Welcome to this week's episode of Social Chatter, the longest running social media marketing talk show where we cover the latest social media news from this past week.
As a reminder, each episode of Social Chatter is available as a blog post or video.
For those of you who missed last week's show, you can find it here.
We're also joined by this week's special guest, Chelsea Peitz.
Chelsea is the author of the book, Talking in Pictures: How Snapchat Changed Cameras. Communication and Communities.
Let's see what's new in social media this week with your hosts, Christian Karasiewicz and Nick Rishwain.
Watch This Week's Social Media Updates
A Snapchat Redesign
In Snapchat news, they are launching a new redesign of Snapchat.
Why A Redesigned Snapchat Matters For Your Business
In case you haven't heard, Snapchat is getting a redesign.
This is partly because people have said it was too confusing to use.
With this new update, Snapchat is separating the social from the media.
When you launch Snapchat, Chats and Stories from friends will be on the left and Stories from publishers, creators and the larger community will be on the right.
In addition, Snapchat is adding something they call "dynamic Friends."
This new feature is essentially an algorithm for the people you communicate with, making it easier for you to find the people you want to talk to. This will appear next to the camera display.
Snapchat is also putting the new Discover page next to the camera. This will include Stories from publishers, creators and the broader Snapchat community.
Subscriptions will be at the top along with Stories Snapchat thinks you might be interested in watching.
One thing that isn't changing is that Snapchat opens the Camera. This way you're ready to capture and share moments with friends.
For a 60 second rundown on the newly redesigned Snapchat, check out this video from Snap.
Overall, while Snapchat might have been confusing to some users, like anything, you have to test it out and familiarize yourself with it.
As a business owner, you should consider having a presence on Snapchat and explore its new redesign to see if there are other opportunities for your business to capitalize on with Snap.
You can read the announcement about Snapchat's new redesign on the Snapchat blog.
Snapchat and Coach Debut Snapcodes In Holiday Pins
Also this week, Snapchat and Coach debuted limited-edition snapcodes in holiday pins.
Why Snapchat Snapcodes With Embedded Holiday Pins Matter For Your Business
Snapchat and Coach have partnered to create a set of limited-edition Coach pins that are equipped with Snapcodes.
The pins will be available online and at 20 Coach locations.
To get a limited-edition Coach pin with embedded Snapcode, you'll have to take a free online or in-store quiz about your favorite Coach mascot - a unicorn, dinosaur and a shark.
The pins can then be scanned to unlock campaign-themed Snapchat filters.
As a retailer, if you run a retail establishment, this could be something to pay attention to (or even get to test out). We love the idea of creating a customized accessory with an embedded snapcode in it.
Overall, we would love to see a less expensive way to include custom snap codes on physical products that customers can scan to learn more about that product, ways they can use it and so forth.
You can read more about Snapcodes embedded in holiday pins here.
Instagram Stories Highlights and Stories Archive
In Instagram news, they are rolling out Stories Highlights and Stories Archive.
Why Instagram Stories Highlights and Stories Archive Matters For Your Business
This week, Instagram announced two new features. Stories Highlights and Stories Archive.
Instagram Stories Highlights
With Stories Highlights, you'll have a new section below your Instagram bio.
You can tap "new" to create a highlight.
This highlight will stay around for more than 24 hours and appear as a standalone story on your Profile.
We like to compare Instagram Stories Highlights to Pinterest pinboards.
They help show your personality and interest.
This is what Instagram Stories Highlights look like.
The second feature Instagram added this week is Instagram Stories Archive.
Instagram Stories Archive
Instagram Stories Archive is where Instagram will automatically save your expired Stories.
This way you can access them later.
Here is what the Stories Archive process looks like.
To access your Stories from your archive, follow these steps.
How to Access Instagram Stories Archive
- Tap the archive icon on your Profile
- With from posts archive to stories archive
- Tap on the story in your archive to watch it
- You can add it to your story, share it as a post or add it to a highlight on your Instagram Profile
One other important piece of information about Instagram Stories Archive - only you can see your archived stories.
You can also choose to turn off auto-archiving from your profile settings if you like.
You can read more about these new Instagram features here.
Celebrating 25 Million Businesses On Instagram
Instagram also announced that there are over 25 million businesses using their platform (this is up from 15 million in July).
Why 25 Million Businesses On Instagram Matters For Your Business
This week, Instagram announced that they have added over 10 million businesses since July 2017.
A majority of those are small businesses.
