April Right Now Report
We created the Right Now Report to give you the high-level updates you need without the unnecessary clutter. In the April report, we cover Canva’s New Tools, TikTok’s future and considerations you should make before using memes.
Canva Announced New Tools to Speed Up Design Process
On March 23, Canva unveiled a new set of features and tools for its Visual Suite, designed to speed up and inspire the design process.
They added a whole bunch of new features to their Visual Suite, including Magic Design, which lets you upload an image and watch it come to life across a selection of customizable templates, and Draw, which lets you draw across any type of design with ease. Canva launched Translate, which automatically translates your designs into over 100 different languages with just one click, and Magic Eraser and Magic Edit, which make photo editing a breeze. They even introduced a new feature called Beat Sync that helps you perfectly align your video footage to the beat of your soundtrack. Learn more about the updates here.
If your nonprofit organization doesn’t yet have a free Canva for Nonprofits Pro account, you can apply here.
TikTok’s Future Remains Uncertain
Despite its popularity, TikTok has been under fire due to concerns about data privacy and its ties to China. During a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on communications and technology, TikTok CEO Kevin Chew faced tough questioning about how the app uses American users’ data.
Some security experts have raised concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership and its vast American influence, suggesting that the app could be used for espionage operations. While TikTok and its proponents argue that it is not the only social media platform to collect personal data, its Chinese ownership is not subject to U.S. laws. The future of TikTok remains uncertain, with some lawmakers advocating for a ban while others believe that the platform can be made safe with increased regulation and oversight.
How does this impact marketing? It’s important to have a varied communications strategy that doesn’t rely on social media platforms. If you’re currently using TikTok for your organization, it’s a good time to ensure your followers know where to find you if TikTok does go away. Business Accounts with 1,000+ followers have access to additional features such as adding a website link to your profile (learn more about business account features here). If you don’t have 1,000 followers yet then you can link out your Instagram account from your TikTok Profile (find instructions on how to do this here).
Your social media should be paired with your email list and website. Your website is your online home base, and it’s where people can learn more about your mission and impact. Your email list is a direct and personal way to communicate with your nonprofit’s audience. You own the list and have control over how you communicate with your subscribers. TikTok’s uncertainty is a good reminder not to keep your eggs all in one basket.
Memes aren’t going anywhere, but are they worth the risk?
What even is a meme? Memes are images, videos, or pieces of text that are often humorous and spread quickly through the internet. Memes take on a life of their own and can be adapted, modified, and shared widely, often with slight variations. They can be a great way to connect with people online and create engaging content. But, it’s important to make sure you’re not breaking the law if you create memes.
It’s unlikely that an individual would be sued for using memes in their social media, but if you’re using memes for commercial purposes, even for a nonprofit organization, things can get more complicated. Most memes originate from copyrighted material and using them in marketing can be considered copyright infringement.
Some argue that meme marketing could be considered “fair use” under copyright law, but the legal precedent is not clear.
There have been cases where companies were sued for using memes without permission, such as in the Grumpy Cat case, where the cat’s owner sued a coffee company for going beyond their licensing agreement.
So, while it’s not very likely that you’ll get sued for using a popular meme in your marketing, it’s still a risk that you should avoid as much as possible. If you’d like to use memes, you can create your own using content that you have license to use like the cat meme we created above using Adobe Express Meme Generator.
If you have any questions about these topics or would like support in implementing these trends in your own marketing strategy, we’re here to help. We’re committed to helping you navigate the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing with ease.
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us today to explore how working with Right Relations can help you stay ahead of the curve and bring joy back to your marketing efforts.