Criticism of clickbait

German courts have already fined clickbaits several times. Marketers should be aware of the risks associated with clickbait. Advertising has always had a manipulative character and appeals to instincts. However, the products and services advertised are usually fulfilling offers. Those who use clickbait as a business model online or in social media are forced to strike a balance. Disappointed expectations lead to customer dissatisfaction and boring content, on the other hand, is by far the least noticeable.

Clickbait quickly explained

Clickbait briefly explained here:

• Click bait
• Seduction to click on

Insta wants to stay number 3

After Facebook and YouTube, Instagram is number 3 among social networks with well over a billion users. PS: Number 3 apart from the Chinese market, where other apps are used. But TikTok is catching up and approaching the 1 billion user mark.

#foodporn and #travel – in the past, you remember?

Instagram has become famous as the social media network for photos. No matter if it is delicious food #foodporn or photos from the last vacation trip #travel. But since TikTok is gaining more and more market share and especially since the billion dollar investments are now also building up in Europe and the United States, I have to change Instagram as well.

However, unlike Instagram, TikTok is investing heavily in its own marketing. In Europe, they are even showing advertising on TV at the moment. This in turn shows that TikTok wants to expand its users. Currently, almost all users are under 20 years of age.

TikTok Download Figures current

The trend clearly goes in one direction, when looking at the current download numbers:

Number of TikTok downloads from the Apple App Store worldwide from January 2017 to October 2020(in millions)

You can find more statistics at Statista

TikTok impresses above all with its many video contents. Users can use songs by stars and sing or dance about them. The app was formerly called Musical.ly. Since re-branding, things have been going uphill. Of course, you could say that this already exists on YouTube! Right, but in the proven format for 4K TV, desktop, notebook, tablet or at most the smartphone in widescreen mode. Video content in upright format (i.e. mainly mobile) is consumed (new generation) especially on TikTok.

Now that Instagram has already placed the shopping function very present in the app, directly in the main menu, there is another change.

Data capacities and streaming behavior

As already described, photos in particular have made up the social network. So usually the algorithm preferred to play photos and photo galeries. In between there were small videos from time to time, but the focus was clearly on the image material of the users. At that time we hadn’t even reached the 3G network yet, today we were almost at 5G. Real-time data transmission is standard and so, with increasing bandwidth, the streaming behavior of the users has changed.

TikTok has been extremely successful with its mini video clips. Due to the high competition from TikTok, or rather their concept, Instagram is probably forced to play more video content. A very important aspect, after all it means that from now on you need more videos for your Instagram Marketing if you want to be considered by the algorithm.

Only a few days ago, 60% of your photos were saved, currently 95% are videos. So depending on which channels you follow, your own stream consists almost exclusively of videos. So if you do not only follow private accounts, e.g. of friends, you will see more and more videos due to the algorithm. This allows Instagram to stand up to TikTok.

To ensure that you don’t lose reach for your Instagram channel, whether for your own brand or for customers, you should increasingly rely on small videos. Of course, videos are much more challenging than creating visuals. But the change in the algorithm shows that the reorientation is worth it.

Why must Instagram take TikTok seriously?

User migration is now well known due to the development of social networks. In the past, kids used to meet at savings banks or on sports fields; today, people look for their own social network.

As the users of the social network grow older, the next generation will look for a new social network. To prevent users from migrating completely, technical innovations that are very popular must be adopted by the established social networks. The normal game of innovation.

Evolution of social networks

1. Ebay (comment function, social network 0.9)
2. MySpace
3. Facebook
4. Instagram
5. TikTok
6. … Next?

What is TikTok? Users and Marketing

If you haven’t visited the What’s TikTok? app yet, it’s quickest to explain than a video platform. It is specially designed for smartphones. The TikTokkers dance to songs known from Spotify, Charts & Co. This enables a special cooperation between TikTok and the music industry. That’s exactly why the app used to be called Musical.ly. Videos that are published here are usually 10 to 20 seconds long and very entertaining. Colorful filters are used, music is played, dancing and fun is made.

TikTok has now for the first time published numbers for Europe. According to its own information, there are over 100 million users and accounts. Worldwide there are currently about 800 million users, with more than half of the users coming from China.

