Tag Archives: social media new features

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 27 JUNE 2022

Instagram Adds New Age Verification Features to Better Detect and Protect Younger Users

In order to deliver age-appropriate experiences, such as setting kids into private accounts, preventing unwelcome interaction from adults they don’t know, and limiting the options advertisers have to reach children with ads, Instagram is exploring additional ways for users to verify their age on Instagram.

They can verify their age using one of three options: upload their ID, record a video selfie or ask mutual friends to verify their age. The main enhancement is a new video selfie process, which can provide AI-based estimates of a person’s age.

Instagram and other social media platforms can be damaging to young users in a number of ways, and underage usage can expose children to predators and improper information.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-adds-new-age-verification-features-to-better-detect-and-protect-y/625994/

Twitter Launches ‘Notes’ Long-Form Blogging Option, Attached to Tweets

Users can now add lengthy content to their tweets thanks to this new functionality. The user interface (UI) is akin to a standard blog post composer, with header pictures and the ability to put images and links inside of lengthy tweets. Once posted, it will become a Twitter card that links users to the complete article.

With an updated label placed at the top, the author can still amend uploaded Notes, unlike tweets. Twitter, however, stated that this won’t receive a priority over standard tweets and won’t receive an algorithmic boost. To find out how Twitter would or is optimising this functionality for users when it officially launches, we likely need to see usage data from Twitter.

However, at the present, only a few users have access to this feature. However, companies like NUS Med who frequently tweet summaries of their articles with links to the complete articles on their page may find this functionality handy.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/twitter-launches-notes-long-form-blogging-option-attached-to-tweets/625917/

Gucci’s Experimental Concept Space – Vault

Gucci has launched a cryptoart exhibition and auction entitled “The Next 100 Years of Gucci”. Otherwise known as the Vault, is an experimental concept store that hosts both physical products that are exclusively available on the Vault and NFTs from 29 artists that depict what the next 100 years of Gucci could look like.

Gucci aims to push beyond luxury retail and into creating a community – through the metaverse and vault.

With the Vault, it seems that Gucci is building their brand towards connecting with the audience — building a community — catering to Gen Zs who look for in a hybrid shopping experience. This means making Gucci available physically and in the digital world through social media platforms, metaverse, NFTs, discord etc.

Link: https://vault.gucci.com/en/story/enter-vault

Meta is Developing a New ‘Basic Ads’ Product for Facebook to Counter Losses Due to Data Privacy Concerns

According to reports, Meta is working on a new, privacy-friendly Facebook ad product that would use much fewer user data for targeting.

The emphasis would be on increasing general brand awareness through exposure to a large audience, so if you’re not wanting to target any particular audience or group, you might run a simple ad that was more broadly targeted to Facebook users.

The solution was created in reaction to Apple’s ATT update, which saw a large number of Facebook users choose not to have their personal data tracked by the programme.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-is-developing-a-new-basic-ads-product-for-facebook-to-counter-losses/624893/

Twitter Expands E-Commerce Features With Shopify Partnership

According to a press release, Twitter and Shopify this week launched a partnership to assist retailers in driving customers to their websites to complete transactions.

Users of Shopify’s e-commerce platform will be able to display up to 50 goods for sale on their Twitter profiles in automatically updated listings. A Twitter sales channel app is now available through Shopify’s administrator portal as well as its App Store. Businesses can link their Twitter accounts to the Shopping Manager on the social networking site, which offers a number of e-commerce software capabilities.

Due to the integration between Twitter and Shopify, retailers can now display their products on Twitter Shops or in the Shop Spotlight on their Twitter profile, both of which are now open to all retailers in the United States. The Shopify merchants’ catalogues and Twitter’s sales channel app are automatically synchronised, so there is no need for manual updates to the product information.

One way social networks may provide marketers with extra services and give users another incentive to visit more often is by supporting e-commerce. It offers the opportunity for social media sites to collect transaction fees and receive commissions on sales, but some of these costs have been temporarily waived by platforms like Facebook as they work to increase the number of merchants they work with.

As much as social media companies now compete with retailers for digital advertising dollars, they also are finding ways to collaborate in their e-commerce efforts.

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/twitter-expands-e-commerce-features-with-shopify-partnership/625930/

Facebook Reportedly Plans a Major Overhaul to Compete With TikTok

The Verge published an internal memo sent by Tom Alison, head of FB explaining very clearly the social media platform’s plans to revamp its feed and other major changes to keep up with TikTok and it’s not just about promoting reels.

