Reality Is Getting Virtual #SubjectToChange

March 1, 2022: In like a lion, out like a lamb; that’s March for you. Let’s get to it.

In this edition:

- - Virtual reality helps brands get metaverse-ready
  - LinkedIn makes a case for greatness
  - Social platform functionality never takes a day off

Table of Contents

Virtual Reality Innovations Push The Metaverse Forward

The Story

Metaverse moves are happening by the day, including new innovations being made in the virtual reality (VR) world.

VR-y Interesting

When it comes to metaverse advancements, it’s no surprise that Meta is at the forefront of innovation, especially when it comes to one fascinating metaverse component: virtual reality. Meta recently demoed Builder Bot, a VR-driven feature that uses voice commands to dictate design. It’s another win inside an arena that’s growing quickly, as Meta has reported that their VR worlds are climbing in usage, with over 300,000 monthly active users (MAU).

Into The Unknown

Meta’s forays into the unknown (for now, at least) come on the heels of their newly published trends forecast, which lists cryptocurrency, the metaverse, social commerce, augmented reality, and more among standout trends to watch. More brands have taken heed and are investing in their own metaverse strategies, including Disney, who recently appointed Mike White to lead their metaverse strategy development. Mouse knows best, right?

STC POV

Oh, it’s happening. Virtual and augmented reality developments, which are key to the metaverse’s emergence, are happening everywhere — and not just with Meta. Snapchat pioneered the usage of AR in-app, while Pinterest and Instagram successfully experimented with VR experiences. And now, brands are getting in on the action. PacSun, for example, has a whole gamified shopping experience that touts itself as a “metaverse experience.” This isn’t going to go away any time soon — and we’re eager to see how brands and platforms alike are going to run with the possibilities of a metaverse-driven world.

Sneaky Link(edIn)

The Story

LinkedIn looks very different today compared to what it looked like even a year ago, with more creators taking to the networking giant to create custom, professional content.

That’s The Question, Jimmy

LinkedIn’s growth strategies are putting it higher on content creators’ radar. This has meant an influx of partnerships, deals, and monetization upgrades that are attracting influencers like YouTuber and philanthropist, MrBeast (real name: Jimmy Donaldson), to its ranks. Plus, functional upgrades, like the political content filter, aim to reduce discourse to get LinkedIn back to its core mission: building professional connections. With strategic moves that are positioning the platform as even more collaborative and open-minded than ever, LinkedIn is poised to dominate and attract more new (read: Gen Z) users.

Call It A Glow-Up

LinkedIn has launched a new podcast network with programming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. “LinkedIn Presents” focuses on career and business topics, with shows like “The Anxious Achiever” hosted by Morra Aarons-Mele, “Sparked” with Jonathan Fields, and “Brown Table Talk” with Dee C. Marshall and Mita Mallick. “LinkedIn News” puts a current-events spin on similar topics, with shows like “Get Hired” with Andrew Seaman and “In the Arena” with Leah Smart.

STC POV

LinkedIn is making moves to hold its own amongst entertainment-based platforms. While it may already be the most popular professional social network today, LinkedIn is constantly challenging itself to be more accessible and useful to the up-and-coming workforce — and they know that content creators are making up a substantial segment of that. This is why their innovations are pointing to an influx of your favorite creators making appearances in your professional feed. After all, what is an influencer if not a successful business case?

Let’s Get Functional

The Story

With user experience always a top priority, social platforms are constantly changing things up.

#GoodBots 👌

Private Story Likes on Instagram? Love it. Twitter’s bot detection labels? Yes, please. Reddit’s upgraded discover tab? Give us more. But wait: TikTok keeps adding new resources to TikTok Tactics and announced a new brand safety center? You’ve got that right. Whew — these social networks have been busy.

Thank You For Your Support

It’s a long climb to the top, and social networks are constantly competing to show us who’s the best. In addition to functional upgrades, creator monetization opportunities are always in development. One platform of note? Snapchat, which announced a new monetization opportunity for creators. Currently in beta mode, Snap is testing mid-roll advertisements in Stories made by Snap Stars. (BTW: Snap Stars are top-performing creators verified by Snapchat’s founder and have a star emoji in their profile to note their status.) Creators will receive a share of the revenue generated from these mid-roll ads.

STC POV

We love an upgrade — and we love creator monetization. The two often go hand-in-hand. Why? Because as platforms improve their tools, it’s so much easier for creators to pivot between content creation, business management, and brand collaboration. Simplified experiences not only attract more brands and creators, but experts already on the platform have a much more streamlined process. And an easier experience leads to our favorite thing — more creator content.