What’s the latest with social media? A/W 2022

It’s no surprise that social media saw a huge surge at the beginning of lockdown and still continues to thrive now. Whilst life has returned to some sort of ‘normal’, the growth of social media platforms are never-ending.

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn and Twitter present fresh opportunities for brands to expand their reach in innovative and exciting ways, and allow users to interact outside traditional means of social media marketing.

Snapchat adds new location feature to help keep users safe.

This month Snapchat launched a new live location feature that allows users to share their location with chosen connections. The new feature allows you to do this with a chosen friend, friends or family members for 15 minutes, an hour or eight hours at a time.

Although Snapchat users have been able to share their location since the function was launched in 2017, this option is more specific, enabling precise tracking of user’s real-time movements.

Snapchat have partnered with a non-profit organisation that is focused on stopping sexual assault to launch this brand new feature. The feature will also enable the added security of having chosen friends track their steps which will help to improve personal security.

Meta announces new restrictions on the creation and use of profile image frames on Facebook

Back in 2015 Facebook rolled out the profile image frames aligned with sports teams initially, however it soon expanded by allowing users to choose from over 2,000 frames on the app.

This is now changed due to Facebook’s decision to ban anti-vaccine messaging in its apps in late 2020. Covid activists switched to profile frames creating anti-vax statements.

CBNC found a large number of people using these frames, and in a response to this Facebook began to remove offending frames from its frames gallery – as well as others that weren’t Facebook approved.

If you’ve noticed fewer profile frames on Facebook of late, this would be why. Meta is now moving to tighten its restrictions on profile frame creation with new regulations set to come into action.

Linkedin adds new elements to its Services listings to help freelancers generate business

LinkedIn has now allowed freelancers and SMBs to list the services they provide on their profiles which also allows them to be found more easily in the search results.

This new option provides more opportunities to win over potential clients, add credibility and showcase more about what you do or how you’ve been recognised.

Twitter allows you to Pin DM chats.

Twitter has now added the option to pin your DM chats to the top of your inbox. If you swipe to the right of the screen, you’ll see a pin option appear. This is a great way to keep in touch with your close friends without having to scroll every time you want to send a message.

While 73% of Twitter users are likely to tweet at a brand to get a response, 52% are more likely to DM a brand account when it comes to more private information so it could be particularly helpful in relation to customer service. This improves the ability to pin chats with customers that are high priority.

Instagram adds stories likes to provide insight on viewer engagement 

Instagram has introduced a simple way for users to engage with stories without sending the creator a DM. Likes on stories are private but this now opens up the experience to interact more without the constant notifications.

This introduces a low-key way of indicating your interest without having to send a new message every time you want to connect. It’s a great way to increase story engagement with other creators or businesses.

 

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