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This week, social media and web3 (specifically NFTs) collided in a big way. It would seem there’s no stopping the steam of NFTs going forward.

Most people associate NFTs with art and profile photos, but there’s so much more to them. The thing I find most interesting is other uses of an NFT: software subscriptions and memberships. I’m currently writing a Twitter thread about that because I think it’s the most promising aspect outside computer-generated art (which is often awful).

Last point: NFTs need a rebranding. It’s clumsy to say, and nobody understands it without a bunch of mental help. It’s also quite a feat to say the non-acronym of Non-Fungible Tokens. Somebody fix it!

And now, on to the news:

Social Media & The Creator Economy

• This week, Twitter introduced the ability to use an NFT as your profile photo (as long as you're subscribed to Twitter Blue). For icing on the cake, tapping a user's NFT PFP displays details about it, and links to OpenSea (currently the largest marketplace for NFTs). TL;DR: if a user’s profile photo is a hexagon, they’ve locked up some liquidity into a JPEG or two.
• Meta (Facebook and Instagram) is exploring plans to make, showcase, and sell NFTs. Zuck wants to rule whatever dystopian metaverse we all end up in, and this makes sense through that lens.
• It’s no secret that social media is bad for your mental health. One parent is suing Meta and Snap as bad actors in her daughter’s suicide. The lawsuit accuses them of wrongful death.
• Instagram's users can now remix any public video on the platform. Previously, remixes were limited to Reels only.
• More Instagram news: the app is now testing Instagram Subscriptions. This feature allows fans to support creators to get access to exclusive content. Support levels range from 99 cents to $99.99
• Not to be outdone on that last story, TikTok is also testing a feature to let creators charge subscription fees. Not much to this story apart from the headline, though.
• Influencer marketing on TikTok is on fire. Here’s a guide to using influencer marketing to drive sales.

SEO, Email, & Content Marketing

• I really love the blog over at ahrefs (a popular SEO tool). This week, they put together a beginner’s guide to B2B marketing. B2B marketing can be a grind, and we all need a primer and reminders to reference.
• Performance Max, Google’s latest advertising feature, finally got placement reports this week. This is important because previously you had no idea where your ads were running. Performance Max is an automated campaign type released late in 2020.
• Speaking of Google Ads, here’s a quick 2022 guide to Google Ad Manager, from Google themselves.
• Ok, last Google Ads updates: there’s a new experiments page that lets you optimize ad experiments and implement them quickly.
• Uplers email published a guide on email marketing trends to look out for in 2022. With insights from 41 different email experts, there are some gems in here.
• Planning a website move or relaunch? Here’s everything you need to know for making sure your URLs survive the move.
• Microsoft Clarity is growing in popularity as a website analytics tool. It’s not the same as Google Analytics, since it focuses on a user’s site experience instead of traffic patterns. Here’s a crash course on the platform.
• When I’m working with clients on SEO, I spend the entire first month doing an audit, implementing quick fixes, and then researching. Yeah, a whole month! That month then informs the next six. Here’s how to create your own 6-month plan.

Copywriting, Branding & Advertising

• With the Super Bowl looming, we’re all starting to wonder what the standout ads will be. This year we have a new category: crypto ads. Yep, this year both Crypto.com and FTX will advertise for the first time.
• In non-crypto Super Bowl commercial news: Meg Thee Stallion will star in a joint Doritos-Cheetos spot, which they dropped a teaser for this week.
• Amazon is opening an IRL clothing store called Amazon Style. Amazon has been experimenting with bringing its brand to physical retail for a hot minute. This latest move makes sense when you consider Amazon is now the No. 1 apparel retailer in the U.S.
• Gucci and The North Face dropped a new ad campaign this week produced by Highsnobiety that features TikTok star Francis Bourgeois. Love the whole aesthetic tbh.
• Interactive audio ads are a thing. Because we all need to interact with our ads, so marketers know they’re working. Ugh, we really do ruin everything, don’t we?

Woo! You made it to the end. Thank you so much for being here for another week.

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