What's New in Social Media?
With the rise of technology and the need of internet users for simpler and quicker ways to communicate online, social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Instragram are constantly updating their products. The most affected by these updates are brands and their social media agencies. Some of the updates make web agencies in the Middle East happy for offering new ways to manage their brands online, and others make them frustrated for making online marketing harder to achieve. Let's get straight to the point, what are the recent social network updates and news?
Facebook Groups app: On November 18th 2014, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO, announced the launch of Facebook Groups app on iOS and Android. Creating this mobile application allows users to build up groups on this mobile app, and share their news, pictures and videos only with the members of a specific group instead of all their Facebook friends. Correct us if we are wrong, isn't it the same concept as the posting method on Google+, but on a mobile app? Anyhow, social media agencies started to rub their hands with this announcement as they can categorize their fans and friends and create a direct contact accordingly.
Facebook at work: On November 17th 2014, Facebook has been reported working on a new product for professional use. This new social network will allow users to chat with colleagues, connect with professional contacts and share documents. Many in the industry find the "Facebook at Work" as a competitor of Google Drive and Microsoft Office with a mixture of LinkedIn. The new site will look exactly like Facebook, with a newsfeed and groups, but works differently as the personal activities will not be included.
Facebook newsfeed update: It seems that 2015 will be a tough year for brands and social media agencies in the Middle East. Why? Well simply because, again, Facebook is juggling with their newsfeed algorithm. In a couple of months, the social network will be showing less and less promotional content on its newsfeed. What can be considered as "too" promotional are posts that:
1- Push people to buy a product or install an app.
2- Push users to enter promotions and sweepstakes without context
So, here's one example of an update that will make web agencies and brands frustrated. The only way to overtake this is, again, to increase online advertising budget.
Twitter video update: Moving to Twitter, the social network announced on November 12th 2014 a new update on video posting. Earlier this year, Twitter introduced to their platform the opportunity to watch videos. The new update brings the possibility of recording, editing and sharing your own video. It will allow brands to easily share their videos and ads and directly create engagement. This option is expected to launch in mid-2015.
Twitter direct message update: The world's fastest growing social network is also working on a new update that allows users to make a public conversation private. Soon, users will be able to share and discuss tweets privately via direct messages. Brands and web agencies can take advantage of such option to create a direct and private contact with a follower according to his tweet.
Instagram captions: Finally after more than 4 years, the mobile photo and video sharing social network lets user edit photo captions. Yes, for 4 years, this simple detail was missing from Instagram. Users thought that their captions will remain forever and ever the same, even if it contains a mistake. Do you imagine the frustration of brands and social media agencies when submitting a caption that contains a typo? Before this update, the correction used to take place in the comment section. Now, life on Instagram became easier.
Here are some of the social networks updates that were recently announced. Whether you are a user, a brand or a web agency these new features can be very useful for you. Even the ones you think are negative, at some point, can help you improve your creativity.
Let us know what you think of these updates.
Facebook Groups app: On November 18th 2014, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO, announced the launch of Facebook Groups app on iOS and Android. Creating this mobile application allows users to build up groups on this mobile app, and share their news, pictures and videos only with the members of a specific group instead of all their Facebook friends. Correct us if we are wrong, isn't it the same concept as the posting method on Google+, but on a mobile app? Anyhow, social media agencies started to rub their hands with this announcement as they can categorize their fans and friends and create a direct contact accordingly.
Facebook at work: On November 17th 2014, Facebook has been reported working on a new product for professional use. This new social network will allow users to chat with colleagues, connect with professional contacts and share documents. Many in the industry find the "Facebook at Work" as a competitor of Google Drive and Microsoft Office with a mixture of LinkedIn. The new site will look exactly like Facebook, with a newsfeed and groups, but works differently as the personal activities will not be included.
Facebook newsfeed update: It seems that 2015 will be a tough year for brands and social media agencies in the Middle East. Why? Well simply because, again, Facebook is juggling with their newsfeed algorithm. In a couple of months, the social network will be showing less and less promotional content on its newsfeed. What can be considered as "too" promotional are posts that:
1- Push people to buy a product or install an app.
2- Push users to enter promotions and sweepstakes without context
So, here's one example of an update that will make web agencies and brands frustrated. The only way to overtake this is, again, to increase online advertising budget.
Twitter video update: Moving to Twitter, the social network announced on November 12th 2014 a new update on video posting. Earlier this year, Twitter introduced to their platform the opportunity to watch videos. The new update brings the possibility of recording, editing and sharing your own video. It will allow brands to easily share their videos and ads and directly create engagement. This option is expected to launch in mid-2015.
Twitter direct message update: The world's fastest growing social network is also working on a new update that allows users to make a public conversation private. Soon, users will be able to share and discuss tweets privately via direct messages. Brands and web agencies can take advantage of such option to create a direct and private contact with a follower according to his tweet.
Instagram captions: Finally after more than 4 years, the mobile photo and video sharing social network lets user edit photo captions. Yes, for 4 years, this simple detail was missing from Instagram. Users thought that their captions will remain forever and ever the same, even if it contains a mistake. Do you imagine the frustration of brands and social media agencies when submitting a caption that contains a typo? Before this update, the correction used to take place in the comment section. Now, life on Instagram became easier.
Here are some of the social networks updates that were recently announced. Whether you are a user, a brand or a web agency these new features can be very useful for you. Even the ones you think are negative, at some point, can help you improve your creativity.
Let us know what you think of these updates.
