Social media is a forever changing, constantly evolving, whirlwind of excitement. We’ve put it upon ourselves to tame this majestic digital creature for you, once again:
Facebook:
- Facebook is introducing Collections, a new ad format designed for mobile that’s meant to showcase product catalogs before taking the user off-platform to the retailer site. Although the retailers can select up to 4 products they want to feature, Facebook’s algorithm does most of the heavy lifting by selecting products on a user-by-user basis, taking into account interests and targeting.
- The ‘Book is about to make life for government representatives a whoooole lot busier with the launch of its ‘Town Hall’ Feature. The idea? Helping users to locate, contact, and follow their government reps at the local, state, and federal level. They’ll also be reminding users about local elections with News Feed integration, leaving you with exactly zero f-ing excuses to get out and vote.
Instagram:
- The app just reached 1 million active monthly advertisers—that’s double the amount they had in September. Pop the champs (just make sure you take an artsy boomerang of it). Here are some reasons behind the huge jump:
- 80% of users follow a business—we’d never dream of saying “I told you so”, but it definitely pays to have an Insta presence!
- The process is incredibly straightforward—It takes a mere 4 taps to place an ad on a business profile.
- Lastly, Instagram has graduated from just aiming for a ‘like’. Insta ads are catered to encouraging users to visit websites and buy products.
- As of last week, product tagging is rolling out for thousands of businesses after a successful trial run late last year. Retailers can now tag up to five products from their catalog in posts, which will allow users to tap for more info on the products, show them a price, and guide them to a shop now feature. [Impulse Buying Intensifies]
Snapchat:
- MGM Television is pairing up with Snapchat to create original series exclusively for the app, making it the first big studio on the scene. We’ll be over here, praying it somehow involves the dancing-dude-in-a-bunny-costume filter.
LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn introduced Trending Storylines last week. Storylines are daily curated interest-based feeds about the most important developing stories in your industry. They help users discover and discuss news, ideas, and diverse perspectives from the largest group of professionals, publishers, and editorial voices ever assembled. Each storyline will also have a unique hashtag associated with it, making it easy for users and companies to join the conversation and add their own take on the issue. As the conversations evolve, the storyline will continue to ensure you’re seeing the latest perspectives.
Google:
- Google Maps now allows you to share your real-time location with anyone, on both Android and iOS devices, without leaving the app. The people you share with will be able to see your location on Android, iPhone, mobile web, and even desktop. People who most certainly will NOT be using this feature: me…and also every other human who does this:
- G Suite has introduced a corporate training regimen to help employees automate everyday workflows and save time. You can scale your training program with an online hub, provide live trainings, quiz employees, and more. *Our HR Manager faints with joy*
YouTube:
- YouTube has introduced a Virtual Reality app. The app offers live performances, music videos, and more in VR format. Even if you don’t have a headset, you can still get the 360-degree video experience on your mobile phone or desktop. Treat yoself to a little taste.
You’ve grabbed the social bull by the horns and rode off with it into the sunset. Just remember to steer it over our way next week for more where this came from.