We’re back with another Spark Social Report by Spark Growth! This week, WhatsApp added QR codes for businesses and rolled out dark mode for its desktop platform. Read more for further social media updates!
Businesses are now able to create a QR code on WhatsApp to promote their brand more efficiently. With this feature, businesses can add or print their QR code to products or share the code on social media to make it easier for users to initiate a chat with them on WhatsApp. Whatsapp notes, “Scanning a QR code will open a chat with an optional pre-populated message created by the business to start the conversation. With the app’s messaging tools, businesses can quickly send back information such as their catalog to get the conversation going.” For more information on how to use a QR code, businesses can refer to this step-by-step process.
In another feature added for businesses, WhatsApp has made it so that Catalogs can be shared as links. Users who would like to share their catalog can simply copy the link and paste it into a message, onto a website or social platform, or anywhere else. This is a great way for a business to direct potential consumers to its products.
WhatsApp is also rolling out dark mode for WhatsApp Web, the desktop version of the app. Dark mode is a popular that uses darker colors on the user interface and many users find it more optimal for readability, especially in darker or nighttime settings.
Facebook is starting to roll out new image presentation options for feed posts. As shown in the Tweet below, the new feature will offer users multiple layout options when publishing a post that includes multiple pictures. Having this array of options may help users better customize their visual posts.
Facebook will soon give you layout options when posting multiple images pic.twitter.com/8K23afZ9bp
— Matt Navarra (I quit X. Follow me on Threads) (@MattNavarra) July 14, 2020
Users are now able to pin comments on their own posts on Instagram. When a user pins a comment, this comment will show up at the top of the comments list. As noted by Instagram, this feature can help to highlight positive comments and “better manage the tone of the conversation” on a post.
Today we’re rolling out pinned comments everywhere 📌
That means you can a pin a few comments to the top of your feed post. By highlighting positive comments, you can better manage the tone of the conversation. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/w2X5grdee7
— Vishal Shah (@vishalshahis) July 7, 2020
As well, IGTV previews are now more customizable for the user who uploads the video. This affects how the video will be viewed in both the main feed and Discover tab. These customizable options include “Edit Preview” and “Edit Profile Cover,” wherein a user can upload a thumbnail image. These options can help users better curate the visual aspects of their IGTV videos to make a better first impression.
New?
“…Spotted some new features while uploading a video on IGTV.
“This gives us the option to edit the preview as well as edit the ‘Profile Cover’ — which means, you can decide how the thumbnail of your post would look. 👏🏼”
Credit: @Meet_Rajpal
in my geekout Fb group pic.twitter.com/gMRZ7VHFLE— Matt Navarra (I quit X. Follow me on Threads) (@MattNavarra) July 9, 2020
Instagram is also currently testing a “Shops” tab, a feature that was first announced back in May with a small group of global users. Shops is an eCommerce option that will connect users with businesses who have set up an online store through Facebook. The current test places the Shops tab at the bottom of an Instagram user’s screen, replacing the Activity tab. Instagram has noted that the results of this test will help it assess how to move forward with this feature.
Snapchat
Snapchat is testing a vertical scrolling option for users when navigating their content on Discover. Social Media Today notes that this option resembles a UX similar to that of TikTok’s. Snapchat has confirmed the test, saying it is being tested on a small percentage of users at the moment.
In the move to add more community-oriented options in its post composer section, LinkedIn has added “Share a Profile” to the list. This option enables users to share a connection’s profile in a post, which can help boost that profile among the user’s network connections. Other previously existing options include “Celebrate an occasion,” “Find an expert,” and “Offer Help.”
New LinkedIn feature? -'Share a profile'
Lets you share a connection's profile with your own network pic.twitter.com/2yR6Ey0T5P
— Matt Navarra (I quit X. Follow me on Threads) (@MattNavarra) July 14, 2020
YouTube
Good news for creators on YouTube. The platform has launched a feature called “RPM” (Revenue Per Mille) to help creators better track their revenue rate. This option is available on YouTube Analytics and as noted by YouTube, is the “most holistic way to analyze your performance.” The Tweet below shows what this feature looks like and where it is located.
To help creators better track their revenue rate, we’re launching RPM, a new creator-focused metric in YouTube Analytics that shows how much a creator earned per 1,000 views. RPM is the most holistic way to analyze your performance. Learn more: https://t.co/Ap7bCC39Bq pic.twitter.com/ol418SvB8y
— YouTube Creators (@YouTubeCreators) July 9, 2020
In another addition for creators, a feature coming soon to YouTube Studio will show users a list of other videos their viewers have watched on the platform. Aimed at helping users with audience research, this feature may help creators in keeping track of new trends, interests, and popular content.
Lastly, Google has added a supplementary tool for users in the U.S. to gain further insight into an image, populated from a resource called the “Knowledge Graph.” Facts, information, and related topics about an image will be placed underneath the image.
Google has given an example to better explain the feature: “Let’s say you’re searching for beautiful state parks to visit nearby. You want to swim during your visit, so you tap on a picture of a park with a river. Beneath the photo you might see related topics, such as the name of the river, or which city the park is in. If you tap a specific topic, it will expand and show you a short description of the person, place or thing it references, along with a link to learn more and other related topics for you to explore. With this information, you can better understand the image you’re viewing and whether the web page is relevant to your search.”
That wraps up this week’s social media updates! If you’re interested in learning more about social media and digital marketing, be sure to follow us on Facebook!
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