Tumblr jokes about Twitter Verified fail
Tumblr has been making fun at Twitter’s expense this week over its verified profile debacle. One post titled: “You can never be too important on the internet” uploaded by Tumblr staff, reads: “Okay, your blog looks great, but what’s the point of being important online if you can’t prove it with an actual, physical unverified verification symbol?” Another Tumblr post uploaded by staff offered users not one but “two blue checkmarks for $7.99!”
The offer comes with a disclaimer, however: “This is not a verification status; it's an Important Blue Internet Checkmark, which in 2022 is just as legit. Also the Important Blue Internet Checkmark may turn into a bunch of crabs at any time 🦀”
Meta headcount back to December 2021 levels
This week Meta made 13% of its workforce redundant. 11,000 employees, from a worldwide headcount of 87,000, were laid off. Mark Zuckerberg blamed the economic downturn, heightened competition from TikTok, and Apple’s App Tracking Transparency policy (we covered ATT in newsletter #80). He also blamed himself: "I got this wrong, and I take responsibility for that," he said.
Cold comfort for employees directly affected, the headcount reduction only takes Meta staff numbers back to the levels of the end of last year. In December 2021, Meta had almost 72,000 staff. This week’s redundancies took the workforce from more than 85,000 to about 74,000.
“Meta laying off 11k people takes it back to December 2011 levels. Wait, no — December 2021,” Tweeted Benedict Evans, an independent technology analyst, and partner at Andreessen Horowitz.
TikTok to nudge $10 billion ad revenue
TikTok is on course to make nearly $10 billion in ad revenue this year.
Insider Intelligence forecasts TikTok’s global ad revenues to reach $9.89 billion in 2022, up 155.0% over 2021.
Amazon axes 10,000 staff
Amazon is cutting 10,000 staff worldwide this week. The ecommerce juggernaut forecasts slower-than-usual sales over Christmas.
Instagram launches content scheduling tools
Instagram has begun the global release of in-app content scheduling tools. Users can now choose to schedule a picture, carousel, or Reel up to 75 days in advance.
Instagram rolls out Creator Portfolio (media kits)
Instagram has launched its media kits product, Creator Portfolio. The feature (that we trailed in newsletter #79) offers a new way for creators to show brands what makes them unique as a creator, and stand out for brand deals.
With a Creator Portfolio, you can:
Add text to tell brands more about you and your work.
Showcase content like posts and Reels.
Share Instagram profiles of people or brands you’ve worked with.
Here’s how to set up a Creator Portfolio with Instagram creator marketplace.
Instagram adds discoverable projects to marketplace
Instagram’s marketplace now enables creators to browse and express interest in branded content projects. Creators can also post content with automated permissions and keep track of the status of projects directly within the creator marketplace.