Some changes we can expect include:

  1. Facebook’s Feed is expected to “balance both connected content and unconnected content” in Feed. It means that Facebook is going to start recommending more content in your feed from sources you’re not connected with. You’ll still be able to see posts from your connections (friends and family), but you’ll also see more content from entities you’re not connected with.
  2. Reuniting FB and messenger apps to support what they refer to as the “message-based sharing” of content.
  3. Facebook is still prioritising Reels and is now planning on “integrating Reels in Home, Watch, IFR and Groups.”

Link: https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/leaked-memo-shows-facebook-plans-big-changes-to-compete-with-tiktok/

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 20 JUNE 2022

YouTube Reports that 1.5 Billion Users Now Engage with YouTube Shorts Content Each Month

It’s remarkable to consider TikTok’s impact on the social media landscape and media consumption patterns in general – not just on TikTok, but also through the myriad short form video offers now available in other apps.

For example, YouTube today released new data on the growing popularity of YouTube Shorts, its own TikTok clone, which was created to blur the line between the two apps and prevent YouTube viewers from flocking to the trending site.

As per YouTube: “YouTube Shorts are now being watched by over 1.5 billion logged-in users every month.”

That is a huge amount, especially when you also consider that YouTube’s total monthly ‘logged in’ audience is 2 billion total users.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-reports-that-15-billion-users-now-engage-with-youtube-shorts-conte/625587/#:~:text=As%20per%20YouTube%3A,is%202%20billion%20total%20users

Instagram Tests Updated, TikTok-Like Full-Screen Format for its Main Feed

Instagram has updated its full-screen main feed test, which transforms Instagram posts — whether static photographs, videos, or Reels – into a full-height, TikTok-style swipeable flow of all types of IG content.

The navigation bar, description, and Instagram logo are placed on the content, making Instagram Reels and video clips full-screen. This new method would also hide the Stories bar, albeit, in the long run, Stories would most likely be integrated into this new presenting type.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-tests-updated-tiktok-like-full-screen-format-for-its-main-feed/625682/

YouTube Brings Shopping to Shorts With Glossier Challenge

Glossier was the first company to sell its products via YouTube Shorts. Glossier’s newest eyeliner, the No. 1 Pencil, is featured in YouTube’s first Shoppable Shorts Challenge.

Glossier is also collaborating with over 100 influencers to create short videos displaying the eyeliner on their own social media platforms. Each video will include the hashtag #WrittenInGlossier, which will direct viewers to Glossier.com to purchase the new product. The challenge kicked off on June 8 and will end on June 23. Because of the current blend of content and business, Glossier’s relationship with YouTube Shorts is noteworthy. More brands will be able to produce shoppable films that are optimised for mobile viewing as YouTube rolls out this functionality. They can also employ influencers and artists to promote their products, such as Glossier’s Shoppable Shorts Challenge, which gives viewers first access to the brand’s newest product.

YouTube is expanding into the short-form video arena, which is TikTok’s main strength, in order to regain growth.

Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/youtube-glossier-beauty-festival-makeup/625173/

A Cookieless Future Demands Contextual Commerce

Third-party cookies will be phased out by Google by the end of 2023, but contextual commerce does not require consumer data.

Contextual commerce simplifies the purchasing process and makes ordering simple, allowing customers to shop whenever and wherever they want. (It’s a case of buying in context.)

Contextual commerce should be simple to combine with content marketing initiatives, such as making videos or live broadcasts that link to items and services, allowing users to purchase while watching. For example, social media postings link to the products featured in them, allowing customers to shop while scrolling, and we tag products on Instagram posts wherever possible because IG doesn’t allow link clicks in the caption.

Anywhere that potential purchasers can view your goods should be linked to a purchase option, so they don’t have to go elsewhere to finish their buying. This is where our well-defined call to action urges customers to complete the checkout process.

In order to make ad measurement easier and comparable, Gartner recommends utilising structured content descriptions for advertising, which is the same fundamental piece of material that can be used to populate a section of a web page, in-product help, social media posts, and even chat interactions.

Links: 

Instagram Will Start Nudging Teens Away From the Content They Continuously Browse Through Notifications

After announcing a new project last year to “nudge” teen users away from hazardous content, Instagram has announced that the feature is now available in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 

If a teen’s spending too long on Instagram’s Explore page looking at posts with a particular theme, the platform will display a notification suggesting that they look at other types of posts instead.

Additionally, Instagram’s existing parental controls are also getting some changes. Parents will now be able to send invites to their children requesting access to parental supervision tools, which previously could only be done by teens. Parents can also get more control over how much time their kid spends on Instagram by seeing what types of posts or accounts their teen reports.

