Social Media updates and what they mean for you – November 3rd

A relatively quiet week in social-media-land but there are still lots of awesome updates this week to make your life easier. Let’s dive in…

Twitter

This platform doesn’t usually feature on our list since it’s not one we work with, but how could we miss it on such a big week?! Yes, the big news is that Elon Musk has bought the platform and has a number of planned changes up his sleeve. One of the most controversial is changing the prestigious blue tick to a subscription model. Now, in all fairness, there are other proposed benefits to this subscription beyond the blue tick. But surely paying for the mark of authenticity devalues it, given that every Tom, Dick, and Harriet would be able to get their hands on it for a price. If this goes through, the results could be interesting.

What does this mean for me?

Right now, a big fat “not much” given these changes are currently very much in the ideas phase. There’s also been no word on what it would mean for accounts that already have a blue tick… we’re not sure he’s thought this one through.

Instagram
Moving on to more familiar waters, Instagram has begun rolling out a public chat feature for users, making it easier for followers to start a conversation.

Over recent months IG has been developing more features for its web version, and you can now upload Stories. Great news for anyone who doesn’t want to be staring at a tiny screen 24/7. The web version of IG has been lagging behind for aaaaaggggessss, so it’s nice to see them finally putting some person-hours into developing it. Especially because more and more of us are using scheduling tools etc on laptops and desktops.

What does this mean for you?
An easier way to start a conversation with followers is always going to be a good thing. The new sticker could help you get feedback on a certain topic or to dive deeper into polls.

Using the web version of IG is an excellent way to get ahead of scheduling or use photos and graphics created elsewhere on the app.

Facebook/Meta
The platform has pledged to match $7 million in donations between November 1st and December 31st. There only caveat is that the payouts will only happen on subscribed donations after the second donation has been made.

Meta kicked off Creator Week with a new report on the creator economy, which is a mixed bag at best. In news that is unlikely to be a surprise for many people, very few creators are actually earning a living wage from their work. There are some big hitters, many of whom have been around for a while, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule. But there is significant growth in the area as more and more people look to subsidise their income.

Following its launch in the EMEA last month, Meta launched its Creators of Tomorrow program in the US. Aimed at helping smaller creators reach wider audiences.

Professional Mode on Facebook is now open to all creators. Basically, it gives you a separate account from your personal one to build a professional network within the app with increased insights and monetisation tools. Other major benefits include the ability to schedule posts, in-stream adverts, and many more.

And finally, Meta announced new monetisation tools for creators to help them get the most from their profiles.

What does this mean for you?
Donations, are especially important at the moment so matching pledges cannot be underestimated. If you’re working on a campaign, make sure you get people to subscribe to more than one donation in order to benefit from the fund.

More and more emerging creators means more voices being heard, which is definitely a good thing. As a business we encourage you to find creators relevant to your target audience and see if there’s a way of working together.

Better professional tools for all make it easier to separate your work and personal life. Instead of using your personal account to interact in groups, why not set up a professional one? That way when you’re catching up on Aunty Mildred’s recent escapades, you won’t be sucked into work stuff accidentally.

Better monetisation tools means more ways to make money! If you’re a creator we highly recommend seeing which ones could work for you. Social Media Today have an awesome article that goes into detail about every tool.

LinkedIn
Finally! LinkedIn will now automatically turn any multi-image posts into carousels. No more faffing about trying to convert things to PDF. Trust us when we say social media managers everywhere are overjoyed.

What does this mean for you?
Carousel-style posts have a 3x times higher click-through rate than any other post so this update makes it easier to increase engagement.

That’s it for this week folks! Remember to sign up for weekly updates direct to your inbox and connect with Jordan on her LinkedIn for more tips. See you next week!