Advertising on TikTok: Little competition

Proportion of companies using the following social media platforms worldwide in January 2020

TikTok Marketing Agency: Certified

Did you know? We are one of the few certified TikTok marketing agencies in Europe and Germany. If you want to learn more about the social network, read on here: TikTok Marketing.

Advantages of virtual models inside and outside the fashion world

Virtual models offer a very clear advantage: time does not exist. They are virtually immortalized, their career could last decades or even centuries. The aging process and the use of the model can be coordinated. Through virtual models, companies get a tempting opportunity to design a model that is aligned with the brand image and can be adapted to the exact target group. The look and personality of a virtual model can be tailored to the specific industry, so you can customize it for any sector, even outside the fashion world.

As a social media agency, there is of course an absolute new trend in the air.

Book virtual influencers?

CM Models is the first European provider. More information can be found here: Virtual Influencers.

Example: ASOS e-commerce and virtuality

The online store wholesaler ASOS presents products on such models on the so-called virtual catwalk. The ‘Virtual Catwalk’ offers consumers an effortless way to view products in real life. To make the most of this new in-app feature, ASOS users can point their smartphone camera at a flat surface and press the AR button. In this way, a realistic virtual reality model appears before their eyes to present the selected product.

Who is the model?

ASOS Live Fashion Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGX0yfr3wcA

Flexible photo and video production (content)

Another advantage is that you can mount any background. The need to travel to one place for a campaign no longer exists, which in turn has a positive effect on the environment. Costs are saved and additionally, in times of a pandemic, working can be continued without danger.

Short term hype? No

One thing can be clearly said, virtual models are not short-term hype! The tech start-up company Brud and at the same time the creator of Instagram-Sensaion ‘Lil Miquela’, received a seven-figure financing, in the future more art figures from different industries will populate the covers of our magazines and the social media.

Advantages at a glance

The biggest advantages at a glance:

• You are immortalized, your career could take decades, even centuries
• Companies can build their own virtual models / influencers
• Managing brand image
• Messages which are to be conveyed to the target group can be better controlled
• Appearance and personality can be tailored to specific industries
• Any background can be mounted
• Inexhaustible workspace
• No short term hype – seven digit financing reasons into the Tech start UP brother (Creator of Lil Miquela)
• In the future, more art figures from different industries will populate the social media

What does the future look like?

How fast do virtual models grow? The number of relevant virtual models and influencers is still manageable. But the popularity is growing more and more. The market size for influencers on Instagram is growing annually, worldwide by 50%, in 2019 the market value is 2.38 billion dollars. The virtual models work with the greatest designers of our time, have cross-industry collaborations with a wide variety of brands, from electronics to technology, fashion and cosmetics.

Range development via collaborations

The models build up reach, users and customers build an emotional connection to them, follow their lives, follow their steps. Their growth is so rapid that they sometimes overtake movie stars, singers, TV celebrities, athletes and other well-known flesh and blood people in their follower numbers. Collaboration with virtual models, increases the success of the brand on Instagram as they become more and more audible. Brands such as Dior collaborate with companies and have a virtual model report on their fashion show on the account.

The possibilities are growing and the potential is more and more recognized.

• The number of relevant fictional characters is still manageable
• Rapid growth of virtual models
• Working with them increases the success of brands on Instagram
• Market size for Instagram influencers is growing at 50% annually worldwide
• 2019 market value at $2.38 billion
• Users/ customers build up an emotional connection to virtual models
• Find followers faster than film stars, singers, TV celebrities & athletes

What makes virtual models so special?

Their appearance is amazingly real, their characters individual. Creations, which are breathed life into. They build up an image so that brands and users can identify with them. They are more diverse and changeable than ever before. The boundaries of space and time are removed by you. New ways and possibilities open up to address target groups and do marketing. Virtual models clearly stand out from the crowd. It is innovative, it is new and still a rarity. Virtual models and their beginnings are something that will be talked about in the far future. For companies it is currently only advantageous to give this idea a chance and be among the first before it has become normal. A company gets the opportunity to solve internal problems independently. It is clear that sooner or later everyone will try to get a piece of the cake. The discovery of new models is a big part in the fashion world and through virtual models the possibilities are endless.

Advertising campaign with Ella Stollar (EU)

This is how real digital influencers in advertising look.

