Your Monthly Social Media Update

We hope this blog finds you filled with Thanksgiving carbs, loads of turkey and shopping bags galore from those Black Friday deals. We’ve been busy over here trying to keep up with all the continuous change in the social media industry. Especially on our favorite social platforms.

From the rise to virtual influencers (as in, computer generated models that are not actually real) to Facebook’s newest app launch marketed toward teens, we have an eclectic mix of updates for you this month. Grab those Thanksgiving leftovers, take a seat and soak up all of this social media newness. 

 

The Pinterest Shop Went Live

November 30th was a great time to be a small business, especially if you were chosen to be a part of Pinterest’s newest update called “The Pinterest Shop.” Small businesses could apply to be featured on this curated page, where the pin boards were actually small businesses, and the pins themselves were products you could purchase. Think of it this way – you could go to a thrift store and hunt around if you like. Or you could go to a boutique thrift store that’s done all the hunting for you. That’s what Pinterest has done here for businesses on the social platform – and we can’t get enough of it.

 

 

Facebook’s Meme App for Teens

It’s called Whale. Yes, like the animal. We know that younger generations are more and more disenchanted with Facebook, as it lost its “MySpace-type cool” years ago since the introduction of Instagram. This app is an attempt by Facebook to, as the youngsters would say, “stay hip.” Simply put, it’s an app that provides templates, stickers, fonts and images you can use alongside your own images to create custom memes. We’ll see how this works out with the youth. 

 

TikTok is Seeking Monetization

Ah, yes. TikTok, the ever-growing-in-popularity app that no one thought would amount to Vine status but looks like it’s quickly on its way there. Catch Lauren B on her couch most nights before bed, cackling like crazy at the ridiculousness and hilariousness of what is published on this platform. Currently, the app is testing out direct URLs and links in user bios and videos as a way to lean towards monetization within its platform. We’ll see how far this social platform goes, considering it’s still under investigation for security and illegal downloading and sending off information to China.

 

 

 

Twitter Testing “Switch Account” Feature

Ever wanted to reply to a tweet but on a different Twitter profile, without having to manually switch profiles? Twitter has been testing out an option where you can tweet but change your profile while you’re composing and before you send. This will be super helpful for those who see an opportunity on twitter for a company they manage or their own, and allow them to respond in real time, without all the hassle. 

 

No More Third Party Apps for Twitter 

Twitter additionally has been reported to be testing out a scheduling feature within its own app. It works just like any other scheduling third party program – compose, select day and time, and then schedule. Convenient, but can be problematic for those who use apps like SproutSocial or Buffer to schedule tweets.

 

Instagram Testing Out New IGTV Layout

It seems like there’s never a day where IG isn’t tweaking with their video creating in app platform these days. IGTV has been reported to have been testing a new layout, where you just keep scrolling into the next video instead of the grid layout like before, the videos have been sorted into different categories, like one would find on Netflix.

 

The Rise of the Virtual Influencer

You know how some might laugh or roll their eyes at people who say “the robots are after our jobs?” Well, tell them to take a look at the rise in virtual influencers. Literally, computer designed models who are not real, but have garnered influencer following and status (and brand deals). We don’t know what to think of this, other than it’s probably a brands biggest dream – a personality online that isn’t real, easy to partner with, has no opinions, and can do whatever. That is, until they develop a conscious and take over the world. 

 

 

 

Neighborly Love 

The power is in the people. Well, now that brands have more control over their online ad neighbors it is anyway. Facebook has recently announced its newest addition to keeping security at the forefront of its concerns for brands like you and I. These new safety tools will allow businesses to choose what content they do and, more specifically, do not want to be associated with. Let your mother’s words ring in your ears – “you are who you hangout with.” Both on and off line. 

 

No Drama Llama

Since Instagram’s decision to expand globally on its testing of hidden like counts, its competitor Twitter has chosen to do something similar – hidden tweet replies. However, this one will be up to you. If your business is using this social platform heavily, this could be a great way to get rid of some of the noise. All of those irrelevant, obnoxious, cotton-headed-ninny-muggin tweet replies you get – be gone! Literally. You can get rid of them. So go ahead and do that.

 

 

There you have it, y’all. An interesting mix of updates to say the least – what will virtual influencers do to shape the landscape of social media marketing? How is Facebook going to do with its strangely named Whale App? Will Twitter’s newest update start the rise of more in app scheduling features, and put third party schedulers away? We have so many questions. And if you didn’t catch up on last months updates, no worries – click here to read all about it. We’ll see y’all on the flip side!