Digital American Newsletter

Imagine an Instagram feed inside Amazon. That’s the essence of Amazon Posts, which have gained steam since their beta launch in summer 2020.

Here’s how they work.

• Posts are free. That is huge for smaller brands, who oftentimes cannot afford enough paid Amazon advertising to make an impact.
• Posts are only visible in the US, on Amazon’s mobile website and app.
• Consumers can sign up to follow your brand and see your posts.
• Brands must submit their posts to Amazon for approval. The company uses an automated process, which inevitably has some idiosyncrasies. (Pro Tip: don’t use the word “hump” in any context.)
• Companies have no influence on where their posts appear. They could show up in your brand’s feed, or in competitive brand or related category feeds.
• There is no guarantee that a competitor’s post won’t show up on your product page.

Amazon Posts are capitalizing on consumers’ growing interest in social shopping. 54% of Americans have purchased an item they initially saw on social media. What better way to leverage that trend than with social posts embedded in an ecommerce site?

Sources: CNBC 2021, Forbes 2021, Jungle Scout 2021

Say, “Influencer” and most people think young, beautiful, well-dressed and living an idealized life. That’s changing with the rise of granfluencers. In their 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s, these influencers are racking up followers and brand partnerships by tapping into Americans’ desire for authenticity on social media.

Consumers who are looking for connection and diversity are gravitating to influencers that do not fit the traditional mold. While granfluencers’ followers are more likely to be people of their own generation, they have plenty of young fans too.

Older influencers tend to focus on partnerships with lifestyle, fashion, health and fitness brands. Some of the highest profile granfluencers include 92-year-old Helen Ruth Van Winkle (@baddiewinkle), 63-year-old fashionista Lyn Slater (@Iconaccidental) and male fashion trendsetter Irvin Randle (@Irvinrandle). As they gained status on social media, these digital celebrities are branching out to paid public appearances, more traditional advertising and modeling.

Granfluencers are working their magic across social networks including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Big brands like Amazon, Jack In The Box, Nike, and Lululemon are partnering with them and seeing results.

Sources: Fashion Week Daily 2020, Influencer Marketing News 2020, New York Post 2021, PR Daily 2021

Live streaming ecommerce is the hot new social trend that combines live video with infomercial-style sales. Live commerce—as it is often called—started in China a few years ago, and expanded in the US last year.

Here’s a quick backgrounder.

• In live commerce, influencers on TikTok and other platforms demonstrate products, answer followers’ questions, highlight their talents, and convince consumers to buy right from the stream.
• COVID accelerated live commerce adoption, as consumers looked for entertainment and new ways to shop.
• Top categories sold are jewelry, clothing, cosmetics and food.
• Brands are using live commerce to drive awareness and reach consumers they can’t access via traditional channels.
• Walmart and TikTok ran their first US live commerce test in December 2020 and have another planned for this month.
• One of the big questions about this trend is how long it will take Americans to catch up with Chinese consumers.
• Two-thirds of Chinese shoppers purchased via live commerce in the past 12 months.
• Brands in China, including Cartier and Procter & Gamble, live stream frequently often for several hours at a time.

Sources: eMarketer 2020, Forbes 2020, MIT Sloan 2021, Smartbrief 2020, Springwise 2020

TikTok’s reputation as a teen-focused social media is being challenged. The number of adults on the platform doubled in 2020. And, while 18-24 year-olds represent the largest share of TikTok’s adult visitors, 30% are over 45 years old, including 4% who are over 65 (Yes, you read that right.)

Roughly 60% of US TikTok users are female, 40% male. That gender split holds across the age spectrum. Many moms joined TikTok in the initial weeks of the pandemic, and the vast majority say they will stay on the app post-COVID. Almost two-thirds of women with kids have been inspired to buy an item after watching a TikTok video. TikTok has responded with new features for in-app shopping.

The future of TikTok is somewhat unclear with its planned merger on hold, being studied by the new US administration. In the meantime, 8% of Fortune 500 companies have an active TikTok account. By industry, agriculture uses TikTok more than a number of other sectors, leveraging the platform in a variety of ways, including engaging consumers with farmers.

Sources: GlobalWebIndex 2020, Marketing Charts 2021, Media Post 2020, Statista 2020