Instagram is quickly becoming a place where small businesses can build their business.
According to Instagram, one in three small businesses were built exclusively on Instagram. It's not just another social media channel to be on. Instead, it's becoming a destination for your business to get discovered.
With all of the new features, such as here along with numerous ways to sell on Instagram, it makes sense for your business to have a presence there with such tremendous growth potential.
You can read more about Stories Highlights and Stories Archive here.
Protecting Wildlife and Nature From Exploitation On Instagram
Also this week, Instagram rolled out hashtag blocking.
Why Protecting Wildlife and Nature From Exploitation On Instagram Matters For Your Business
Starting this week, when you search for a hashtag that is associated with harmful behavior to animals or the environment, you'll see the following warning screen.
While this warning applies to protecting wildlife and nature on Instagram, the business application here is that Instagram could apply this to other hashtags that they don't want used.
For example, direct sales and health and nutrition products come to mind. We're sure there are plenty of others as well.
Overall, we're glad to see Instagram is taking measures to block hashtags, while continuing to uphold their community standards.
You can read more about protecting wildlife and nature exploitation on Instagram here.
Storytelling With YouTube Reels
In YouTube news, they are launching YouTube Reels, a storytelling platform.
Why YouTube Reels Matters For Your Business
YouTube Reels is YouTube's foray into storytelling.
This is what YouTube Reels looks like.
This new feature is their take on the "stories" format you see on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.
With YouTube Reels, you can create different Reels and also have them not expire like they do on other platforms.
As a business owner, many of you may consider YouTube just a place to store your video content.
We drive a lot of traffic from YouTube as well as having videos appear in Google search results.
By adding YouTube Reels, YouTube is joining other platforms in the "stories" craze, while providing creators with a way to keep their subscribers tuning in as they give them a sneak peek into what they're up to.
Right now, YouTube Reels is in beta and should become available in a future YouTube update.
In the meantime, you can read more on the YouTube Creator blog.
Pinterest Chatbot and Native Facebook Messenger Support
In Pinterest news, they are launching a chatbot and native Messenger support.
Why A Pinterest Chatbot and Native Messenger Support Matters For Your Business
Pinterest is rolling out a Pinterest chatbot and native Messenger support.
These are particularly useful features that you'll be able to use right from Facebook Messenger without having to leave it.
What this means is you'll be able to search for and share pins straight from Facebook Messenger.
While this seems like Pinterest is giving in to Facebook, that's not the case here. Instead, it should help Pinterest expose their services to more users who are unfamiliar with the platform.
Here's a snapshot of how Pinterest's Messenger bot will work in Facebook Messenger.
As a business, chances are, Pinterest doesn't rank high on your list of social media platforms (although it should).
The Messenger bot will work much the same way as the search bar does on Pinterest.
Search for a pin via Messenger and you'll be able to pick from the results that Messenger returns. It is important to mention that you won't be able to send images to Pinterest's bot to find relevant pins at the moment. Promoted Pins will also be excluded for now.
In addition to a chatbot, Pinterest is also adding native pins.
What this means is instead of clicking a link to be taken to Pinterest, the pin will open within Messenger along with a selection of related pins.
For those of you wondering how Pinterest generates revenue from their Chat Extension, here's how it will work.
"If a person's Facebook account is connected to their Pinterest account — and that person is logged in to Pinterest on the device they are using to access Messenger — then Pinterest will include Promoted Pins among the Related Pins and search results shown in the Chat Extension, according to the Pinterest spokesperson."
Overall, these new additions from Pinterest will help broaden their reach and hopefully bring in more users. If those people don't sign-up, the good news is Pinterest will also be collecting data to help improve pin recommendations, ad targeting and more.
To read more about the the Pinterest chatbot, click here.
Facebook Removing Link Post Editing For Pages
In Facebook news, they are removing the ability for Pages to edit link posts, starting in Q1 of 2018.
Why Removing Link Post Editing For Pages Matters For Your Business
If you run a Facebook Page, you'll want to pay attention to this update.
According to Facebook, "the integrity of content on Facebook is a serious concern, and domain verification is a step towards ensuring that only verified owners can edit the way their content appears on Facebook."
In order to uphold the integrity of their platform, while still allowing you to edit the way your content appears on Facebook, they're going to require you to complete domain verification.
Domain verification is a way for you to claim ownership of your website domain in Facebook Business Manager.
What this does is "this ownership allows you to control editing privileges of your links and other content to prevent misuse of your domain and to keep bad actors from spreading misinformation."
