@jaysmarketingtips — 22x breakout

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Here are 5 things that used to be free in South Africa

@jaysmarketingtips

10.1K followers · usually 2.2K views a post

Views

46.1K

Likes

2.6K

Comments

View velocity

+15.6K views over 4.3d · ~3.6K/day · 5 observations

Why it worked

The video taps into a relatable sentiment of rising costs and the loss of previously free services, using a numbered list format that is easy to digest and share. The specific examples are common experiences for many people, making the content highly shareable and engaging.

Summary

The video lists five things that are no longer free in South Africa, including backing up photos on Google Photos, WhatsApp backups on Android, checked baggage on flights, sharing Netflix passwords, and plastic shopping bags. It highlights the increased costs associated with these items compared to the past.

Structure

1Introduction of the topic: 5 things that used to be free
2Item 5: Backing up photos (Google Photos)
3Item 4: WhatsApp backups
4Item 3: Checked baggage on flights
5Item 2: Sharing Netflix passwords
6Item 1: Plastic shopping bags and government tax

Product placement

Google Photos: it stores photos and videos. It used to be free and unlimited, but now it counts against your 15 free gigs. (ACTS, removing it would change the video's point about storage costs) WhatsApp: it is a messaging app. Its backups used to not count against storage on Android, but now they do. (ACTS, removing it would change the video's point about storage costs) Netflix: it is a streaming service. Sharing passwords is now restricted to one address per account. (ACTS, removing it would change the video's point about account sharing costs) Checkers: it is a supermarket. It used to give away plastic shopping bags for free, but now charges 32 cents for them. (APPEARS, removing it would not change the video's point about plastic bag costs, but it is a specific example of the point) South Africa: it is a country. The video discusses things that used to be free there. (APPEARS, removing it would change the video's topic)

Original caption

Here are 5 things that used to be free in South Africa. You pay for number 1 almost every week. Number 5 is backing up your photos. Google Photos was free and unlimited until 2021. Now they eat into your 15 free gigs. Number 4 is WhatsApp backups on Android. For six years they didn't count against your storage. Since 2024 they do. On iPhone they always counted. Number 3 is your suitcase. Your plane ticket used to include a checked bag. On a Lite fare it doesn't. A 20 kilo bag costs about R155. Number 2 is sharing your Netflix password. Since 2023, one account means one address. Log in somewhere else and Netflix asks questions. Other countries can pay to add an extra member. We never got that, so your cousin must buy his own. And in first place… Before 2003, shops gave these away at every till. Then government added a 3 cent tax. Today that tax is 32 cents, and you pay for every single one. Government said some of that money would go to recycling. That's plastic shopping bags.