July 10, 2018
A week is a long time in social media. So now that we’re in July, a lot has happened already in 2018.
Social media remains more popular than ever, although it’s been a bumpy ride for some – as you’d expect in any industry.
LinkedIn introduces native video uploading to users
LinkedIn is clearly listening to its users and has responded to a desire for native video advertising and video for company pages.
This makes sense.
In 2017, 90% of all content shared by users on social media was video.
Last August, the platform introduced native video uploading to users, and it quickly became popular.
LinkedIn stated that more than 700 advertisers have trialled Video for Sponsored Content since October.
Abhishek Shrivastava, Director of Product for LinkedIn Marketing Solutions said that, during that time, LinkedIn users spent almost three times longer watching video ads than static ads.
In addition, company page videos were five times more likely than other types of content to spark conversation amongst users.
Looks like listening has worked well for LinkedIn.
Facebook has dominated the news
After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, some predicted a mass exodus from users of the social media platform.
Facebook faced criticism over data breaches, from politicians and commentators alike.
Did that mass exodus from Facebook actually happen?
Well… Facebook is now more popular than ever – the average number of monthly active Facebook users for March rose by 13%.
While we all want to retain our privacy and want greater transparency from the tech giants, we remain attached to Facebook and the part it plays in our lives.
It’s been around too long and is too embedded with how we communicate with the world.
People accept targeted advertising as the price to be paid for what is a free means of staying in touch with family and friends. Targeted advertising that is relevant and interesting is better than boring advertising that has no value or relevance to us and our lives.
Facebook remains a commercial space and those marketers who understand this thrive on the platform. It remains the ideal space to foster a relationship with present and future customers. It’s too big an opportunity for marketers to ignore. Its reach is too great.
WhatsApp raises age limit
It’s good news that the industry is taking greater responsibility for the young and vulnerable.
Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp, which has over 1.5 billion users, raised their minimum age limit from 13 to 16, in part to comply with the EU’s new data protection rules.
Instagram announces hashtag and profile links in bios
The capability to follow hashtags makes the platform even more user friendly.
Instagram says this will give users ‘new ways to stay connected with the interests, hobbies, passions, and communities you care about’.
They’ve updated their algorithms too.
Two years ago they moved away from a chronological algorithm but now they want to ensure that newer posts are more likely to appear first in feed.
Looks like Instagram is listening too.
Twitter bans bulk tweeting
This is in a bid to combat spam and political propaganda bots, with 50,000 accounts being linked to Russian propaganda efforts.
Twitter’s own TweetDeck app once allowed users to post similar content from multiple accounts, while also automating liking, retweeting and following.
Twitter says these actions are ‘an important step in ensuring we stay ahead of malicious activity targeting the crucial conversations taking place on Twitter – including elections in the United States and around the world’.
Twitter introduces Timestamps
Previously, to highlight relevant times during live and replayed videos, users had to send a tweet.
Timestamps make those tweets unnecessary. It’s now possible to tweet live or replayed videos at the relevant moment rather than having to show the entire video.
After all, as Twitter Product Manager, Mike Folgner says,‘Brevity is the soul of Twitter’.
The launch of IGTV
A very exciting development for Instagram users who’ll soon have access to IGTV – a long-form video feature which will allow users to post hour-long clips. This is a huge leap forward given that up until now, the maximum video length has been 60 seconds.
The new IGTV platform will exist as a standalone app as well as on users’ homepage.
Instagram founder Kevin Systrom said he felt a “responsibility” to make these changes to the platform given data that shows people are spending less and less time watching TV and more and more time on their phones.
As each user will have their own channel where they can upload and store videos, it’ll be interesting to see how IGTV compares and competes with YouTube.
The Roundup
All in all it’s been a fast-moving and exciting year for social media, with two emerging themes so far: the continuing popularity and success of video on social media platforms and the developers of those platforms listening to and then following feedback.
That is what social media is all about after all: open and immediate interaction between participants.
Social media is an ever evolving and changing landscape and 2018 so far has been no exception. It is, after all, why we all love it!
If you want to find out how to take your social offering to the next level, contact us at agency:2 on 0203 598 9194.
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