It's a fairly simple process, one that your business wants to complete. Here's what you need to do.
How to Add Your Domain In Facebook Business Manager
- Launch Facebook Business Manager
- In Business Manager, click on "Business Settings"
- Click on People and Assets and select Domains
- Click on "add new domains" and enter your website domain
- If you have more than one domain listed, select the one you want to confirm ownership for
- Choose the method you want to use to verify your domain - DNS verification of the HTML file upload
We prefer the HTML file upload option.
Simply download the HTML verification file and upload it to the root directory of your website.
When you're finished, click "verify" in the Business Manager screen and leave the file on your server.
If you need additional instructions, read this article.
Messenger Kids App
Facebook is launching a new app called Messenger for Kids. This is what it looks like.
Why the Messenger Kids App Matters For Your Business
Facebook understands that in order to keep growing, they need to focus on the youth.
To do that, they are rolling out Messenger for Kids, a mobile app for kids 13 and under.
Here's a demo of the Messenger Kids app.
Once their parents set up their account, kids will be able to start one-on-one or group video chats with just the contacts parents have approved.
You'll also see kid-friendly features such as masks, fidget spinners, emojis and sound effects.
Facebook also ported over the ability to send photos, videos and text messages as well as specifically chosen GIFs, frames, stickers, masks and more!
As a business owner, if you have kids, be sure you take the time to setup the app for your children.
You may even learn about some new features you didn't know about within the regular Messenger app.
While there aren't currently any advertisements, we expect at some point, Facebook will attempt to find a way to monetize Messenger Kids with kid-friendly ads or separate in-app purchases, such as masks and more.
To get started with Messenger Kids, download the app here.
To learn how to setup Facebook Messenger for Kids go here.
Facebook Did You Know Social Questionnaire
Also this week, Facebook launches "did you know," a social questionnaire.
Why Did You Know, A Facebook Social Questionnaire, Matters For Your Business
Did you know is a social questionnaire feature from Facebook.
In the midst of all of the new features, your Facebook Profile has taken a backseat to sharing articles, photos, videos and so on.
To help change that, Facebook is adding a feature called "did you know," a social questionnaire.
This is what it looks like.
This section will let you answer questions such as:
- The superpower I want most is…
- The first thing I'd do after winning the lottery is…
- Mondays make me feel like…
This particular feature is available for Facebook on the web and on mobile.
To access this feature, navigate to your Facebook Profile and scroll down to the "did you know" section. Here, you can answer the questions and more about yourself.
If you're a business owner, we anticipate this could be useful to help improve ad targeting in the future, so be sure you fill yours out and consider encouraging others to do so as well.
You can read the announcement about this new feature here.
Facebook In London
Also this week, Facebook announced they were creating over 800 new jobs in London.
Why Facebook Jobs In London Matter For Your Business
Over the next year, Facebook is adding over 800 tech jobs in London.
They're looking to make it their hub for engineering outside of the United States.
By adding new jobs, Facebook will have some 2,300 people in London.
This is important for businesses because it shows Facebook's commitment to tech in the U.K and should lend itself to a host of my advancements coming out from Facebook over the coming years.
You can read more about new jobs in London at Facebook here.
Tools
In addition to sharing the latest news from this past week, we also highlighted some great social media tools and apps for you to check out.
Audm
The first tool that we have discovered this week is called Audm (web).
Do you spend a lot of time traveling between meetings with clients?
This can limit you from being productive when you're in the car.
Fortunately, Audm can help solve that.
With Audm, you can have long-form journalism read to you by audiobook narrators.
This way, you can listen to content during your commute so that it doesn't pile-up.
Audm is available as a free app. You can download it from the link below.
Download AudmGoogle Small Thanks
The second tool that we have for you this week is called Small Thanks (web).
Have you been asking your customers to leave online reviews for your business? What happens to those reviews? Chances are, nothing. They remain online.
With Small Thanks from Google, they've launched a program here you can print and share customer materials such as posters, social images and table tents featuring reviews from your customers.
If you're a local business, this can be a great way that your business can stay on-budget.
Best of all, the program is free. You can start using Small Thanks by Google from the link below.
Try Google Small ThanksWrap-up
That's it for this week's show!
To watch next week's episode of Social Chatter, your weekly social media marketing talk show, tune-in here to find out what's new in social media news!
If you have any questions about of the social media news or tools that were mentioned this week, please share them with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or in the comments below.
