This week in social media news, Facebook launches a global test of a new ad format called In-Stream Video Topics, Snapchat’s new study shows how users are gearing up for the NFL Draft, TikTok shares Mother’s Day shopping trends, Clubhouse and the NFL announce a partnership and Snapchat reports an increase of 51 million daily active users in Q1.

Facebook Launches New Video Ad Formats

Facebook announced new topic targeting options within In-Stream video to help brands better engage with relevant customers. The company is also running Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories ad tests to help creators monetize their content.

Why it matters: Facebook says more than 2 billion people watch Facebook In-Stream eligible videos every month and that globally 70 percent of In-Stream standalone video ads views are completed. In addition, data from 10 studies found that including a Facebook In-Stream campaign to a Feed and Stories buy resulted in a median 1.5 times increase in ad recall and a median 20 percent drop in cost per incremental recaller.

The details: Facebook is launching a global test of In-Stream Video Topics, a machine learning-powered ad format that enables advertisers to place ads in certain video topics through Ads Manager. Brands can choose from over 20 video topics and more than 700 sub-topics.

With 90 percent of people now following a business on Instagram, Facebook is also testing Reels ads in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia. These ads can be up to 30 seconds like organic Reels videos and people will be able to comment, like, view, save, share and skip the ads.

In addition, Facebook will test custom Sticker Ads for Facebook Stories, which will let creators monetize their content and receive a portion of the resulting revenue through bespoke stickers that brands create.

Snapchat’s Study Highlights User Sentiment Regarding 2021-2022 NFL Season

Snapchat’s latest research shows that 93 percent of its users are looking forward to the upcoming 2021 NFL season with another 85 percent saying they plan to use the app during the Draft, which occurs on April 29. Snapchat’s partnership with the NFL includes official NFL shows and NFL Highlights, which the app says is updated in near real-time every game.

Why it matters: Between the two weeks leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft and the actual events, conversation on Snapchat about the Draft ballooned over 220 percent. Plus, 64 percent of users agree that using augmented reality (AR) or filters makes the Draft more enjoyable, giving brands an opportunity to reach the young consumers. During last year’s Draft, over 80 million Snapchatters in the US and Canada engaged with AR.

The details: According to Snapchat’s findings, its users are most looking forward to watching the Draft live and “hearing the early buzz around top picks.” The top two ways they’re preparing for the Draft include buying snacks and drinks and checking Draft predictions and updates.

Snapchat says it’s creating an AR experience that will feature all 32 official NFL teams with music by Machine Gun Kelly.

TikTok Shares Mother’s Day Shopping Trends And User Demographics

Ahead of Mother’s Day, TikTok is giving marketers a look at shopping trends and online activity around Mother’s Day. The app found that 27 percent of TikTok users are moms, 48 percent of TikTok moms are full-time employees and 34 percent of TikTok moms are in high-income brackets.

Why it matters: Highlighting moms’ purchase power, TikTok cites insight from a Weber Shandwick study that found millennial moms “like” or give unsolicited product recommendations 10.4 times every month. In that same study, 74 percent of millennial moms reported that they’re sought out more often than other friends as advisors on a wide range of topics.

The details: According to TikTok, 94 percent of TikTok moms use phones to get online, 88 percent spend more than one hour on their phone each day and 40 percent find brands through social media.

When analyzing activity around relevant Mother’s Day hashtags, such as #mothersday and #giftformom, TikTok found that content related to the holiday saw a big spike on the day of, compared to the day before.

The top gift TikTok moms are planning to buy, TikTok adds, is a vacation, followed by jewelry and a handbag.vTo make the most of Mother’s Day, TikTok suggests brands set up a special curated section of gifts on their homepage, throw in a discount code or run a For You feed ad.

Clubhouse And NFL Ink An Exclusive Content Deal

According to Social Media Today, Clubhouse took to Twitter over the weekend to announce its new content partnership with the NFL, which will include a series of Rooms leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft.

Why it matters: The partnership marks the first of its kind for Clubhouse, the invite-only, audio-focused platform that has surged in popularity since launching in April last year. For the NFL, it’s another way of growing its online presence, which has been bolstered the past year through its beloved TikTok account.

The details: Social Media Today reports that Clubhouse already hosts a variety of NFL-related rooms, but this new collaboration will open up opportunities to expand connections and reach.

Clubhouse explained:

“With Clubhouse’s highly interactive audio-based social platform, fans can drop in on the NFL’s rooms to follow the picks live as they’re announced, and listen in on discussions featuring key NFL figures – from athletes and coaches to network personalities. Fans also have the opportunity to join the conversation and be invited on stage by moderators to ask questions or share their reactions to the Draft.”

Snapchat Now Has 280 Million Daily Active Users

Snapchat saw 280 million DAUs in Q1, an increase of 51 million, or 22 percent year-over-year, as noted in its Q1 earnings report. The platform’s revenue increased 66 percent YoY to $770 million, with average revenue per user growing 36 percent YoY to $2.74.

Why it matters: It’s interesting to note that for the first time, Snapchat says the majority of its DAUs for Q1 came from the Android version of its app.

The details: Snapchat’s positive growth in users and revenue comes after the platform boosted its content offerings and invested in new markets. In March, over 125 million Snapchatters used Spotlight, the app’s newest platform that displays the most entertaining Snaps from the community. It launched Spotlight in three new countries including India, Mexico and Brazil, making it live in 14 countries.

Additionally, Snapchat debuted 321 new channels in Q1 with over 150 partners from 12 countries.

Other highlights include a 40 percent increase YoY in the number of Snapchatters engaging daily with the app’s AR Lenses. On average, Lenses created by the Snap community via Lens Studio accounted for more than 50 percent of daily Lens views.