2017 LinkedIn Updates—Creating A Feed You Want To Read
LinkedIn users rejoice! The platform has finally created a way for you to improve your LinkedIn newsfeed!
For too long the platform’s home feed has been a somewhat frustrating experience; throwing up a random jumble of updates from connections—many of which may not be of any interest to you. But finally, LinkedIn has created a way for you to actually see more from connections you want to follow.
Announced this week via their official blog, LinkedIn have stated that users will now be able to customise their feed, hide content, and unfollow people/companies.
Customise Your Feed
Sick of seeing news and content that doesn’t interest you? Just tap on the control icon in the top right corner of any update and select ‘improve my feed.’ You can then make more customisations by discovering new industry leaders, publications and companies to follow. While this option is currently only available via mobile, any changes will be reflected on your desktop feed as well.
Hide Posts
Don’t want to keep seeing the same post? Simply tap on the control icon on the top right corner of that update, and you’ll no longer see that content. Easy!
Unfollow Companies
Much like Facebook, you can now unfollow connections you’re not as interested in seeing, while still staying connected.
While the latest changes from LinkedIn are certainly not unique, I’m sure most will agree that they’re definitely needed—because at the end of the day, we may have plenty of connections, but not all of their updates are most relevant to our lives.
Could Facebook Be The New Social Media/LinkedIn Hybrid?
Say hello to the new Facebook Job Tabs feature!
With LinkedIn, SEEK, CareerOne and a multitude of other job-seeker websites available at our fingertips, finding the right person for the job is a challenge that continues to persist. In fact, for 40% of small businesses across the US, filling jobs is ‘more difficult than expected’ (according to Facebook).
Like many other avenues already broached, Facebook have decided that recruitment is the newest area in which they’re ready to throw their hat in the ring. And honestly, it makes sense. Given that most people spend large amounts of time on the social platform, where better to reach potential employees?
As explained on the Facebook Business blog:
“We’re focused on building new ways to help make it easier for businesses to interact with the over 1 billion people visiting Pages every month. Businesses and people already use Facebook to fill and find jobs, so we’re rolling out new features that allow job posting and application directly on Facebook.”
Announced just a few days ago, Facebook’s job connection features will allow businesses in the US and Canada (for now) to post job openings directly on their Pages. From there, interested candidates can apply through a businesses’ Page, or view/apply for positions via the Facebook Jobs tab.
This process presents advertisers and business owners with the ease of contacting candidates directly through Messenger (if preferred) and accessing all information in one place. There’s also the option to boost job posts – as you would a normal Facebook ad – to target a more specific audience, or a greater number of people.
Facebook have advised that US and Canadian businesses can post directly to their Facebook Pages over the coming weeks, while job-applicants can apply via the jobs bookmark (available on desktop) or facebook.com/jobs.
You Can Now Advertise Through Instagram Stories!
It seems that barely a month goes by without an update to Instagram’s advertising options, and now the social media platform have announced another interesting development! Brands can now advertise through Instagram Stories!
Yep, that’s right! Just like ‘Stories’ – which allow users to share pictures or videos from their day for a 24 hour period – companies will soon be able to grab the attention of their audience via full-screen promotional ads. The newest development has already been tested by 30 of the world’s biggest brands – including Maybelline New York, Asos, Nike and Netflix – and has been used by Airbnb to roll out awareness of its newest and largest product launch: Trips on Airbnb.
Given that more than 150 million Instagrammers now use the feature daily, and that brands make up one third of the most viewed Stories on the platform, this latest announcement makes a lot of sense!
So How Will These Ads Appear To Viewers?
According to Instagram’s James Quarles, their system will use relevancy to display ads to users.
“It will look at interactions, liking, time spent, exits,” Quarles explained. “Did someone move onto the next story, or did they leave the Stories tray entirely? All of those are great signals and give us a great sense of people’s behavior and the relative performance of the ad.”
As noted, advertisers will be able to advertise through Instagram Stories in the coming weeks, and will also be able to access valuable insights (such as reach, impressions, replies and exits) via the Business Tools section.
Twitter and Periscope Opt for High Quality, Non-Smartphone Video
Say hello to Periscope Producer!
In a bid to one-up their competitor Facebook, tweeting giant Twitter have announced a new live-streaming feature for their social media platform Periscope. Known as Periscope Producer, the app takes live-streaming to a whole new level; focusing on higher quality content from professional cameras (as opposed to smartphones).
