Instagram turned Online Retail

Have you noticed that all of a sudden we can make purchases through instagram? It feels as though I can’t even remember exactly when but we one day woke up and could tap the tagged piece of clothing off our favourite influencers recent picture and purchase her outfit! I feel as though this transition came seamlessly as we before, influencers tagged their pieces of clothing in their outfits with the brands instagram page for followers to follow and click their link to their website. In a way, this feature just saved us all those steps and made the experience quicker and easier. Making something quicker and easier are also the two main components to more success and more likelihood of purchases being made. We can clearly identify why instagram chose to do this and honestly good for them because this was definitely a step towards the new generation and world of marketing and selling products.

Selling your own creations on Instagram

With this feature comes the ability to sell and start your own small business with instagram! This was a very smart idea to gain more attraction with a larger and more vast audience. There are several videos online explaining how to set up selling your own products on Instagram. The process is similar to a Shopfiy type system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9x31rb3fNk

There are a few requirements to sell on Instagram but in general as long as you have a business or creator profile, a facebook page connected to your account along with a website, your good to go!

Businesses’ New way of Marketing

This new feature has of course changed the course of marketing. There is absolutely no better way to market as you will reach far more people on social media these days than with flyers or outdoor advertisement. It is the way our world is evolving wether we like it or not. The best part of it all is that you not only get the advertisement and likelihood of more people potentially visiting your fiscal location, you can have people order online directly and depending on how willing you are you can offer shipping worldwide for your brand! I believe we will be begin to see a lot more brands do this including huge names such as Target and Walmart. These organizations are already on networks such as Instagram and I believe them making use of the Instagram shop feature would only benefit them and raise their sales.

Instagram: You don’t want to miss out on money making (or money spending) opportunity right here on Instagram! Click the link to read more: https://instagramturnedonlineretail

Twitter: You might want to consider taking your apple pay off your phone if you love shopping… it just became a whole lot easier! Click the link to read whats new in the online retail world: https://instagramturnedonlineretail

How the TikTok community differs from its competitors

Tiktok has evolved and changed in so many ways since its start. The community of creators it holds is a community of people unlike what i’ve ever seen online before. Instagram and Facebook are great apps with what i’m sure are great content creators but nothing seems to be quite like the clock app.

Where I notice a difference

There is a page on TikTok that pops up on my personal for you page quite often. This being a page of a man who walks the downtown streets of his city and interviews the homeless. He always rewards them at the end of their short chat with money and a gift of some sort depending on their interests and needs. For example tickets to a sporting event they would never get an opportunity to see or a hotel stay pre paid for the next 2 weeks. The creator then posts the videos and creates his guests their own go fund me’s that he shares on TikTok for people who can to donate.

Here is a link to one of his most popular videos :

Click here to watch the wholesome video; https://www.tiktok.com/@mdmotivator/video/7090629995546070277?q=helping%20holmesss&t=1680627395927

Help out if you can! Tiktok’s power

From videos i’ve seen the Tiktok community has donated over 1 million dollars to several people in need through the go-fund me platform. The amount of support individuals get through sharing their story on TikTok is so unique to any other platform. Is it perhaps the generation that uses the platform? I believe a huge factor in why the TikTok community is the way it is is based on the age and generation of the users! Tiktok is used largely and mostly by millennials and generation Z. We have not seen our generations on social media apps such as Instagram and facebook interact the way they do on TikTok. This shows us that we are a more open and diverse generation that is evolving as we should be!

Why TikTok out of all the other networks?

From my observation Tiktok videos get far more interactions and comments and shares compared to any other post on a different platform. Myself personally I feel this is true. I connect with creators and interact 98% of my online communications through TikTok. In my opinion is due to the ages on the app. You feel more comfortable and confident connecting with users on TikTok as they’re people your age and have you find similarities and comfort in their posts.

Instagram: Ever worry about the younger generations being selfish? I wouldn’t worry much longer! Click the link to read why the younger generations know how to care and help those in need. https//howthetiktokcommuinitydiffers

Twitter: Hey twitter! looking for donations for a good cause? You may want to re-think what network to advertise on. Click here to read what network may help you surpass your goals. https//howthetiktokcommuinitydiffers

The Transformation of TikTok

Photo: Freepik

Where it all started…

TikTok sure is known worldwide, however it has not always been the app we know today. TikTok became the app you now know in 2017. Prior to this, the app was known as “musical.ly”. Musical.ly started in 2014.

Musical.ly’s Introduction to Social Media

Musical.ly was app invented to lip sync to songs. The app gained huge and immediate attention and was geared towards teenagers. The app quickly became one of the most trending apps in over twenty countries. I remember downloading musical.ly back in 2014 and instantly it became my most used app. The short videos you get to watch either by those you follow or by those on your “featured” page captivate you and end within 15 seconds making this app an addicting viewing method in my opinion as it caters to teens short attention spans.

The Switch to TikTok

The whole world quickly noticed one morning in 2017 when Musical.ly was no longer and the app they reached for first daily had now been re named “TikTok”. This change was taken quite well considering the amount of love everyone had previously for Musical.ly. It felt like some that this app would be the closest thing we would get to the former short lived but well loved app Vine. If you didn’t get the opportunity to experience vine I highly recommend you check out a few old vine compilations for a good laugh!