Music video by Lil Miquela (USA) “Money”

Music video by Lil Miquela “Hard Feelings”

Already read? The interview with social media agency owner Stephan Czaja, on the topic of “Digital / Virtual Influencers” and their current market opportunities:

• Virtual Influencers / Interview in LOUT Magazine

The software came onto the market a year ago. Now there are some interesting innovations, so interesting that we take a closer look, what has changed at combin after a year? What new features and opportunities are there for social media managers?

• Our review of Combin 2.0

Why Software? Follower get through Likes / Comments

Especially the analysis of the own postings, clearly arranged on the notebook instead of the smartphone, makes Combin so practical for the daily social media management. What worked well, what didn’t? More about this in the part: “Home”. But with Combin 2.0 there are even more new features. So the search filter is even more powerful. If you’ve always wanted to effectively search the entire Instagram universe, here’s the right tool for the job. Whether inspiration or competitor analysis, with Combin you can search through all the contributions that ever existed. Combin not only allows you to search all Instagram Postings. You can also take a closer look at the users and their behaviour. More about this later in the section: “Search filters: Find popular postings”.

Test report: Combin 2.0 – New functions and updates

Basic technical features:

• Advanced Instagram Search
• User search analysis
• Follower Management
• Simple communication
• Sort + Preview
• Activity Statistics
• Combin 2.0

Problem solution Time + quality of interaction

Problem 1: Interaction costs time. If you want to gain organic reach, you have to comment and liken photos. With every comment and every like, people become aware of Instagram on you or your account. But who can afford a social media manager whose job is just likes and comments when there are important jobs in social media marketing such as content creation, community management or advertisements? The solution is automated linking, commenting and following.

Problem 2: “Just” just liken, comment and follow, as Instagram Bots do, is aimless and random. This causes problems for brands, because not every picture should be geliked. A practical example: Two hearts and the text “Love it” under a serious bodybuilder who is just presenting his training results. Fail! Combin has the solution by allowing you to search for specific content or users! The quality of the interaction increases extremely.

Especially in comparison to Instagram bots Combin is a real gain.

But, let’s start at the very beginning, for all those who use Combin for the first time:

Installation and setup of the App

If you are new, you have to download the Combin App once and log in with your own Instagram account.

Download the app

That’s how it works:

1. Download Combin App; currently available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux
2. E-mail address must be entered; then the download starts
3. Installation after downloading the file (.msi); the installation takes about 15 seconds (4 steps)
4. Login to one or more instagram accounts

Combin (Windows, Mac OS, Linux): Download

Start the app – test it for free

1. 1. After login all photos and videos of the Instagram channel

will be displayed.

Free account – Daily limits

• 1 Instagram Account is 100% free
• Daily limits ofikes: 250
• Daily limit of comments: 150
• Daily maximum Follows: 150

Here you will first find an overview of the most important information and can also compare many postings with each other, which is difficult on the instagram.

• Number of contributions and possibility to compare
• Number of subscribers / subscribed and the ratio (the smaller the value, the better)
• Single postings can be opened in Pop Up to take a closer look at comments

Account Analysis: Sort by Likes and Comments

Which postings were and are most popular? Sorting allows figures to be quickly analyzed and the best rated postings to be filtered. The analysis helps to evaluate individual postings and, above all, the visual language. Which content was successful and which was not?

Finding and learning successful content – Combin search function

Smart thinking! Who learns from the mistakes but also from the successes of others, is faster. The search function allows you to combine your search with hashtags, locations and subscribers of your competitors – exciting! This makes it quick and easy to find popular contributions from competitors. Keyword: Inspiration for your own social media content and again the same analytical question: Which content (photos and videos) are successful and which are not. With the help of the search function successful postings can be found to improve his own concept. Summarized allows the search function:

• Selective search for content from competitors / other channels
• Help for inspiration and optimization of your own strategy
• Combined search with hashtags, locations and subscribers of competitors
• Get range through Likes / Comments from smaller Instagram Accounts (Pay attention)

Let’s look at the search function in detail. The first step is to provide the search mask with information.

Filter contributions: What’s popular? Or who can you liken?

In order to find out which postings on Instagram work well (due to the visual language or also due to the time of the posting), you can search all Instagram posts for certain properties. The search filter for posts includes:

• Hashtags
• Location
• Period
• Number of Likes (from / to)
• Number of comments (from / to)

In addition, there are now even more advanced analysis functions such as:

• Gender
• Language
• User must have been active last week
• Number of subscribers (from / to)
• Number of subscriptions (from / to)

Filter user: Who does what?

