The social media landscape is constantly evolving, and successfully maneuvering the sharp twists and turns of this ever-changing road can be a challenge for even the most proficient PR pros and business owners. We’ve done the work for you and compiled everything you need to know. Here’s our monthly social media roundup.
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LinkedIn Gets Trending
Following the changes detailed in last month’s social media update, LinkedIn has continued rolling out a number of new features—including the most recent innovation, “Trending Storylines.” Similar to the Moments tab on Twitter, Trending Storylines is a feature that allows LinkedIn users to discover important stories as they develop in real time and receive diverse perspectives on relevant topics.
According to the official LinkedIn blog, this feature is algorithm-driven and highly personalized so users will see the stories trending in industries that they care about most. Each story will also include a unique hashtag, making it easier than ever for you to insert your voice into the conversations that matter—and thereby creating a great way to get your business or brand’s name to a wide audience.
Trending storylines can be accessed at the top right of the LinkedIn homepage on the desktop site, or beneath the “Trending” tab on mobile devices. The feature is now live for a select group of users and is expected to continue rolling out to a wider audience in the coming weeks.
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Facebook Taps Into the Persuasive Power of Video
By now, you’ve probably heard about all about how important video is on social media—it drives more engagement, gets better responses, and enhances a viewer’s relationship with your brand. Facebook recently released an intriguing research report that takes a closer look at the persuasive power of video on the platform, with several important takeaways for anyone looking to incorporate video into their social media strategy.
Some of the most interesting takeaways from the report include:
- The average person spends five times longer looking at a video than at static content, dramatically improving brand recognition and recall.
- Half of the people surveyed in the report stated that they find it easier to pay attention to video on a smartphone vs. viewing on a desktop computer—meaning it is more important than ever to ensure your content is optimized for mobile devices.
- “Binge-watching” videos on social media has now become second nature; over half of the survey’s respondents say they watch multiple video clips in a row, and 54% do so without even consciously realizing it.
- The most compelling video content on Facebook is designed to surprise and delight audiences; consider experimenting with the platform’s various tools such as Facebook Live and 360 video to make your videos stand out and discover what works best for your brand.
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Twitter Tests the Idea of Paid Subscriptions
As Twitter continues to figure out the role it plays in today’s crowded social media environment, it is reportedly considering an idea that few saw coming: paid subscriptions. A survey received by some users on the platform reveals that the social media giant is contemplating a premium service designed “to help marketers, journalists, professionals, and others in our community find out what is happening in the world quicker, to gain more insights, and see the broadest range of what people are saying on Twitter.”
Fear not: you will still be able to tweet to your heart’s content free of charge. However, if implemented this subscription-based feature would provide a wealth of features to help social media managers more easily integrate Twitter into their social strategies, including trends and activity analysis, advanced audience insights, and posting tools all in one customizable dashboard.
Staying up-to-date on social media can seem like a daunting task, but by using our tips hopefully you will find that it’s not nearly as intimidating as it might appear. Keep posting, tweeting, and Instagramming, and be sure to check back here each month for everything you need to know to stay on top of the social media game.
About Scooter Media
Scooter Media is a full-service communications agency in greater Cincinnati specializing in public relations and social media.
