Social media updates – What happened in July 2020
After a few months away, Nick, one of our Digital Marketing Specialists, recaps the latest updates from the social media world.
TikTok have been in the news a lot as Donald Trump is waging war on the app due to concerns about their use of customer data, while they’re also reconsidering their UK expansion plans. Also, despite last month’s advertiser boycott, Facebook’s revenue grew 11% in Q2.
Instagram updates July 2020
Instagram launches its redesigned Shop function
Instagram have officially introduced their e-commerce hub called Instagram Shop in the US, with a global rollout expected in the coming weeks. Integration with Facebook Pay will enable merchants to sell products and accept payments within the app.
Writing in a company blog post, Instagram say this will allow users to “discover the latest trends, get personalized recommendations, and preview exclusive launches, all in one place, so you can browse and buy the products that you love”. [source]
Small Business Fundraisers now available on Instagram
As part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Instagram have followed Facebook’s lead in giving businesses the ability to raise funds. Small businesses now have the opportunity to recoup some costs if their work was affected during lockdown. [source]
Facebook updates July 2020
Facebook tests a new Page design with a cleaner layout
Removal of ‘Like’ counts and a cleaner, more readable layout are two features of Facebook’s potential new Page design. The new look is supposed to make Pages easier to use, with a Follow button and follower count replacing Page Likes and the Like button.
This will have an impact on a Page’s true reach, as users may have ‘liked’ a page but then unfollowed them so the Page wouldn’t show in their News Feed. Focusing on a follow count instead removes the confusion. [source]
New ways to connect with businesses on WhatsApp
As part of their efforts to help businesses reopen and expand online, Facebook have launched new ways to start a conversation with a business on WhatsApp. Scanning a QR code in store or on product packaging will initiate a new chat, without having to add the business as a contact on your phone. Also, users will be able to view business catalogues and individual items on the app. [source]
Twitter update July 2020
Twitter considering subscription options after ad revenue drop
Twitter’s Q2 earnings showed a noticeable dip in ad revenue, forcing the social media platform to consider subscription options. Ad revenues ($562m) were down almost a quarter (23%) compared to a year ago, and the US – its biggest market – saw a drop of 25% in ad spend. [source]
Options that would be made available via Twitter subscriptions include:
- Social listening: Conversation insights around your account
- Insights into other accounts: More analytics options, such as the capacity to see all your past reactions with any account
- Advanced video publishing tools: Publish longer videos with a much higher resolution
- Profile badges: These would link back to your business or employer
- Auto responses: Set-up automatic reply options
- Undo send: Recall your Tweet within a 30 second window [source]
LinkedIn update July 2020
LinkedIn publish guide to drive business growth post-COVID
LinkedIn’s latest 12-page eBook outlines how companies can set-up a post-Coronavirus recovery, focusing on five key areas: Brand Building, Strategic Planning, Change Management, Media Planning and Message Planning. [source]
Further social media reading:
- Mark Zuckerberg emails outline plan to neutralise competitors
- Facebook: Most-Liked Posts Are Not the Most Viewed
- New Emojis released for World Emoji Day
