This week in social media news, eMarketer estimates users will spend less time on Facebook and Snapchat, LinkedIn acquires a machine learning company, Meredith doubles Pinterest impressions, DTC brands turn away from Instagram to advertise on Snapchat and Spotify developing social listening.
Spotify Is Developing Shared Listening
Spotify was spotted working on a “social listening” feature designed for real-time sharing, which will allow listeners to add songs to a queue they can enjoy collectively.
Why it matters: The social listening feature is a shared experience between listeners. This could also be another way for companies to market their brands via the app.
The details: To use the feature, the user can just scan one friend’s QR-style Spotify social listening code, and then anyone can add songs to the playlist. The participants of a social listening session are visible in connected devices menu and the users can share a link to join their social listening session with others.
Snapchat’s TV Series Are Exploding
According to SocialMediaToday, Snap original shows are seeing over 20 millions of views.
Why it matters: Snapchat had gone through a rough patch, but it’s still holding its ground with Snapchat original shows. Although the platform is not as popular as Instagram, its
The details: One particular show, Endless Summer, reached 28 million unique views.
Twitter Rolls Out Live Broadcasting With Guests
Twitter announced in a blog post that starting today users can host a live video and invite up to three people as guests.
Why it matters: The new feature will drive more conversations and engagement on the platform and allow for more content creation opportunities.
The details: “We’ve learned how valuable the audio experience is for people to discuss topics they care
The instructions on how to create and find videos and go live with guests can be found here. No word if business accounts will be able to use the feature or if Twitter will expand the limit of three guests
DTC Brands Shift Focus From Instagram To Snapchat
DTC brands are reportedly seeking advertising opportunities on Snapchat rather than an overcrowded Instagram.
Why it matters: Instagram’s popularity creates more competition and higher prices. DTC brands are looking for alternatives and actually, greatly benefit from turning to Snapchat.
The details: According to Business Insider, DTC companies benefit from Snapchat Story Ads in several ways. First of all, Snapchat’s Story ads are cheaper and DTC brands are seeing positive ROI with them (the cost per 1,000 ad impressions on Snapchat are eight times cheaper than Instagram ads.)
Story Ad format also allows the brands to build campaigns for multiple images (up to 20) and draws users more organically. Finally, Snapchat’s Story Ads allow DTC brands to better examine the shopping behavior of the users, who actively choose to watch the ads.
Meredith’s Pinterest Impressions Double In The Past Year
Digiday reported that media giant Meredith was able to significantly grow impressions on Pinterest with the special team the company launched in the fall of 2018.
Why it matters: “There’s a natural fit. Pinterest users want to find a recipe, or they’re moving into their first apartment, or first home or they’re having a baby — all those lifestyle moments especially of female consumers — it was a really good place for us,” said Lorraine Goldberg, Meredith’s director of social strategy.
The details: Meredith’s dedicated team currently manages Pinterest accounts for AllRecipes, EatingWell, Travel+Leisure, Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living, Parents, Shape, Health, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living
One of the team’s content strategy techniques revolves around investing more in
Twitter Is Looking For ‘Tweeter In Chief’
Twitter posted a job listing, looking to hire a “tweeter in chief.”
Why it matters: Twitter is often criticized for not understanding its own platform, and with the new resource it hopes to solve this problem.
The details: The tweeter in chief would almost certainly be a marketing mouthpiece for Twitter. According to the job posting, the social media platform is looking for someone who loves Twitter and is passionate about its purpose and a storyteller with “understanding of the broader marketing landscape.”
The job listing also explains the tweeter will be, “writing the Tweets for @Twitter, setting the editorial direction and leading a team of incredible community managers. So every day you’ll be reacting to culture, as it happens.”
LinkedIn Acquires Drawbridge To Provide Better Businesses Solutions
Professional social media platform, LinkedIn, announced in a blog post, the company’s recent acquisition of Drawbridge, the machine learning service that helps companies to target user-focused issues such as customer experience, digital security and risk detection.
Why it matters: With the new technology from Drawbridge, LinkedIn aims to continue to innovate and deliver solutions that help to drive greater ROI.
The details: According to LinkedIn, “Drawbridge’s team and technology will allow [LinkedIn] to accelerate the capabilities of [their] Marketing Solutions platform, helping [LinkedIn] customers better reach and understand their professional audiences and measure the ROI of their campaigns across mobile and desktop.”
Federal Trade Commission Struggles To Regulate Influencer Marketing
Morning Consult reported that it’s difficult for the government to regulate influencer marketing on Instagram due to lack of resources and the platform’s seamless ad design.
Why it matters: From 2017 to 2018, the advocacy group Truth in Advertising investigated more than 1,400 influencer ads—all from influencers who received official warning letters from FTC. The investigation revealed that not a single ad met the standards laid out by the regulatory agency.
The details: FTC investigations are usually complaints by consumers and advocacy groups, research by the agency’s staff and pressure from Congress, Morning Consultant reported. In the past, the FTC tried to warn influencers and encourage them to make their payments more transparent.
“It is a daunting challenge for the FTC to try and keep pace with everything” under its jurisdiction, said Tom Wheeler, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and noted that the FTC is looking into influencer marketing, “is therefore nontrivial.”
EMarketer Predicts Less Time Spent On Facebook And Snapchat
EMarketer’s lowered estimates for users’ average time spent on Facebook, according to their new report. Spapchat’s estimate was also lowered in time spent.
Why it matters: Is Facebook finally seeing a movement away from the platform after a rough couple of years?
The details: Per eMarketer, in 2019, US adult Facebook users will spend an average of 38 minutes per day on the platform (on all devices), down 2 minutes from eMarketer’s previous forecast. In 2020, the average daily time on the platform will drop to 37 minutes.
For Snapchat, time spent among users fell slightly in 2018 as well. EMarketer attributes this mainly to the company’s failed redesign and competition from Instagram. EMarketer expects time spent among Snapchat’s adult users to remain at 26 minutes per day through 2021. The research firm’s previous forecast projected 28 minutes per day on Snapchat in 2019.
Facebook To Launch “GlobalCoin” in 2020
BBC News reported that Facebook is finalizing its plans to launch its own cryptocurrency in 2020, named “GlobalCoin.”
Why it matters: Facebook’s goal is to develop a digital currency that would provide affordable and secure ways of making payments; possibly competing with banks in the future.
The details: According to BBC News, Facebook will be outlining more detailed plans for GlobalCoin this summer and has already spoken to Mark Carney of Bank of England. Mark Zuckerberg
Chipotle’s New Campaign For The NBA Season Closure
Chipotle is giving away $1 million in free burritos as a part of the company’s new social media campaign targeting basketball fans.
Why it matters: The campaign helps Chipotle (which is still trying to recover from several food safety crises) to target basketball fans at the moments when they’re most engaged on social media.
The details: According to the company’s website, “During the series games, every time an announcer says the word FREE on air, [Chipotle]’ll Tweet a unique keyword that unlocks up to 500 free entrées during the first half of each game and up to 1000 free entrees during the second half of each game. The first 500 people to text the unique offer code to 888222 when ‘free’ is mentioned in the first half, will receive a code for a free entrée. The first 1000 people to text the unique offer code to 888222 when ‘free’ is mentioned in the second half, will receive a code for a free entrée.”
Editor’s Note: Our weekly social media news post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, May 31. Have a news tip? We’re looking for changes to and news surrounding social media platforms as they relate to marketing. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com
