stays ahead of cultural and social trends.

Why the Shift?

Audiences have grown numb to the old, uninspired formats. This fatigue shows in the declining performance of traditional UGC.

The New Standard:

To stay ahead, you need systems that consistently produce high-quality, engaging content. This isn’t just about making videos—it’s about creating experiences that resonate and convert at scale.

Adapt or be left behind. The new wave of UGC demands innovation and authenticity. Are you ready to evolve?

To help you with this, there’s Insense! Ditch the clumsy campaign spreadsheets it is the end-to-end solution for UGC and influencer marketing campaigns, trusted by 1,700+ DTC brands and agencies. They also provide you with a dedicated platform manager to scale your UGC production and influencer campaigns, saving 40+ hours each month. Book a free strategy call by June 14 and get $200 for your first campaign.

MARKETPLACE WAR

📈 Mark Zuckerberg’s Growing Shopping Empire: Facebook Marketplace Surpasses Amazon in Users
^{Insights from Yahoo Finance}

Ethan Gaskill, a 29-year-old content creator, starts his day by checking Facebook Marketplace, hunting for unique second-hand items. His Los Angeles home boasts treasures like a thousand-dollar Herman Miller light for $400 and a $5,000 designer bed at 20% of its original price. Gaskill’s 220,000 TikTok followers are captivated by his finds, showcasing Facebook Marketplace as a reliable source for hidden gems.

A person poses in a photo shoot set made of items sourced from Facebook Marketplace during the "Facebook IRL" event, in New York

The Breakdown:

Marketplace Growth: Facebook Marketplace has skyrocketed in popularity, reaching 1.2 billion active users shopping monthly, a significant portion of Facebook’s 3.07 billion monthly active users. This growth has positioned Marketplace as a major contender against established e-commerce giants.

Competitive Edge: Meta’s second-hand market platform has long surpassed Craigslist’s user base and now rivals Amazon, which had 310 million monthly users in 2023. Marketplace is second only to eBay for second-hand purchases, with predictions suggesting it may soon overtake eBay.

User Trust and Ease: The platform’s success is attributed to its user-friendly interface and integration with Facebook Messenger, enhancing communication and transactions. The trust factor associated with Facebook further boosts its appeal.

Potential Impact: Charles Lindsey, a marketing professor at the University at Buffalo, sees Marketplace’s potential to dominate the second-hand market within the next few years. With its extensive user base and seamless functionality, it could reshape online shopping dynamics.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook Marketplace is rapidly evolving from an online garage sale to a formidable e-commerce giant. As it continues to grow, businesses and consumers alike should recognize its increasing influence in the digital marketplace.

MICROSOFT ADS

🎥 June Microsoft Advertising Updates: Video Ads, AI Tools, and More!
^{Insights from Microsoft}

Welcome to the June edition of the Microsoft Advertising product roundup! Discover new features designed to drive results with less effort.

The Breakdown:

Video and Connected TV Ads in Editor:

Manage Video and Connected TV ads in bulk using Microsoft Advertising Editor.
Create campaigns and upload video creatives directly in the Editor.
Update to the latest version and select “get changes” for device targeting based on the campaign type.

Netflix Inventory for Connected TV Ads:

Access Netflix inventory for Connected TV campaigns in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Australia.
Accept the Netflix inventory policy in your ad group settings and ensure video quality meets Netflix’s standards.
Track ad placements using the Website URL publisher report.

Generative AI for Banner Asset Creation:

Copilot in Microsoft Advertising now supports creating and customizing banner assets for display ads using generative AI.
Available for Performance Max, Responsive Search, Native, and Display ads, it recommends image and copy assets based on your landing page URL.
AI-recommended assets for Video ads will be available soon.

Upgrading Smart Shopping Campaigns to Performance Max:

Smart Shopping campaigns will transition to Performance Max with a 1-2 week learning period.
Setup, reporting, and performance history remain unchanged.
Opt to upgrade earlier by selecting Edit Upgrade to Performance Max.

New Language Support:

The platform now supports Thai, Turkish, Korean, Russian, Dutch, and Filipino.
Change your language in Settings > My settings, select your preferred language next to Display language, and hit Save.

Summer Games 2024 Audience Opportunities:

Utilize the Summer Games 2024 in-market audience to target users interested in sports news.
Promote your products to this engaged audience across search, native, display, and video campaigns.

Microsoft Will be back after the U.S. holiday on July 9 with more updates.

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📱U.S. consumers, just 4% of the global population, account for nearly 25% of the $2.3 trillion global media spend. In 2023, they spent $1,552 per capita vs. $387 globally. Mobile media led at $544.48 billion while wireless data led at $283.75 billion.

📽️ YouTube introduces new AI tools for content creators in the revamped “Inspiration” tab, offering AI-driven video ideas based on trends and successful videos from similar channels.

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