My favourites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40uMbKjSBwU

The results

In the end, I don’t think the switch over and name change had any negative effects. The app has since only became more popular and personally I have found the content created on the app a lot more relatable and joyful to watch as you can now record your own sounds and they even added a 10 minute video feature which is a huge change from the original 15 second maximum Mucial.ly had.

What is your opinion on the whole switch? did it bother you or have you noticed any new features you like or dislike? Let me know below!

Twitter: Click the link to find out what old app TikTok reminds me of for a trip down memory lane! https.bit.ly

Facebook: Ever herd of musical.ly? that may be because your favourite app today used to be known as Musical.ly! Click the link to read more on what app used to be known as our beloved Musical.ly. https.bit.ly

Self Care Yourself!

Self Care

Self care has been all the talk in 2023. From doing a 20 step skin scare routine you see your favourite influencers do or going on daily walks, taking care of yourself has become a huge priority in many North American’s lives since the pandemic that started in 2020.

Covid 19 changed the beauty world

Due to lockdowns and business closures durning the world wide pandemic, many have found them selves learning how to achieve their favourite beauty looks they used to frequent beauty salons for pre pandemic. Online relators such as Amazon offer salon quality products to start your DIY journey. I have, quickly realized since beginning my own self care on my own journey that the cost is drastically different! For example I purchased 6 gel nail colours on Amazon as well as the LED light to cure the polish for a total of $60CAD compared to a one time gel manicure at my local salon runs me anywhere from $55-$70CAD.

What’s to Come

As I continue my self care blog, I plan on posting various tutorials including but not limited to; skin care advice, nail art tips and weekly features of my current favourite products!

Reader Recommendations

As viewers begin interacting with my tutorial videos and product recommendations, I want to hear my readers/viewers opinions and recommendations! Once a week I will pick a reader recommendation to publish at the end of my blog to share to everyone and maybe discover a new favourite myself.

Amazon Recommendations to start your own Nail journey

As a first recommendation, we will look at a basic nail care set up to start at home manicures. Nail file and nail clippers can be purchased either online or at your local drug store. As for the polish and gel light I have added links to my personal favourites!

My gel polish amzn.to/3JAJMdC

My LED light https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B083KDXXMY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Hand cream https://www.amazon.ca/EUCERIN-Complete-Repair-Cream-Extremely/dp/B00BO0AZOQ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=1KYFZ3ICGAVSN&keywords=hand+cream&qid=1678726385&sprefix=hand+c%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyTzJRQUcxUTZFVVlaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTEwNjQzMTlQTTlIWVBRRU9GSiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTI3OTc4MTZKNUZYVzE1M1hXVSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Alix Earle; Social Media’s New “IT GIRL”

Photo: bit.ly/3JBcuLy

Alix’s Rise to Fame

If you have been keeping up with new viral influencer’s, you may have herd the name ALix Earle. Alix, a 22 year from New Jersey attending U Miami has recently gone viral on TIKTOK for her “get ready with me” style videos. Her relatable content of running late for class and stopping by Starbucks for a latte before walking across the jaw dropping Miami campus captivates viewers and has built her a following of over 4 million followers on TIKTOK. She doesn’t hold back when interacting with her followers, sharing embarrassing stories of her college experience making her platform a comfortable community.

The Infamous Dubai trip

Tarte Cosmetics hosted a influencer brand trip to Dubai back in January. The short lived 3 day trip that costed the brand an estimated $65,000 per person caught everyone’s attention however not in the way they might have expected. The makeup brand Tarte Cosmetics initially received a ton of backlash for the lavish accommodations and excursions they sent the group of influencers on. All the talk about their trip as well as the use of the hashtag #trippinwithtarte has however worked in the brands favour as according to http://bit.ly/3JB562H Tarte Cosmetics’ EMW rose $10.9 million dollars in January compared to the previous month.

Tarte went on to respond to the pubic explaining their marketing strategies. As we all know this was quite the costly trip however with proper budgeting and planning this marketing trip has gained them revenues almost already surpassing expenses from the trip not even half a year later. They chose their marketing strategies wisely for what they know they can acheive. They don’t spend large amounts of money on commercials such as super bowl commercials, instead plan they’re making more geared towards social platforms such as TIKTOK and Instagram.

Alix’s future

As we can expect, when you blow up and become a viral social media star within months is a huge over whelming change that completely flips your life. In Alix’s case, she was a marketing student at U Miami before her following and has since pursued her academic career and is set to graduate at the end of her current semester. She had always loved and posted on social media for her friends and family and her choice to pressure marketing after high school proves this is a filed she would have wanted to work in regardless of this viral instant fame she received.

Alix recently revealed she will be staying in Miami after school’s over. Miami is a great location to reside in for her continued career in main stream and social media. She will be moving in to a new residence after graduation with one of her current roommates. See here to watch a TIKTOK of Alix Earle most popular video styles “get ready with me” ;

click here http://bit.ly/3mHyVpf

The “Alix Earle”. Have you herd that name before but sure why?! Learn more about the newest viral influencer in my latest blog! #trippinwithtarte #alixearle https://algonquincollegesocialmedia.wordpress.com/2023/03/13/alix-earle-social-medias-new-it-girl/

Discover social media’s new “IT GIRL” that has been influencing a new generation of young girls! #alixearle #makeup algonquincollegesocialmedia.wordpress.com/2023/03/13/alix-earle-social-medias-new-it-girl/