Summer is finally here… Woop!
Social networks have started the summer season in a chill way, as June brought no game-changing updates! However, there were a few small tweaks and new additions that could improve your social media strategies, so, let’s dive in and see what was new on social media last month.
Testing Hide Replies
Back in April, we talked about how Twitter introduced the option to hide replies to your Tweets from yourself and other users. Rumoured to be released in June, it was finally available last month, for Canadian users only…
It works in a similar way to Facebook’s ‘Hide Comment’ feature. If you come across an unwanted reply to your Tweet you can hide it by clicking ‘Hide Tweet’ which will hide the reply from yours and others timelines. It doesn’t mean that the Tweet has disappeared forever, it can still be seen by clicking ‘View Hidden Tweet’s’ much like Facebook’s option of ‘View Hidden Comments’.
Hoping to alleviate abuse on the site and clean up timelines, some are viewing this as an impediment to sharing opinions freely. Do you agree? Twitter has tried multiple times to regulate negative aspects of the platform but has come under scrutiny as people say they are not doing enough. On the other hand, users think the social networking site should allow people to roam free of any control.
Of course, this leaves Twitter stuck in the middle, but hiding Tweets is not the same as deleting them completely.
Adding Precise Locations is Gone
Twitter has revoked access to add your precise location to Tweets. Even though it was a bit creepy, it was quite handy for live-tweeting events and keeping up with local news. But due to lack of usage, Twitter decided to remove it.
As mentioned in the announcement below, you can still add precise geotagging in Twitter’s new camera option, as featured in this round-up.
Libra Cryptocurrency
The rumours are true! Last month, Facebook announced Calibra, the new Facebook subsidiary for financial service.
As part of a digital wallet, the Libra cryptocurrency will be available in Messenger, WhatsApp and a standalone app. As stated in this announcement, the aim of Calibra is to enable money transfers for “almost anyone with a smartphone, as easily and instantly as a text message and a low to no cost”. Eventually, Facebook plans to expand the service to allow you to pay bills, make purchases offline and online and pay for services such as public transport. How cool is that?
This doesn’t mean Facebook will have access to your financial data, as it’s a completely separate entity from the social platform.
Preview Posts
Facebook seems to be testing out a new preview option, which allows page managers to see how their posts will appear in a feed.
As discovered by Facebook users, once you click preview you’ll be taken to a new preview window which displays how your post will look in both mobile and desktop format. If you’re running your own company page this can come in handy. Allowing you to maintain awareness of how your posts are going to look in all instances to keep that engagement flowing!
Ads in the Explore Tab
According to Instagram, more than 50% of accounts on Instagram use Explore every month.
It’s become a place where people go when they want to see photos and videos related to their interests from accounts they may not already follow. It seems as if Instagram slowly started to introduce ads into the Explore page last month as per this announcement:
“We’re introducing ads in Explore slowly and thoughtfully in the coming months. After tapping on a photo or video in Explore, people may begin to see ads as part of their browsing experience just like in the main feed.”
This means you won’t be seeing ads pop up on the main screen (for now) instead, you might come across a few if you scroll once you click on a post in the Explore page. Advertisers will be able to extend their campaigns to the Explore page, by using automatic placements and opting into the new ‘Explore option’.
Algorithm Changes
It’s finally LinkedIn’s turn to throw some algorithm changes at us! LinkedIn will now put more emphasis on posts that trigger constructive back and forth, rather than viral posts.
LinkedIn explains in this dedicated blog post that they use the “People You Know, Talking About Things You Care About” process when deciphering what posts appear in a user’s feed.
In simpler terms, LinkedIn’s ranking algorithm takes into considering the following factors:
- Their connections
- Who they’ve interacted with directly
- Who they’ve worked with
- Who they have shared interests and experiences with (based on information in their profile)
The feed may also show posts from people a user isn’t connected with if the post is relevant to the user’s professional interests. Also in the blog post, LinkedIn suggests some tips to help you boost your organic reach. Definitely worth a read if LinkedIn marketing is key to your social media strategy!
There you have it, all the major updates to social media from the month of June! Do you think Libra currency will work? How do you feel about seeing ads in the Explore page? Let’s discuss.
