This Month in Social: August 2016

The world of social media is constantly changing – and with so many platforms and algorithms out there, it’s hard to keep up. That’s why we provide our clients and followers with This Month in Social – where we highlight the biggest changes in social media and how we prepare to tackle them.

Instagram Introduces Stories

First Instagram took a page out of Vine’s playbook, by allowing us to create micro-videos in platform. And now many avid Instagram users are rolling their eyes at the latest Stories feature which sounds like a Snapchat rip-off. Stories is almost identical to Snapchat’s own Stories, containing slideshows of images and videos that appear for 24 hours and don’t appear in users’ profiles or news feeds.

What this means for businesses: Instagram has been slowly becoming more business-friendly and Stories is no exception. Take advantage of the new tool to showcase products and give customers a behind-the-scenes look at what your business is like. Also, you can now stay in one social platform at one time. Post your favorite photos and videos on your Instagram page and use the live Stories feature to make customers feel more connected.

Official: Facebook Launches New Layout for Pages

Facebook understands that most brands are now willing to pay to play, so they are rewarding their users with an updated business page layout. Brands will now have a larger call to action button, tabs neatly listed on the sidebar, and a cover photo as its own entity.

What this means for business: With a cleaner look, easier navigation, and a front and center call to action button, this is the boost that brands on Facebook so desperately needed.

Twitter for Business Dashboard

A desktop version of Twitter’s Business Dashboard is finally available — starting last week, businesses of all shapes and sizes can exclusively monitor progress through one seamless web page.

What this means for businesses: From single-tweet analytics to (finally) being able to schedule content natively, the possibilities are ever expanding. Did we mention you can create a specific timeline that tracks keywords relative to your business, excluding ones you don’t want showing up? Cue the real-time hashtag tracking in 3, 2, 1…

Facebook Tests Monetizing Live Video With Mid-Roll Ads

Facebook is in the testing stages of monetizing Live Videos with mid-roll ads – call it a commercial break if you will. What exactly does that mean for viewers? You may notice that the Facebook Live Video feed you’re watching gets interrupted by a commercial-like ad roughly 5 minutes in. The ads will only last approximately 15 seconds, but packs a BIG financial punch for businesses.

What this means for businesses: With the rising popularity of Facebook Live Videos, comes yet another monetary opportunity for businesses. You’ll have the ability to control which categories of advertisers can run ads in your channel – so don’t worry about completely irrelevant ads taking over. But we’re wondering if Facebook will include a “Skip Ad” button in the future.

LinkedIn Announces New Native Video Feature

In early August, LinkedIn announced that now they too have a video feature integrated within their platform. Right now these videos will be in the form of Q and As, where influencers can select a question to answer in the dedicated app “Record,” and then post their response in video format. When influencers that LinkedIn users follow post a video, it’ll show up right in their newsfeed along with all of their other updates.

What this means for businesses: Surprised at LinkedIn’s announcement? We’re not, considering that nearly every other social platform has a native video feature. Although this is only available to influencers right now, it is expected that this will roll out to all users over time. If your business has seen success with video on other social platforms and your audience is also on LinkedIn, you’ll want to keep an eye out for if/when this becomes available to you – remember, video is everything today.

Twitter Verified Accounts

In the past, Twitter verification was only given to high profile accounts, including celebrities and government agencies. But now brands, artists, public figures, and other accounts of public interest can  apply for a blue verified badge on Twitter!

What this means for businesses: You TOO can get the spiffy blue check mark! The verified badge will appear next to the name on the Twitter profile and next to the account name in search results. The online application process is simple — just make sure that all of your information is accurate and up-to-date. If your page is not approved, you can re-apply for a badge in 30 days.

Have any questions regarding the above changes and updates? Reach out to one of Ferocious Media’s Social Media Analysts today!

To learn more about our Social Media Marketing Campaigns as well as other services that we offer, explore our website or contact us today!