Social Updates Affecting Your Marketing Strategy in 2019
/Social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram and the like - are ever-changing, ever-evolving. The word “algorithm” is a well-known term for marketers that may incite anxiety, trepidation and even fear.
But as social media conglomerates add further dimensions to their platforms, they’re actually deepening the user experience and providing more ways for we as marketers to connect with and engage our target audience.
So, instead of dreading the next platform update, we at Humble & Whole strive to stay informed - focusing on learning what’s new and seeking the new opportunities in each update. Today, we’re sharing a few of the most recent social media updates and user trends affecting social media marketing in 2019.
Instagram, and marketing in general, is seeing a larger shift toward user engagement with video-based content, like stories and IGTV. In fact, according to BrandWatch, over 300 million users interact with Instagram Stories daily.
IGTV, as well, is here to stay. New updates to the platform include the ability to share previews of IGTV videos to Instagram stories.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with Instagram stories. They are a top source of engagement on the platform and can be used to drive traffic to IGTV episodes that need a boost of viewers and engagement.
Facebook is currently ‘running a small test of ads’ appearing in search results. They originally tried running search ads back in 2012, but the platform didn’t respond well. To combat the offset in revenue growth, they’re bringing it back. Search ads will soon be a placement option for any marketer creating Facebook ads within the Ads Manager!
Facebook is also testing keyword alerts for Facebook groups, providing another way for group administrators to stay engaged in relevant community conversation and to monitor conversations as well.
Keyword alerts within groups can help administrators and moderators respond quickly to any discussions that violate rules as well. Keyword alerts can also be used to identify “hot leads” or members whose discussions indicate readiness or interest for a product or service.
Earlier this year, Pinterest launched a chronological following tab dedicated solely to the groups, boards and pinners users follow, adding value for audience members to stay engaged with brand updates, promotions and ideas.
Now, they’re introducing new updates to that tab - a single-pin format. Now, users can scroll and only see one pin at a time and see pins in the order in which they were saved.
This deepens the user experience in allowing users to immerse themselves in brand experiences one at a time as well as toggle between experiences fluidly.
In 2019, the user experience is going to rely more heavily on visual branding. When using Pinterest as a marketing engine for your brand, make sure your visuals are creative and well-produced. If much of your brand relies on visual advertising and search, invest in the creation of well-developed pins and a Pinterest strategy.
You can now add hashtags to your LinkedIn page! We saw hashtag usage come to life primarily via Instagram, and now LinkedIn is using hashtags as a search and categorization tool for users.
Administrators of LinkedIn Company Pages now have the ability to share downloadable documents and content assets as well as images, native video and text.
Think about your brand story and determine what content assets would deepen that experience and create a richer story - presentations? Word documents? Downloadable PDFs? Allow your content marketing to play, experiment and have fun on this platform!
If you’re ready to work with a team of strategists who see the future of the platforms and can see how unique brands can best utilize each, reach out and book a no-pressure, informative discovery call with our team!