Announced last week, Periscope Producer will allow broadcasters to stream any, and every, type of live video directly to their Periscope following. The obvious benefit to this is that advertisers and brands can create high-quality video or adverts, and then share them by tweet, without being constrained by the limitations of a smartphone.
In a statement last week, Periscope CEO Kayvon Beykpour explained their goals for the new feature.
“Allowing people to create and share produced live video on Periscope has always been part of our vision and opens up new types of content for everyone to watch live. High-quality, produced live video can now be shared anywhere through a Tweet,” he said.
So, Who Will Benefit?
The introduction of Periscope Producer suggests a move toward targeting those interested in TV-style videos, such as YouTube stars and major brands. Already, Louis Vuitton and Xbox have jumped onboard, while ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Fusion, Walt Disney and the Emmy Awards have also been announced as new media partners.
Periscope have also revealed that Producer is perfect for live-streaming film previews and award shows; allowing users to participate without having to be there in person.
But that doesn’t mean smaller businesses can’t also get onboard! While the feature may not yet be available to all, there are many benefits that everyday brands could one day reap from Periscope Producer. Imagine being able to live-stream a product launch, or an awards night to your followers? And all in high-quality footage that doesn’t rely on your smartphone! It’s definitely an incentive.
Although Periscope is far from having the popularity of Facebook, it’s clear that they (and Twitter) are working to change this.
What are your thoughts on Twitter’s new Periscope Producer feature? Would you use it to share events and product info for your business?
Sell Your Products on Facebook Marketplace!
Could this be the end of Ebay & Gumtree?
In their ever increasing push to provide users with everything they need on the one site, Facebook has now introduced a buy/sell platform named ‘Marketplace.’ As the name suggests, the new feature will operate much like Ebay or Craigslist; allowing buyers and sellers to interact, search via location, and upload product listings directly from their phones.
While Marketplace is not a revolutionary product, it is without a doubt a fantastic tool for small businesses! For example, imagine you’re a small business owner who is working from home, creating handmade jewellery and accessories. Now, instead of having to sell your products through expensive websites that take a huge chunk of your profits, or having to join multiple buy/swap/sell Facebook groups, you can easily list your items through Marketplace.
Additionally, if you’re already trying to increase your product conversions through paid Facebook advertising, why not also mix it up with some free product listings on Marketplace?
Other great things about Marketplace:
- Easy to upload photos and descriptions straight from your phone
- People can search for products via location
- Easy communication between sellers and buyers
- Easy to keep track of previous and current transactions via the ‘Your Items’ section
- Items can be posted simultaneously to both Marketplace and selected Facebook groups
While it’s extremely unlikely that we’ll see Marketplace completely take over sites such as Ebay or Gumtree, it could possibly steal some of their users. After all, how much easier is it to do everything on Facebook – for free – as opposed to swapping between different platforms? If there are going to be specific sites affected, my guess is that those such as Etsy could be given a run for their money.
As Marketplace is so new, it’s expected that it may take time to iron out some of the technical creases – some of which have already arisen. Shortly after announcing the new feature on Monday, Facebook’s Marketplace was flooded with some rather interesting, and inappropriate, sale items – including guns, babies, and hedgehogs!
As Facebook is currently working to fix these issues, Marketplace may be slightly delayed in its re-release.
At present, Marketplace is only available via the Facebook app to those 18 years and older in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand; however, the feature will roll out to additional countries and desktop users in the coming months.
Want to try Marketplace for yourself? To get started, simply tap the Shopping icon at the bottom of your Facebook app!
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Not Just For Friends…Why Your Business needs Facebook!
Wondering which social media channel is best for your marketing strategy? We’ve got the stats that will prove why your business needs Facebook!
Did you know that the average internet user has approximately 5.54 social media accounts (Global Web Index)? It’s pretty incredible how spoiled for choice we are when it comes to social networking, however even with so many platforms now available for our personal and business needs, Facebook remains the clear champion.
What began as a small college-community platform in 2006, has since evolved into a mega billion dollar company worth $56.7 billion! What’s more, despite what you may think about Facebook being a platform for friends and cute cat pictures, it’s more popular than ever amongst business owners and entrepreneurs! Don’t believe me? According to statistics, more than 2 million advertisers use Facebook globally for their business needs!
As of last quarter, Facebook was found to have:
- 1 billion + monthly active users
- 874 million monthly mobile users
- 728 million daily users!
Some other stats you might not be aware of?
