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- Your ATTN Please || Friday, 7 March
Your ATTN Please || Friday, 7 March
As much as we love our AI overlords—er, I mean assistants—we’re all craving human connection more than ever.
And this is the theme that dominates Circle’s newly-released 2025 Community Trends Report. For brands, it’s a call to make sure your strategy places a heavy emphasis on creating a sense of belonging with your audience. Because, as useful as AI is, we humans still want to connect with real people.
- Charlotte, Editor ♡
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?
Pinterest is overrun by slop, Meta launches ads you can talk to & Woolly mammoths come back from extinction
Call 911! The love of my life (Pinterest) is being murdered.
My sweet, sweet Pinterest. Look at what they’ve done to you. And by "they," I mean the torrent of AI slop that is currently strangling the platform. Users say this “content” has almost taken over the real, human-made content that usually resides there. Futurism says slop “persists across classic Pinterest categories like home inspiration and DIY hacks, fashion, beauty, food and recipes, art, architecture,” etc.
This apparently links back to AI-powered content farming sites. These sites pretend to be helpful blogs, using Pinterest to draw in viewers to useless content – all in order to cash in on lucrative display ads. Pinterest users are, of course, frustrated that the platform is becoming less useful and harder to navigate. Couldn’t be me, though! My angelic, esoteric feed will never be overrun by the robots. Never!
Meta is testing ads that you can talk to.
I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t matter how lonely I get, I’m not talking to a damn ad on Facebook. That feels very Aunt Jackie that lost her marbles and still has unrestricted access to Facebook vibes. Announced Tuesday, Meta is piloting tech they're calling Business AI, which involves AI agents who represent advertisers and business across its platforms.
The chatbot tool is designed to help smaller businesses access AI agents that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. According to Marketing Brew, “a demo presented to reporters, a hypothetical user was targeted with an ad for an eco-friendly shampoo brand, which led them to ask if there was a product suitable for their hair type. The agent was then able to offer a product tailored to curly hair. Fun!
Scientists looking to revive the woolly mammoth just created a VERY fuzzy mouse.
Ok, maybe this is slightly more science than marketing. But the Colossal Woolly Mouse (as it’s being branded), is a genetically engineered mouse. It displays cold adaptation traits similar to those of the woolly mammoth, including “fur which has been significantly altered in colour, texture, and thickness.” The mouse is the latest development in the quest to de-extinct the creatures that roamed the earth 300,000 years ago.
The endeavour is being run by Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences, which brands itself as "the world’s first and only de-extinction company." The lab company has created almost 100 of these fluffy little freaks. (Quick note, unsure if y’all have seen Jurassic Park… If not, imma need you to do that. Stat.)
Anyway, that’s all folks!
-Sophie, Writer
WE’VE GOTTA KNOW
Should humans be creating genetically-altered mice? |
DEEP DIVE
6 Major community trends you need to know about
Online community platform Circle recently released their community trends report.
Circle allows creators, coaches, and business to build and manage their own online communities through features like discussion forums, live streams, and events. Because of this, the company has access to the inner workings of the communities that exist within it, and of course, the insights they provide.
In the world of community builders, such insights are often not available to the public. Instead, these platforms tend to keep their cards close, using them to improve their product offering. Circle, however, has decided gatekeeping is icky. And I have decided the same – so I’ve taken what they’ve written and provided you with my takeaways. So here ya go xx
Billions of people are still scrolling, and platforms like Meta and YouTube continue to be major growth drivers. But growing an audience isn’t the same as building a community. After all, social media platforms are designed to keep users scrolling, not connecting.
They reward reach, reactions, and engagement metrics that prioritise virality over real relationships. As a result, community builders are rethinking their strategies. Many are still using social media as a discovery tool. But they're moving meaningful conversations to dedicated platforms where they can foster deeper, more engaged connections.
2. Private spaces are emerging as a major trend.
With the rise of de-influencing trends and mass unfollow movements, users are streamlining where they engage. From Broadcast Channels and Facebook Groups to Slack and Discord, brands are getting creative with how they build community beyond just pushing content. But while Meta, Slack, Reddit, and Discord are useful starting points, they come with limitations:
You don’t own your audience
There are many distractions
Monetisation is a challenge
It’s hard to create a branded experience
Limited features make long-term growth difficult
Because of these constraints, more community builders are shifting to purpose-built platforms designed for sustainable growth, exclusivity, and monetisation.
