The spottydog pack are back to deliver your monthly boost of new social media updates! In our latest blog, PR, Communications & Social Media Consultant, Rachel Carroll, outlines the key innovations in social media that brands can utilise in their own comms this winter.
Update #1: Instagram launches a live test of native post scheduling through the app
Instagram’s latest update allows social media managers to say goodbye to third-party scheduling software platforms such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social by testing a new native scheduling tool. Brands will soon be able to set the date and time to launch their posts and sit back and relax whilst Instagram does the work.
Meta, who owns Instagram, commented: “We are testing the ability to schedule content with a percentage of our global community. With initial testing going well, we’re excited to see this update rolled out to all users soon.”
How can brands make the most of this update?
Although creators have been able to schedule their content via Creator Studio since 2020, bringing the scheduling to in-app will allow scheduling to be quicker and easier than ever. This is because brands can map out their feeds and post at any time they like, all from the convenience of their phone.
What’s more, by cutting out the need for scheduling tools, the new update will also allow brands to reduce third-party costs, creating more budget for paid ads, increasing reach and engagement.
Posting natively may impact results and analytics as each scheduling platform has a slightly different way of measuring results. We will keep you updated as we know more.
Update #2: Twitter adds new ‘communities’ tab for professional profiles
Twitter is bringing community pages to the forefront by allowing professional profiles to spotlight a Twitter community on their main display in the app. Professional profiles are available for any “person or entity who uses Twitter for commercial purposes” and can be set up for free on the app. Brands can add the communities’ spotlight just beneath their details, above their tweet timeline.
How could this update impact brands?
Twitter communities are a brilliant marketing channel for brands to develop meaningful relationships with their customers and audience. They inspire back-and-forth discussions, allowing the brands to offer value, lend an ear or help the network they have created. Engaging in communities also humanises the brand, allowing them to be positioned as friends, leaders or experts in their field.
Adding a community spotlight feels like a no-brainer for brands wanting to promote their communities and see more users driven to their communities. This is now the fifth spotlight you can add to a Twitter profile along with:
- Location Spotlight — highlighting your brand’s location, opening hours & contact methods
- Shop Module — showing off key products and purchasing options
- Mobile App Spotlight — displaying your businesses app at the top of your Twitter feed
- Link Spotlight — featuring one prominent link or a link tree
For social media managers, your chosen spotlight depends entirely on your aims for your Twitter profile — spotlight your priority.
Update #3: LinkedIn adds new ‘person’ and ‘page’ link stickers to improve in-app engagement
LinkedIn is becoming a platform that just keeps on giving! Recently, the professional network added another feature to drive engagement —link stickers.
If you choose to use the ‘Use a template’ feature, you can access a panel that allows you to add URL, Page, and Person links to your LinkedIn posts.
Why is this important?
Tagging third parties is a tried and tested method to increase the reach of posts and ensure that the highest number of users see your content.
This feature allows users to quickly add links to specific people, LinkedIn pages or webpages they want to drive their audience to or that they are trying to persuade to reshare their content.
This feature is set to increase post reach, meaning that there will be more people available to comment and engage with each post that uses the new tags. For brands to maximise this update, we recommend adding call to actions on posts such as a question or links to accelerate post engagement further.
Stay tuned for our monthly Social Spot updates and, if you are looking to enhance your social media strategy, get in touch.
