The month of November came with an influx of updates, announcements, and changes in social media. While “Innovate or Die” appears to be the mantra for Facebook lately with literally daily tests and new features, platforms like Snapchat and Twitter are lagging behind and seem to be losing their luster. Unfortunately, roll-outs usually take a bit longer in Canada compared to the US, and it’s difficult deciphering what’s available or when it’s launching. A quick check on your app usually leads to disappointment or confusion on where to find this new feature buzzed about in the latest tech blogs. Here’s a list of new features that every social media power user, influencer or company can add to their social media arsenal and are available in Canada today. We’ve done the research and testing for you so enjoy!
Instagram & Facebook Official “Paid Partnerships” If you’re a business that has not leveraged the power of social media Influencers yet, Facebook and Instagram just made it easier for you. This space will only get bigger in the future since word of mouth advertising is generally more effective and authentic compared to traditional advertising, especially when you are trying to reach Generation Z’s and Millenials.
Paid Influencer partnerships now have a “Paid Partnership with…” sub-header on sponsored posts and stories. This is partially due to the US Federal Trade Commission sending out letters to dozens of celebrities warning them that their paid posts on the platform didn’t include sufficient disclosures (think Kardashian and SkinnyTea). This is a win-win situation since sponsors get their pages featured/linked at the top of the post and there is more transparency for followers/fans.
Another positive development is that Sponsors can now approve Influencer posts, review analytics for third-party Influencer posts and even boosts posts with paid advertising dollars. THIS IS BIG and will provide more control and a clearer ROI for advertisers. This feature is available to all Verified pages in Canada and can be accessed within the posting tool ‑ just look for the handshake icon. If you don’t see this feature on your page, you can submit an application here.
Twitter Character Count Double
Not much to say here except FINALLY! Tweets now have a 280 Character Limit so you can add more hashtags and keep your posts consistent across all channels.
Shopify Tags on Instagram Instagram has been promising product tags for quite a while now, but a Shopify version will the ready for the holiday season for selected merchants. In this new rollout, merchants will be able to start tagging their posts with products in Instagram’s apps. While it’s not the full rollout of Shopping Tags, it’s another step toward the greater expansion of Instagram as an online shopping hub.
Once the test phase is complete, the Shopping on Instagram feature will be available to everyone. To ensure you are eligible and are ready to use Shopping on Instagram once it is available, view the pre-requisites here.
Snapchat Redesign
Snapchat needs to take a cue from Facebook and Instagram and move faster, otherwise they will follow the fate of Vine and Periscope. Evan Spiegel, co-founder and CEO, recently posted this video explaining the new Snapchat updates that are coming soon. Not seeing any major changes discussed in this video but we’ll wait and see.
Facebook Tickets
Facebook is working hard to capitalize on their 1.8 billion users by introducing new business tools in order to convert the app into an all-encompassing, revenue-generating machine. PayPal peer-to-peer payments and direct payments within Facebook Marketplace is currently being tested in the US. In Canada, you can now purchase tickets directly from Facebook through Eventbrite, Ticketmaster or SeatGeek. This is a great add-on for Facebook events and streamlines the entire process.
Stay tuned for upcoming social media updates in our next blog post like Facebook Creators, Instagram Live and Instagram Polls! And if you need assistance with any of these new features, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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