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/14/23167233/instagram-nudge-teens-harmful-content

CapitaLand Launches Its First 24-Hour Experiential Party in Decentraland, Presented by Dbs

CapitaLand is the first mall operator in Singapore to host a 24-hour immersive party in Decentraland from June 19 at 6 p.m. to June 20 at 5 p.m. (VIP session begins at 5 p.m.). Live music performances, brand exploration docks, the Capitaverse-exclusive Aura Wearable NFT, and virtual hunts for real-world rewards are all part of CapitaVerse’s four levels of interactive and immersive discovery stations.

Members of the DBS Attendees are invited to log in at 6 p.m. and build their avatars in order to receive exclusive complimentary Aura wearables (limited to 1,500) and quadruple their chances of winning a $50 eCapitaVoucher when they share their trendy avatars on Instagram.

Attendees can get their Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) NFT from the POAP dispenser in The Checkered Board Lab on Level 2. The POAP is a digital record of your experiences that will be kept in your MetaMask wallet. The POAP is stored in MetaMask, a free digital wallet that allows guests to flash their POAP at participating stores to receive special discounts for a month until July 20th.

Link: https://www.capitaland.com/international/en/about-capitaland/newsroom/news-releases/in[…]itaLand_launches_first_metaverse_party_in_Decentraland.html

MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 30 MAY 2022

Social Media Managers Can Now Post to TikTok from Their Favorite Social Media Management Tools

TikTok has now integrated a new set of social media management tools to its Marketing Partners Program, allowing you to organise, schedule, and publish content to TikTok from your preferred platform.

Link: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/social-media-managers-can-now-post-to-tiktok-from-their-favorite-social-med/624505/

International Burger Day Posts From McDonald’s in Asia – Great Way to Increase Engagements

McDonald’s Singapore initiated the conversation by posting their favourite burgers and tagging McDonald’s Korea to contribute their favourites as well.

McDonald’s Korea then tagged McDonald’s HK in order for them to share theirs.

According to social proof, a post from McDonald’s SG received over 2.5k likes, much beyond their usual 200-500 likes. At the same time, it piques consumers’ interest in the burgers available in other Asian countries, encouraging them to click on each of the marked McDonald’s locations to learn more.

Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CeFfxF1Dnwp/?igshid=NWRhNmQxMjQ=

Chevrolet’s WhatsApp Game Drives Awareness of Texting and Driving Dangers

Chevrolet Brazil created a WhatsApp mobile game to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving. The campaign will be promoted by promotions on Instagram Stories and Twitter during Yellow May, the international awareness month for decreasing road accidents.

By typing “hello” to Chevrolet, mobile users can access the Zap Racing game on the messaging app. Messages fill the screen with emoji depicting a car approaching obstacles such as trees, bikers, and other vehicles, while players can drive their vehicle by responding with commands in the chat. With each stage, the game becomes tougher, and all players will inevitably crash in the end. The last message informs viewers of the dangers of texting and driving.

The game builds on Chevrolet’s increased focus on social media marketing and shows that it is targeting younger consumers who are heavy app users.

Instagram’s Working on a Video Reaction Option for Reels

Instagram is presently testing a new feature that prompts users to ‘make a reaction video’ directly from the Reels share sheet. The user can film a reaction video by clicking on the settings menu found on the reel they want to react to.

Instagram has previously added a handful of TikTok-inspired features, and this is another move in TikTok’s direction, as Instagram explores ways to more closely coincide with TikTok’s core, and enormously popular product, in order to neutralise TikTok’s growth and keep users linked with its apps.

Link: https://thenextweb.com/news/instagram-remix-feature-reels-tiktok-duets

NFTs Are Coming to Instagram

Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that Meta will begin testing NFTs on Instagram very soon, most likely right now.

This experiment is intended to allow creators and collectors to display their NFTs on their accounts. This would also be available on Facebook in the future, although no timetable was provided. There are no expenses associated with showing NFTs on your profile.

Augmented reality NFTs are also being created for Instagram, and one area to use them is in IG stories, where you can project digital art into 3D and physical places utilising Spark AR (software AR platform).

This is being tested in the United States and would allow testers to share their NFTs, whether they created them or have them in their collection, on their Instagram feed, stories, or in messages.

The community has expressed concern about the massive quantity of carbon footprint this would cause as power is consumed when transactions that employ that power occur. While this may encourage more people to participate in NFT creation and purchasing, it is unclear how much carbon footprint will be freed as a result.

Link: https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/nfts-are-coming-to-instagram-with-testing-starting-this-week/