Just when you thought you’ve finally caught up on all things social media, you’re not caught up on all things social media. At least, not on Facebook or Instagram. Within the last week, Mark Zuckerberg and team made some interesting updates on both platforms and here’s what you need to know going into Q4/holiday season:
What is it?
During Facebook’s Holiday BootCamp they released a user-friendly, customizable template to help promote products using Stories on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
Why does it matter?
If you’re stuck and need a boost of inspiration then this new feature is for you. Just access the layouts through Facebook Ads Manager and you’ll be rocking ‘n rollin’ with visually appealing Stories in just four easy steps (and right in time for the holidays!).
What is it?
When consumers search for specific things within Facebook’s general search or Marketplace search, relevant ads will appear (hopefully yours!).
Why does it matter?
Back from the past (2013), Facebook is reintroducing search ads as an opportunity to enhance the paid media offerings within the platform. With the new additions to an old feature, brands will now appear in more places through paid advertisements when users are searching for similar products/services.
Elasticity’s VP of Media Strategy, Emily Ann Brown, says, “If you have a more social forward strategy or a big following, there are some opportunities here.” Because targeting is still based on audience and not keywords, you just have to know if people are really looking for you or not. “
*Accounts will automatically have this feature activated by default, but users can manually opt-out.*
What is it?
If you’ve ever wondered when the optimal time to post content is for your page, the wait is over. Facebook now offers the ability for brands to see suggested post times.
Why does it matter?
Don’t just toss out content in hopes your audience will see, do it strategically. This new feature takes the guesswork out of determining the best posting times using first-party data directly from the source. Basically, Facebook uses its top-secret computer to crunch the enormous amount of data to tell us when our users are online and most likely to engage.
Instagram Removes Following Tab
What is it?
The Follower tab originally housed all the unique Likes of your friends, family members, co-workers and anyone following your account. This meant any fetish, random interest, and weird digressions were posted online for all to see.
(Yes, this meant your mom and ex all saw you like that unusual post. Don’t worry, we won’t tell.)
Why does it matter?
As of the publishing of this article, this feature has been removed. You are now safe to Like any content on the Gram until your heart is content. Go forth and start liking content again.
What is it?
Taking a page out of the Facebook playbook, Instagram now offers users the opportunity to relive those moments that you’ll always want to remember (or not).
Why does it matter?
Never worry about #ThrowbackThursday or #FlashbackFriday content again. With this feature, you’ll be able to bask in those memories one day at a time.
Conclusion
You’ve made it to the end, it was a lot, so congrats! Now that you have the power (in our He-Man comic book voice) it’s time to determine how these new additions will impact your brand’s strategy.
