What the heck is Q5? And why is it important? As you’re wrapping up Q4 and soaking in the holiday vibes, let’s talk about the secret weapon of savvy marketers: Q5. Yes, it’s real. It’s that golden window between Christmas and New Year’s when attention is high, competition is low, and big wins are up for grabs.
Today, we’re diving into the Q5 and the latest updates in the wild world of social and digital marketing this week. — brought to you by The Digital Dispatch from Akari & Co.
Digital Marketing
🎯 Q5: The Hidden Goldmine for Marketers
Think the holiday marketing season ends with Christmas? Think again. Enter Q5—the bonus round of the marketing calendar that runs between late December to mid-January. While most brands hit pause, savvy marketers know it’s a prime time to grab attention and drive sales. Meta calls it “the marketing opportunity you can’t afford to miss.” Here’s why Q5 should be on your radar:
Key Details
🛍️ Shopping Interest Peaks Post-Holiday
While holiday-specific content drops off, shopping-related posts surge. TikTok data shows users actively searching for inspiration and deals well into January.
👉 Learn more from TikTok
📉 Efficient Ad Inventory
With reduced competition for ad space, brands can stretch their budgets further. Expect lower costs and higher impact as you target shoppers still riding the holiday spending wave.
💆 Self-Care Takes Center Stage
Nearly 69% of TikTok users plan to treat themselves during Q5, from skincare to tech. This “treat yourself” mindset creates prime opportunities for brands to connect with consumers’ post-holiday priorities.
🎮 Emerging Categories on the Rise
It’s not just retail. Categories like fitness, finance, and gaming see increased traction during Q5 as users start planning their goals for the year ahead.
What It Means for Marketers
- Leverage Commerce Solutions: Use TikTok’s Video Shopping Ads and TikTok Shop for seamless product discovery and purchase experiences directly in the app.
- Collaborate with Creators: Influencer-led shopping hauls, reviews, and unboxings resonate strongly with TikTok’s audience and build trust.
- Highlight Gift Card Deals: Nearly 40% of users shop during Q5 to redeem gift cards. Offering promotions tied to gift card use can drive significant conversions.
Bottom Line
Q5 isn’t just an afterthought—it’s a golden opportunity to maximize ROI when consumer engagement is still sky-high but competition is at its lowest. From retail to emerging categories, TikTok provides the tools to drive discovery, conversions, and sustained engagement well into the new year.
👉 For more details:
Social Media Trends
The Weekly Scroll 📱:
Instagram/Facebook
Instagram Launches New Trials Feature
Instagram now lets you test content with non-followers before going live, giving you insights on what performs best. Perfect for tweaking your strategy. We’re planning to use this as an A/B test for organic content.
👉 Learn about Trials
🔍 Are Hashtags Dead in 2025?
Hashtags are losing their edge as algorithms rely more on keywords, transcriptions, and even image scans. Mosseri himself says hashtags have “virtually no” reach benefit.
👉 Dive into the debate
🎥 AI Tools Are Coming to Instagram Videos
Meta’s making moves to integrate AI into video creation on IG. From AI-generated scenes to editing tools, it’s all about leveling up your content.
👉 Check it out
🚳 Meta’s Affiliate Links Get a Makeover
New affiliate link UIs are rolling out on Instagram, mimicking TikTok Shop’s setup. Expect a stronger push into social commerce in 2025.
👉 See the update
📢 Instagram Tests Scheduled DMs
DM scheduling is now being tested, allowing businesses and creators to better manage their audience outreach.
👉 Learn more
TikTok
🛑 TikTok Ban Drama: Trump Weighs In
Trump has publicly expressed interest in revisiting the TikTok ban, reigniting debates around the app’s future in the U.S.
👉 Read the latest
🕰 Supreme Court Takes TikTok’s Appeal
TikTok’s appeal to block the Sell-Off Bill is heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. This decision could set a precedent for tech companies and foreign ownership.
👉 Explore the case
YouTube
🎤 YouTube Tests Audio Replies in Comments
Creators may soon be able to reply to comments with audio clips, adding a personal touch to audience interactions.
👉 Learn about the feature
🌍 Auto-Dubbing Expands to More Creators
YouTube’s auto-dubbing feature now allows creators to translate content into multiple languages, opening up global reach for videos.