3. Community builders are focusing on high-value, niche communities where engagement and retention are strong.
According to Circle’s survey, one community member is worth the equivalent of 234 social media followers. Let that sink in.
So, what’s driving this shift?
Stronger connections = better business. People are actively seeking spaces that offer genuine, curated interactions—far from the chaos of social media.
It’s easier than ever to build these spaces. Improved tech and shifting user behaviour have made it simpler to attract and retain engaged members.
4. Exclusivity is now a growth strategy.
Nearly half (47%) of community builders now use application processes. Why? Because they want to ensure high-quality membership. After all, when people feel like they’re part of something special, they’re more engaged and willing to invest (emotionally and financially).
The survey found that 54% of respondents are already leveraging paid memberships. 41% use recurring subscriptions alongside offerings like coaching and courses. This aligns with the “1,000 True Fans” philosophy. A smaller, deeply engaged audience can be more impactful (and profitable) than a massive, disconnected following.
5. After years of online-only engagement, people are craving real-world interactions.
While virtual communities are thriving, IRL events are making a major comeback. 48% of survey respondents are already hosting in-person gatherings. What’s working best? Micro-events. Unlike large-scale conferences, these intimate gatherings foster genuine conversations and deeper relationships. They also come with lower costs and less stress for organisers.
Despite years of people claiming “email is dead,” newsletters are thriving. Social media algorithms are becoming increasingly restrictive. So more creators and brands are embracing newsletters as a direct, monetisable way to connect with their audience. According to the report:
67% of survey respondents actively use newsletters to grow their business
82% say their newsletter has a moderate to high impact on their community
As more creators shift to DTC models, long-form content is having a moment. And newsletters are the perfect vehicle!
So, what's the future of community building?
As technology advances and people prioritise meaningful connections over mindless scrolling, the demand for well-built communities is only going to grow. The best part is that it’s never too late to start. Whether it’s launching a newsletter, or hosting in-person events, now is the time to create something truly valuable.
For more insights on where communities are heading, download the full report here.
-Sophie, Writer
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TREND PLUG
Anxiety!
Doechii's "Anxiety" keeps trying ALL OF US.
Today's sound comes from rapper, singer, and recent Grammy winner Doechii. Back in 2019, she spun her own lyrics over Gotye's 2011 earworm "Somebody That I Used To Know". The song, officially released as "Anxiety" just this past week. It delves into the exact kinda stuff the title suggests - and man, oh man do the youngins on TikTok relate too well.
Some are using it for dance numbers where their friend (i.e. their "anxiety") sneakily joins them. Others are using it to describe anxiety-inducing moments, like when shoppers judge your choice of dress or you're driving and you smell something burning.
How you can jump on this trend:
There's no set rules to it, but you can start by grabbing this sound and flipping the camera on yourself. Assuming you don't wanna bust a move (don't let us stop you!) film yourself either lip-syncing the song (specifically the first few lines), being in an anxiety-ridden state, or both. Then, add text describing whatever situation's got you a bit tense.
A few ideas to get you started:
"When everyone's sick today, so it's just you meeting with THAT client"
"When the meeting had an important update, but you missed it so literally everyone but you knows what's happening"
"When you're constantly leaving your desk for meetings, coffee, etc. and think everyone's watching you scramble round"
-Devin, Copywriter
FOR THE GROUP CHAT
😲WTF: Ice Cube Stranded in Australia?!
❤How wholesome: i cannot tell if this ai anymore
😊Soooo satisfying: the right way to cut watermelon
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Chickpea skillet
TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST
Want even more “YAP”ing? Check out the full podcast here.
ASK THE EDITOR
How do you get the LinkedIn algorithm to make you go viral? - Caroline
Hi Caroline,
If there was one magic formula I could give you to going viral on LinkedIn, I could quit my job because I'd be a millionaire! But really, there isn't one surefire thing you can do to go viral, but I can give you some tips that will definitely increase your chances:
Create as much content as you can. The more you post, the more views you'll get.
Spend 90% of your post-writing time on your hook. Figure out what style grabs the attention of your audience. Don't be afraid to go bold or controversial.
A/B test one element at a time. Experiment with different types of hooks, images, post formats, isolating one factor at a time. Use this data in future posts.
Engage with other people's content before and after you post. This will let the platform know you're an engaged user and will make it more likely your posts will get shown to others.
Be consistent in implementing these strategies and you will be much more likely to viral than if you post with no strategy at all. Good luck!
- Charlotte, Editor ♡
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