Digital marketing is changing so rapidly that a lot of business owners are not even aware of the latest trends in social media. Don’t worry! Just sit back, relax, and take your time to read this article because we listed some of the top 10 social media updates that happened this 2019.
1.Facebook Gets Corporate Logo
This is a low key social media update but it has definitely created some buzz in the digital world.
The company’s move aims to put a distinction between the Facebook corporation and the Facebook social media app
Source: Facebook, Inc.
The social media giant will use the new logo, which is basically the word “Facebook” spelled out, as a watermark on all of its standalone apps. The Facebook social media app will still use the same old blue/white “f” logo, however, we’ll see the new corporate logo on the login screens of the entire Facebook app family: Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp.
The company just wants everyone to knows that it owns all of these apps given the fact that only 29% of the US population know that Instagram is owned by Facebook.
2.Instagram Releases “IGTV Series” Feature
It’s actually not a new feature because Snapchat and Youtube have been doing this for years. However, Instagram stated that they will be having this social media update on IGTV so that content creators can organize their videos better. Well, better late than never, right?
Source: Instagram
Whether you’re a business, celebrity or an influencer, you can easily create and upload your own video series that will allow users to easily “consume” your content. This latest update will also feature an opt-in button so that your audience can subscribe to your brand and get notifications from when you release a new video.
3.Facebook News Tab Is Now Available
Facebook has rolled out Facebook Watch, Gaming, and Marketplace in the past few years but it seems like Mr.Zuckerberg isn’t done just yet. Facebook News is the latest addition to the app where you can find news from the biggest publishers worldwide such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and BuzzFeed.
This social media update has been rolled out to only a few thousand users in the US just to test the waters.
Source: The Verge
While there’s no definite number on how many publishers are a part of the test, reports say that Facebook is paying some of them to distribute news. There will also be an independent team of curators to avoid bias, but over time, the News tab will be filled with content related to your interests.
4.New LinkedIn Reactions
This social media platform, which is widely used by professionals, has rolled out a new set of react emojis which are based on the common reactions its users have on the platform. In fact, the app users played a big role in this update since it has been their constant request to be able to express their reactions in a variety of ways.
The platform only had the Like button before, but now, users can use the latest react buttons which are: Celebrate, Insightful, Love, and Curious. This social media update creates more interaction, engagement, and allows users to understand their audiences better based on the reactions on their posts.
5.Third-Party Apps Can Now Post On TikTok
If you haven’t heard about TikTok yet, well you should start getting into it now. It’s a Chinese social media platform that is quite similar to Instagram but its mainly used for short and comedic videos (it’s a reincarnation of Vine).
Source: Social Media Today
Recently, the company rolled out the “Share to TikTok” feature which will allow video editing tools to publish directly into the app. Some of the third-party apps mentioned where Adobe Premiere Rush, PicsArt, and Momento GIF Maker.
6.Dynamic Ads For Snapchat
Snapchat is one of those platforms for the Millenials and Gen Z, so if you’re one of those brands who caters these markets, now’s the best time to dive in. The company has announced a social media update for its platform where it would roll out dynamic ads for e-Commerce advertisers to use.
Source: Snapchat
It’s currently available in the US but this update is surely good news for brands. Marketers can easily choose from a variety of templates and all they need to do is to add their product catalog on the platform. This means less time for production and more time to earn revenue.
7.Pinterest Academy Is Now Open
When it comes to social media platforms, Pinterest has always been under-the-radar, but it’s one of the top platforms that businesses use. Lucky for you, the company released its own e-learning course and tools that will help you get started on how to use Pinterest to market your brand.
There are nine topics included in the course which include Pinterest Narrative or Creative Strategy. The academy is currently rolled out to only a few select countries: Germany, France, Australia, UK, the US, and Canada. Just watch out! Maybe your country is next.
8.Brands Can Now Turn Sponsored Influencer Posts Into Ads
Influencer marketing has been around for quite some time now where brands team up with well-known people in a specific niche to promote a certain product. Before, brands didn’t have access to the data gathered by an influencer’s post, but now, that is surely about to change.
Source: Instagram
Influencers can enable this feature by going to the advanced settings in their profile then their business partners can now use their posts as a regular ad in the feeds or a story ad. This feature will allow brands to do proper scaling, targeting, and measuring of ad performance which will result to a higher ROI. Instagram released a step-by-step procedure on how to do it.
9. Facebook Changes Measurement On Organic Impressions
It’s always a headache when Facebook does some algorithm changes and now, they’re at it again. But is it a good one? The answer is yes. The update stated that there will be a significant drop in organic impressions but that doesn’t mean that your pages aren’t doing well.
Source: Facebook, Inc.
It’s basically a matter of metric calculation and not distribution which means your content will still be seen by your audience if it’s relevant to them. In fact, businesses might even see an increase in engagement rates on their pages because of this social media update.
10. Instagram Threads Is Out Now
Do you get a lot of unwanted messages in your DMs? Don’t you worry because Instagram just released its latest standalone app called Instagram Threads. It’s a camera-first messaging app that’s designed for speed, privacy, and to keep your close connections closer than ever.
Source: Instagram
The app will allow users to choose or create their own status so their friends will know what they’re currently up to. Photo and video sharing has also been optimized and can easily be done in just two
That’s it everyone! We hope that these top 10 social media updates for 2019 have helped you a lot. Social media is constantly changing and it’s always good to keep up with trends so social media efforts don’t go to waste. If you have any questions or want to get the latest updates, make sure to follow us @smith_marketing_pros.