👉 Check it out
X / Twitter / Threads
🌐 X Boasts Business Success (with Questionable Stats)
X claims major wins in 2024, but their reported numbers don’t quite add up. Is it hype or reality?
👉 Unpack the data
🔗 Threads Adds Creator-Credit Reshares
Threads now lets users reshare content with built-in creator credit and share counters, making it easier to highlight original posts.
👉 See the update
🌟 Threads Hits 300M Users
Threads’ growth is accelerating, reaching 300 million users and solidifying its spot as a key social platform.
👉 Learn more
Other Platforms
🕵️ LinkedIn Tests Boosting Personal Updates
LinkedIn is trialing paid boosting for personal posts, giving professionals a new way to hack personal branding.
👉 Read about the feature
Digital Marketing Trends/Ads
Tour de Headlines
Gif by GrowthX_Club on Giphy
Meta
🔍 Meta Shares Insights on AI Ad Performance
Meta has shared new insights into the effectiveness of its AI-based ad tools, offering key takeaways for marketers looking to optimize their campaigns.
👉 Learn more
🔒 Meta’s Hub of Ad Tips and Tricks
Looking to level up your Meta ad game? Check out their new hub filled with expert interviews and tips to make the most of the platform.
👉 Explore the hub
TikTok
🛒 TikTok Shop Hits $100M in Black Friday Sales
TikTok Shop broke records with over $100 million in sales in a single day this Black Friday, proving the platform’s growing e-commerce dominance.
👉 Read the full story
Google / YouTube
🌟 YouTube Shares 2024’s Top Ad Campaigns
From humor to heartstrings, YouTube reveals the best-performing ad campaigns of 2024. Inspiration for your next big creative push? Absolutely.
👉 See the list
🌐 Google Shares 2024’s Top Search Trends
What did the world search for in 2024? Google’s year-end trends reveal everything from viral moments to societal shifts.
👉 Check out the trends
🔐 Google Reverses Policy on IP Address Use for Ads
Google now allows advertisers to use IP addresses, marking a shift in its ad tech policies that could reshape targeting strategies.
👉 Learn about the update
X
🎨 X Shares Q5 Ad Tips
Elon’s team has shared fresh strategies for marketers to make the most of Q5, focusing on targeting high-intent shoppers.
👉 Read the tips
Interesting Stats
🛒 Douyin vs. TikTok: A Massive Revenue Gap
While TikTok’s in-app shopping sales reached $3.8 billion in 2023, its Chinese counterpart, Douyin, crushed it with over $500 billion in product sales during the same period. Proof that social commerce potential is all about execution.
👉 Dive into the comparison
📊 Global Ad Spending to Surpass $1 Trillion
The global advertising industry is projected to exceed $1 trillion in revenue for the first time in 2024, with digital platforms expected to capture 72.9% of global ad revenues by 2025.
👉 Read the forecast
🌐 Video Streaming to Account for 91% of Internet Traffic
By 2024, video streaming is estimated to constitute 91% of global internet traffic, highlighting the dominance of video content in online consumption.
👉 Explore the insights
Recommendations/Resources
Tools & Apps We’re Loving Right Now 🛠️
Best AI Image Creator – Leonardo AI is blowing our minds. We’re ditching clunky design tools because this one’s got the magic touch.
👉 Give it a go
All-in-One Social Management – Sprout Social is our favorite platform so far. It does everything—analytics, scheduling, engagement—but prepare your wallet, because it’s not cheap.
👉 Learn more
Best for Tracking TikTok Metrics & Competitor Benchmarking – TokBackup has become our secret weapon for TikTok insights. If you’re not using this, you’re flying blind.
👉 Explore TokBackup
See Competitor Ads in Real-Time – Meta Ads Library lets you spy on your competitors' strategies and campaigns. Lurking in here is basically a full-time job.
👉 Peek inside
Google Ads Campaign Insights – Google Ads Transparency Center lets you see where ad dollars are flowing. If you like data with a side of snooping, this tool’s for you.
👉 Go snoop
Shower Thought 🚿💭
Your pet has no idea that the internet exists, yet their photos are probably more famous than yours.
.
.png)
© 2024 Akari and Co. All rights reserved.