- 80% of daily users are from outside USA (Social Bakers)
- 8 new users sign up for Facebook every second (Wordstream)
- Over 1 billion people use Facebook via their mobile every day (up 22% year on year)
- Over 1 million people use Messenger every month (Facebook, 2016)
- Facebook Messenger chatbots are becoming more and more popular, ordering everything from Pizza and flowers, to Ubers and breaking news!
- Videos are the most shared post type, with an average of 89.5 Facebook shares (Mari Smith)
- In July of 2016, Facebook shares had risen more than 200% from their 2012 price (CNN Money)
- Video content has an organic reach of 135% higher than that of image posts (Social Bakers, 2015)
It’s no surprise that Facebook is a marketing wonderland for advertisers – after all, what other platform has such a gigantic reach across both desktop and mobile? From small trades and home ‘Vloggers’, to entrepreneurs and celebrities, it seems Facebook works across every industry you can think of!
That said – crafting your online presence takes work, and you need to be savvy about the way in which you market your content. One of the best ways to do so, is through the power of video. For example, while text and even images can find themselves getting skipped over or lost in the black hole of Facebook’s algorithms, video is the one medium that is still reaching audiences globally.
Take for instance these stats:
- people who watch product videos are 64% more likely to buy a product online (comScore)
- 36% of online consumers trust video ads (Online Publishers Association)
- 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others (Invodo)
- Video now appears in 70% of the top 100 search results listings (Kissmetrics)
When you look at stats such as these, it’s easy to see how Facebook and video can give your business the winning edge!
Curious to know more about the power of video and creating an online Facebook presence for your business? Give us a call on 1300 332 256 to discuss your social media and video strategies!
Are Myer overdue with their ‘New Myer’ strategy, or just fashionably late?
Myer have recently announced their new ‘New Myer’ strategy, with emphasis on omni-channel pathways and marketing initiatives to leverage relevant customer behaviours in the face of strong digital competition from retail rivals at home and overseas. But have Myer come to the game too late? With a predicted $600 million, five year transformation agenda, including $200 million into omni-channel capabilities, the new strategy undoubtedly takes on-board the changing space of consumer spending and behaviour. Though when taking a look at competitors overseas, it seems to be a serious game of catch-up.
There is an ongoing trend which is mirrored across many industries in Australia when it comes to successfully investing in technology and digital transformations. While Australian’s are some of the fastest consumers of new digital technologies, Australian businesses are slow on the uptake. It’s very much a case of ‘let’s wait and see just how much of an impact this will actually have’ and commonly, businesses finding themselves left far behind due to exactly that.
Modern retail is an online and offline journey, but it is increasingly apparent that if it’s not online, then it may as well not exist, particularly when it comes to ‘fashion’. In 2014 the stark truth is that Australian retail giants Myer and David Jones could only account online sales for approximately 2% of total sales. For those with their eyes on the ball, the massive opportunity this presents small to medium sized businesses in Australia is huge. For those which already have a good online E-commerce presence, then the customers are there for the taking. For those who are coming to the realisation that now is the time to move, they can guarantee that it won’t take five years and $600 million to establish themselves online.
There are exceptions to Myer’s blunder. Many businesses saw the writing on the wall after the GFC and realised that innovation was needed to pick up business again. With technology producing smart mobile devices and companies like Google driving online relevancy, data-driven marketing has reshaped the way businesses must communicate and connect with their customers. In Australia, brands such as Country Road and Lorna Jane are shining examples of what positive omni-channel experiences can do not just for revenue, profit and growth, but brand loyalty and advocacy.
So in the face of retail globalisation, digital disruption and consumer expectations, Myer’s new strategy, while a welcome sight, will have to wait a while to see the fruits of its harvest. With the busy Christmas shopping season quickly approaching, and with Myer’s notorious online system outage one week out from Christmas Day in 2014, consumers and industry watchers will have to see whether small to medium businesses will take advantage of the online opportunity and good fortune. If you’re looking to update your e-Commerce strategy in time for the Holiday Season this year, then get in touch with Get More Traffic today on 1300 332 256.
Keep It Real with Social Media
Are your social media interactions feeling a bit stale? Probably because they are! Social media is where users have an opportunity to be social with each other. They are not there with the intention of purchasing anything, so you must remember that your business is there almost as a side thought, but it doesn’t mean your interactions with them are! It means that your interactions with your target audience must reflect the social nature of the platform. If you are only pushing promotions and e-commerce specials, then your target audience will soon ignore you, because you are not fitting the criteria of the platform you are on.