Big Changes to Social Media Could Mean Big Changes for Your Business
February 26, 2018
Social media plays a huge role in the success of a business these days. Most websites have links to several social media platforms on their site to boost traffic and improve customer relations. From tweets on Twitter to photos on Instagram, social media has changed the way that businesses share information, images, videos, contests, and more with customers.
Just as the internet is constantly evolving, so too are the social media sites, and some of the changes that have rolled out recently could mean big changes for website owners.
Snapchat and Instagram Incorporate GIF Stickers
The two social media giants who focus most on pictures and secondary on text are both now using GIF stickers as part of their apps. Facebook already uses this option, and Instagram adopted it in December 2017, while Snapchat has just jumped on this idea recently. Many assume this addition by Snapchat is part of a plan to help users relate more to the redesign which has received mostly negative feedback so far. Despite the negative reviews, Evan Spiegal, Snapchat chief executive officer, has announced that the new layout will remain, but may be tweaked to become more acceptable by users.
The GIF stickers allow users to express themselves in moving images, either generic toons or clips taken from the web. This is in the hopes of competing with platforms using similar technology, while simultaneously expanding the current options of each app.
Snapchat went slightly further in their copycat routine, taking text styles from Instagram as well. The new text styles include bright, customizable fonts, and other interesting text options. Perhaps this secondary change was meant to highlight the new update to tabs in some of the sections of the app, such as Friends and Discover, which will rollout later this year.
Despite much of the negative response to the Snapchat updates, businesses have seen an increase in ad revenue, and it seems Snapchat may be focusing more on this aspect of the app. Some users have seen an increase of as much as 80% since the changes were made. This follows the trend laid out by other social media giants, like Facebook, which has made a killing on ad revenue over the years, and has been utilizing every aspect of their app to make money since its launch.
New Changes Coming to Facebook
Snapchat and Instagram aren’t the only social media moguls looking to make changes in the new year, Facebook has decided to do a bit of redesigning as well. 3D posting is the latest concept to hit your newsfeed. It allows users to post 3D graphics which can then be explored from all angles. It opens the doors for Facebook partners to upload new content to advertise their brand. This includes movie franchises and game designers. The original 3D concept rolled out on Facebook in October of last year through Oculus, but Facebook has recently taken it upon themselves to update and streamline the concept.
Of course, no large-scale change can take place in the tech world without the appropriate update to back it up. File format gITf 2.0 has been added in the most recent update to increase options for better use of realism, lighting, and special effects. This could change the way that Facebook ads run, providing access to partners to advertise using 3D versions of products to be reviewed and enjoyed by users.
So, why all the 3D fuss from Facebook? Rumor has it that the new 3D accents are the beginning of a campaign which will include virtual reality as a foundation to the platform. This comes hot on the heels of many tech companies releasing VR-machines for use with mobile phones. Samsung offers more than one VR helmet which works in combination with Samsung devices to offer users a realistic out of body, virtual reality experience. Facebook’s 3D endeavors could be the doorway to this feature.
Twitter Makes the News with Event Calendar
Twitter has been flying under the radar lately in terms of updates and changes, especially in comparison to larger media giants, such as Facebook and Snapchat. However, it seems Twitter is still in it to win it, as they launch a new calendar feature which includes all of the events for the upcoming month which may be relevant to you or your business. The company bases the newsworthy events on statistics of tweets from previous years, and even goes so far as to display this information in each event announcement.
The calendar update includes special occasions, festivals, conferences, and even the Academy Awards. Anything that might get the social media world buzzing is included for review. The hope is that this will invite users to be more active on the app during these events, sharing them with friends and followers via tweets. This is not only to benefit users with personal accounts, but businesses as well.
An example of ways that brands can use this tool to their advantage can be seen in the latest March mockup of the calendar which features March Madness as an event. The #marchmadness hashtag can be used by any number of businesses to link their brand to this Twitter celebrated event, and draw attention from other tweeters who may be tweeting about the same event for different reasons.
Wondering what other changes are in store for your favorite social media sites? Keep checking back for more news as current and new updates develop.