4 New Social Media Features You Need to Know About

Social media is an ever-changing changing landscape. From new app updates to new apps in general, keeping up with what’s hot before it’s not can be exhausting. That’s why this month, we’ve done the hard work for you. We’re sharing four new social media features that you need to know about and implement for your business.

1. TikTok… It's not just for dancing anymore!

We've been shouting from the rooftops for ages that TikTok is the ideal place for brands to go viral, connect with audiences and build loyal followings. Now to top it all off, it's also a place for brands to sell products.

A new partnership with Shopify will allow brands with Shopify stores to add a shopping tab to their TikTok profile. Read all about it here.

2. Brands work hard to get to 10,000 followers so they can add the coveted swipe up link to their Instagram stories.

But have you ever noticed that the swipe up link doesn't really seem optimal for click throughs? You have to add a text overlay or swipe up sticker for followers to notice that your story includes the swipe up link and it's, frankly, easy to miss.

A new Instagram swipe up sticker hopes to change all of this by making embedded links in Instagram stories more obvious to the end user. This month, Instagram announced that it is removing the swipe up functionality and adding it to stories as a sticker instead.

3. Did you know that Facebook Reels was even a thing?

In an effort to slow down TikTok's growth and keep their competition at arm’s length, Facebook is embracing Reels. Facebook Reels will enable users to create and share Instagram Reels within the main Facebook app.

Once a reel is shared to Facebook, that reel will be displayed with the user's Instagram profile. This may provide some relief to brands who are finding growth more challenging than ever on Instagram and Facebook.

4. 60 Second reels are officially on Instagram!

In a not very surprising move, Instagram announced in July that 60 second reels are here for all users. Have you noticed?

We haven't seen a large number of longer reels but we have noticed that many of our clients have not yet gotten the benefit of this increase duration despite the Instagram announcement. Do you have 60 second reels yet? If so, what do you plan to do with them?

Have you seen success implementing any of these new features on your brand’s social? Do tell!

Or have you found a new social media feature that’s been changing the game for your brand? Spill the tea. There’s nothing we love like putting new apps and app features to the true test.

And if just one glance at this blog has you overwhelmed with how you’ll learn yet another new update, we’ve got you covered. Contact us for a quick chat about how we can help you take your social to the next level.

Are Social Media Holidays Dead?

In marketing, there's something called white space analysis. This means turning your attention to innovative content that's outside the box of what you would typically post. In a creative capacity, it's finding something to fit into the white space. It's not obvious. It's not expected. That's what makes it incredible. This is an ideal way to tap into opportunities and to go above and beyond what you see your competitors doing.

That's where social media holidays come in. There's nothing like finding an unconventional opportunity for your brand to maximize engagement. Need further convincing? Look at how Volkswagen found an opportunity on May 4 -- also known as Star Wars Day -- to innovatively market their brand.

Image via Volkswagen.

Now you're ready for inspiration, aren't you? Here's how to get started...

1. Plan: Naturally it all starts with a plan. Quarterly or even annually look at social media holidays and determine if there are opportunities your brand can embrace.

   We love nationaltoday.com, holidayinsights.com and foodimentary.com as all three serve as incredible resources for finding popular social media holidays as well as up-and-coming social media celebrations.

2. Brainstorm: Now, it's time to find outside of the box ways to jump in on the soon to be trending hashtags.

   Need help with compelling ideas? Contact us! Executing amazing social media campaigns for brands of all sizes is our passion. But, in case you want to get started on your own… The whole idea is to look for opportunities that seem as if they don't fit. That's where the genius happens like Volkswagen proved above. A cookie company posting on national cookie day is hardly innovative. But when Airbnb partnered with NASDAQ to "ring the bell," they brought to life exactly what it means to think outside the box. Watch and learn HERE. Feeling motivated? Great, because it's time to execute! And that, our friends, is step three.

3. Execute! Here's what to know about execution.

   Do use all relevant hashtags including any iteration of suggested hashtags. Also, do consider posting in advance of the big day or at least very early in the morning as changing social media algorithms impact when consumers will see your most recent posts. There's nothing worse than good news the day after the fact! And finally, do call on the experts. After all, you've got a business to run and our business is bringing your brand to life on social media. Contact us here; let's work together.

How to Successfully Launch Your Social Channels

So you’ve started your business, and you’re ready to drive revenue on social. But wait, before you rush into spending your hard earned money on social media advertising, it’s important that you take the time to launch your social channels thoughtfully and with purpose. We’re sharing our top tips for doing so below.

• Decide which networks you have the bandwidth to not only post on but to also create and manage a social community. Begin by identifying the audience you intend to reach and figure out which networks you can find them on.

• Next, create matching usernames. This is a crucial step because you want to be able to ensure that your audience can easily find you across all platforms. We recommend this website to help you verify that your brand name is available: namechk.com.

• This one may seem obvious but when it comes to your password — make them 12 to 16 characters long, don’t reuse them and store them in a safe spot for future reference.

• Have a basic bio, profile picture and header image ready to go for all networks, however, be open to customizing them as appropriate for each. Include hashtags in your bios except for Twitter where you don't really need one unless it’s branded.

• Decide what type of account you want for the networks you’re launching on. For example, Facebook has personal and business pages, as well as groups. Instagram on the other hand has personal accounts, business accounts and creator accounts. Take the time before setting them up to decide which is best for your brand.

• Write your social playbook. Think about items such as:

  • Does your brand refer to itself as “we” or “I”?

  • Are any words off-limits?

  • Will your brand opine on things like politics and religion? 

  • Will you respond to comments and if so, how often? 

  • How will your brand handle negative comments? Complaints? Customer service requests? 

  • What is your brand’s personality on social?

• Determine what success looks like on each network. We’d recommend starting with one measurable goal for each network.

• Create a social media strategy and plan out your content calendar for at least four weeks. The more ahead that you get, the less likely you are to skip posting because you just “don’t know what to post.”

• Have a plan for marketing your social accounts themselves. Think about ad spends, contests, subscriber emails, video content, etc.

• Invest time in creating valuable, compelling content before you start trying to build followers. Why would anyone follow you if there's nothing on your social accounts yet? Expect consumers to want to see valuable posts in order to hit the follow button.

• Automate like crazy, but humanize with your community management. Create a personal connection with those who engage.

Your social media accounts should be an extension of your brand. In following the above tips, your brand is sure to succeed in sharing meaningful content, creating engaging conversations and developing a loyal following.