Combin not only allows you to search all Instagram Postings. You can also take a closer look at the users and their behaviour. The search filter for users is very interesting, because here you can search the user accounts directly! This includes the following parameters:

• Search for: subscribers, subscriptions, commentators (!), likes, bio, user list

In addition there are extended analysis functions like in the article Search filter:

• Gender
• Language
• User must have been active last week
• Number of subscribers (from / to)
• Number of subscriptions (from / to)

Evaluation, analysis and results

In our example we want to find out more about a hashtag from our priority list for a beauty customer. We have evaluated the hashtags before. You can find out how to do this in our article: Instagram Tips. For our Best Practice is the #eyeliner and the requirement that the posting has received at least 1,000 Likes.

The great thing about Combin is that it searches all content posted on Instagram and only lists those that contain our Hashtag #eyeliner and have over 1,000 Likes. So we can see:

• What content / images perform well
• Where are the differences between the postings?
• What features can you take as an advantage for your concept?

After analysis: get interaction and reach

After the analysis of the contributions, the interaction can begin! Combin operates fully automatically or semi-automatically as required. Automatic means that you interact with each posting step by step. Here comes another advantage of Combin, which many other social media tools do not offer in comparison, the selection can also be made manually, Combin then only goes through the selected images. After this decision we can start

Advantages of Search, Analysis and Interaction by Combin

• Extreme time savings, thus also cost savings
• Automatic interaction instead of manual mail for mail
• Social Media Manager works much more effectively
• More time for more important things than Likes and comments
• Instagram Marketing also in Start Up / self-employed possible

Combin Live: Likes, Comments and Follow (Interaction)

Now all you have to do is decide whether Combin should work automatically or semi-automatically. If you want to make a manual preselection, simply mark your favorite photos.

Tip to get more range: If you go specifically to postings, with few likes, smaller users will become more aware of you faster. If Postings get many Likes, your Like on the photo or video does not stand out so much.

Overview of tasks and monitoring

Instagram’s Combin software not only allows you to search and optimize your own channel, but also enables reporting. The monitoring function can be found (Pro) in the menu under “Statistics”. Under “Tasks” you can find all jobs that were created before, e.g. Likes on Hashtag #beauty, comments on Hashtag #eyeliner and Follows on Hashtag #makeuplover, but only if the account has a maximum of 800 followers. Really clever solution! The monitoring is only activated in the Pro Account. To advantages and price we come directly after the last screenshot:

Price and Upgrade to Pro Version (Multi Channel Management)

If you want to upgrade your package, you can do so in the app (top left) by clicking on your user account. After that you will be forwarded directly to the subscription page with a choice between monthly and annual billing.

• Direct to Combin

Why is the Pro Version worth it?

The upgrade at a glance:

• Manage up to 15 Instagram accounts (5 inclusive, 10 extensible)
• No in-app action limits
• 1,000 search results per page
• Update search results

Information about the price per month / per year (04/2019):

• Private: 11.90 Euro / month includes 1 channel
• Business: 35.70 Euro / month includes 5 channels, option on 15

Lifehack! Influencer Search Engine

Many brands and companies that want to work in influencer marketing need large lists of contact details. But which influencers are really relevant? Combin can also be used as an excellent Influencer search engine. That’s how it works:

• Enter a specific hash tag in the search filter
• Set subscriber number to 50000 up to maximum

Only influencers that exceed the preset number of subscribers and have published postings on a specific topic will now be displayed in the search result. Here’s a little tip, geographical searches should be done by hashtags rather than by location. Of course, most influencers do not mark themselves with geodata on every photo. And when they mark themselves, they travel the world, from the Coachella Festival to Paris Fashion Week. Although our blogger is actually from Italy, we wouldn’t find him like that. It is therefore worth using hashtags in the national languages if you are looking for influencers from individual countries. This gives you a quick and easy overview of relevant people from a specific area.

Fazit!

Combin keeps what it promises and improves in the core functions – a real win and the best, it doesn’t cost more than before. Combin is our recommendation for fast and regular interaction with existing and especially with new target groups. Functions to detect influencers (as additional features) in the advanced instagram search to the refined user search analysis.

• Combin 2.0