Are you struggling to keep up with the changes that occur on social media platforms almost daily? Algorithms are updated routinely, new features are tested out in select locations or industries on a regular basis, ad targeting options seem to change weekly; it can be a lot for a business owner to keep up with, especially since social media is just one part of a successful digital marketing strategy. Thatās where we come in. Having an agency at your disposal who stays at the forefront of trends and breakthroughs in the industry is vital for an effective and successful digital presence and overall marketing strategy. Today weāre going to catch you up on the latest changes with a quick overview so you can get back to running your business and weāre also going to give you a little sneak preview of some changes that may be coming in the near future.Ā
Top Fans and Exclusive Content
For Facebook pages with over 10,000 followers, you can exclusively target your followers who engage the most with your content now. These users receive āTop Fanā badges and everytime they comment on your content the badge is displayed by their name. You can publish organic content that only āTop Fansā can see on your page enabling you to test new campaigns with your most engaged audience members before rolling it out to everyone or provide special offers or exclusive information to your most loyal fans.Ā
Mobile Content Gets Compressed
Last month, Facebook updated the layout of the mobile experience for users by changing the aspect ratio on screens from 2:3 to 4:5 and reducing the number of text lines shown from 7 to 3. This means any text past the 3 line limit will be hidden and users will need to click see more to read the rest. This just means itās even more important than ever to hook them with those first few lines.Ā
Update to Facebookās Terms of Service
With all the media buzz around privacy and Facebookās lack of transparency around user information and security, the social media platform has updated its terms of service to include things like details on how they make profits, information on content removal and intellectual property and more. You can read them all here.Ā This change was put in place to offer a more straightforward and transparent relationship with users.Ā
Cracking Down on Health ClaimsĀ
If youāre in the health and wellness space you will be especially interested in this one. Facebook has begun ādownrankingā posts that talk about sensationalized treatments such as magic pills to get instant results or DIY ideas for losing weight that are dangerous. The key here is āsensationalizedā phrases. As usual, Facebook does not release details on algorithm changes so the exact phrases being targeted are unknown. Stick to medically proven health and wellness content and you should not be affected.Ā
InstagramĀ
Desktop Publishing AbilitiesĀ
In the past, the only way to work on Instagram was through third party software or through the mobile application itself. That means marketers and business owners could only use Instagram through their mobile devices. Most busy business owners and marketers take time to sit down at their desktops to do this type of work in depth. Now, thanks to the Creator Studio in Facebook, Instagram photos and videos can be posted to the platform along with the ability to check and respond to messages. This will save time for so many and as you know time = money!
Ad Placements Now Available in ExploreĀ
If youāre not a heavy Instagram users you may not know about the explore tab. This is a place on Instagram where the platform shows you content you are likely to be interested in based on your behavior and actions taken in the app. So if you love watching cat videos, your explore feed may feature lots of pics and videos of cats. Itās usually got a good mix of things and in the past did not allow for ad placements. This is great news for business owners and marketers as itās a brand new space to promote your content.Ā
Study Claims Instagram Engagement is Down Platform Wide
According to a study of 1.4 million Instagram posts by consulting firm Trust Insights, the average number of interactions on Instagram is down 18% from the beginning of the year. The study notes that brands as well as individual influencers are feeling the pain of dropping engagement rates and are still looking into what the potential cause could be.Ā
Whatās Coming Next?
Facebook and Instagram Likes May DisappearĀ
Are you obsessed with comparing how many likes your posts get compared to others? Facebook and Instagram are testing hiding that feature from you in select countries. Youāll still be able to see your own likes but you won’t be able to see anyone elseās if they decide to roll this feature out permanently and in the United States.Ā
To stay up to date on all the changes being rolled out on your favorite social media platforms be sure to check back on our blog for future updates and join our newsletter list to get the latest and greatest information sent right to your inbox. If you want to learn more about how our agency can help you define and deploy a digital marketing strategy to include web development, SEO, content marketing and social media marketing, give us a call today at 321-255-0900 or email us at info@theadleaf.com.Ā
