In the fast-paced environment that is social media, updates and new features arrive in the blink of an eye.
Read our top social media updates so you can be the one in the know around the virtual water cooler.
In the wake of ‘Zoom’ nation, Facebook has launched its offering, Messenger Rooms.
‘Rooms’ can hold up to 50 people, and unlike free Zoom accounts there is no time limit. The beauty of Rooms according to Facebook is that you can see when your Facebook friends are online and invite them into a room.
You don’t need a Facebook account to be invited to a room, and similar to ‘House Party’ which has boomed during the pandemic, you have the ability to lock people out or remove people from a room.
Like Zoom, Rooms will also allow you to change backgrounds, add effects and even add mood lighting!
Rooms will eventually become available on WhatsApp as well as Instagram.
The other interesting changes being implemented are the return of ‘Live With’, which allows you to bring another person into your live video. When you create a Facebook Event you will also have the added option of it being online only, perfect for webinars or inviting your friends to online dance parties!
Facebook Live will also have the ability for you to choose audio only. If you have a poor internet connection, you can choose audio only and hear the live video without missing out on a thing!
From a ‘Live With’ with a brand ambassador, or a Messenger Room event with a group of customers to soundboard NPD, there are so many opportunities for brands to engage with customers in an ‘event’ at home.
Get in contact with the IMPACT team if you’d like to workshop some ideas.
2020 has already seen the implementation of a few new fun features on Instagram. Including the ‘arrow pen’ in stories, allowing you to point the perfect arrow at whatever you want to highlight.
There is also a move towards micro-blogging on Insta. Having short paragraphs accompanying your post gives you an opportunity to tell a story – from tips and tricks to a peak behind the curtain.
Micro-blogging also means users stay on your post longer, flagging engagement to the algorithm. If the algorithm picks up that users are reacting to your content, both from the user end and the brand end, it is more likely to recommend further content to that user.
Since the removal of the chronological feed, Instagram will prioritise content it thinks matches the user’s previous behaviour.
YouTube
One of the biggest digital content platforms in the world, YouTube has stepped up its efforts to control misinformation, especially in the wake of COVID-19, by implementing a new ‘fact checking’ panel.
The information panels will appear on searches that relate to specific topics, such as Covid-19 or conspiracies theories like ‘flat earthers’. Fact checks are provided to bring context to claims, and help the viewer make their own informed decision.
This change was originally implemented in India and Brazil and is now rolling out in the US.
There is currently no set date for when this change will be implemented here in Australia but watch this space.
Great news for brands with an e-commerce platform. Pinterest has recently updated its Shopify App.
You can now stream your entire product catalogue to Pinterest as pins through Shopify. This will also mean your Pinterest pins will be updated in real time as prices and products change on your catalogue.
As Australians look for new ways to support small and local business, this is a huge opportunity to expose yourself to thousands of potential new customers.
This update is currently only available to users in Canada and America but will be expanded to more regions shortly.
Go to Insights
