Ads are Coming to AI Chatbots, Threads Hits 400M Users and Instagram Introduces Reposts
Welcome to Prosek’s Digital Download: where industry-leading insights in professional services and digital marketing collide.
Hold onto your devices, we’re about to ride the waves of algorithms to the land of digital marketing updates.
Elon Musk Says X Plans to Introduce Ads in Grok’s Responses
What’s happening: On a recent livestream, Elon Musk revealed that X’s AI chatbot Grok will soon start displaying ads within conversations with users. This new type of advertising placement has long been discussed by marketers, so it’s hardly a surprise that X and other AI chatbots will be implementing advertising within conversations. It’s not clear when exactly this update will roll out.
Why it matters: It’s obvious that the advertising landscape is going through an evolution with the rise of AI, and traditional Google ads may soon be a thing of the past. Marketers from all corners of the digital world should be paying close attention to these developments as advertising makes its way into AI chatbots. These placements have the potential to be highly impactful if shown during high-intent conversations, but the jury is still out on their effectiveness. Ultimately, marketers will need to test and learn, and reallocate their advertising budgets accordingly.
Threads Reaches 400 Million Users, Closing in on X’s Usage
What’s happening: Threads’ rise continues, powered by cross promotion on other Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The latest data shows a monthly active user base of 400 million, clearly indicating its potential to overtake X. Elon has touted 600M MAU on X, but many third-party platforms have disputed the figure. In fact, recent data shows a decline in active users on X.
Why it matters: While Threads may very well overtake X in MAU, if it hasn’t already, marketers should proceed thoughtfully before writing off X. As many Instagram users can attest to, it’s easy to mistakenly hit one of the many Threads’ posts placed within Instagram’s feed, potentially artificially inflating Threads’ MAU. It’s tempting to abandon X given its brand safety challenges and Elon’s widely discussed rhetoric, but it still holds value for brands looking to engage in the news cycle, as well as live conversations around trending topics and sports. On the Threads side, it’s worth reserving company handles and testing functionality to understand Threads’ potential. Marketers should closely watch this space, as things can move quickly!
Introducing Reposts on Instagram
What’s happening: Instagram released a new feature that allows users and brands alike to seamlessly repost their favorite public Reels, in-feed posts and carousels. This puts an end to only being able to re-share content to Stories and clunky screenshots and other workarounds used to re-share posts. The reposts will show in-feed and all metrics will be attributed to the original post. On user and brand profiles, the reposts will appear in a new tab called “Reposts.” It’s a welcomed feature that will likely increase content distribution on the platform and thereby reach and engagement.
Why it matters: This is good news for brands looking for ways to engage with their audiences. For marketers, potential use cases include re-sharing employees' content or influencer partnerships. It can also be a cost-effective and efficient way to increase the content cadence of a brand page.
Francisco Partners shared a video recap of its CXO Conference, featuring insights and advice from executives at its portfolio companies.
As part of our #DayintheLife series, we offered a behind-the-scenes look at daily life in our NYC office, using authentic employee storytelling to showcase company culture.
Millennium spotlights career opportunities through a short video featuring a former intern turned full-time Engineering Analyst, telling her story to highlight mentorship, skill-building and the firm's commitment to professional growth.
