?has posted on the CIB Blog, published by a UK-based marketing agency focusing on the AEC sector, an intriguingly large list of recent social media product innovations.
There’s too much in the list for me to reproduce directly without pushing the copyright boundaries, but I’ll go out on a limb and include his list of updates and innovations for Facebook alone (there’s other changes at Twitter, Pintrest, YouTube and LinkedIn.)
Facebook Spaces?? VR is the future, or at least that’s what Mark Zuckerberg seems to think. Getting to grips with social VR will put you well ahead of the pack, though the audience isn’t there yet to justify fully embracing social VR just yet.
Messenger updates?- Messenger apps are big business, and Facebook has released a whole host of new features and updates to its platform, not least among them are chatbots.
Camera effects platform?- it’s not only VR Zuckerberg is betting on, AR is the bigger potential, and with these new features, AR is here already. I highly recommend investigating Facebook Frames; they’re a bit of fun that could help your engagement metrics.
Low-quality landing pages?- does your website feature pop ups and too many adverts? Well, Facebook is not your friend. Poor quality landing pages are being downgraded in the newsfeed.
Reducing clickbait headlines?- Facebook has been at war with clickbait for ages now, and its latest update takes it down to a more personal level, if you don’t share clickbait then don’t worry, if you do then sort out your act.
Trending update?- fleshing out its trending topics feature, this is good news for publishers as it offers new opportunities for users to see their content.
Captions on live broadcasts?- no longer do we need to watch Facebook Live with the sound on, though don’t be surprised if the captions are a little off, we haven’t got perfect speech to text tech yet.
Gif updates?- I’m a huge fan of gifs, so I love this update. Facebook now supports the direct uploading of gifs, and even better they can be used in comments.
Group updates?- introducing analytics to groups suddenly makes them so much more useful for brands. These updates mean you should seriously consider how Facebook groups can feature in your social strategy.
2 Billion monthly active users?- yes you read that right Facebook is undeniably the largest social network in the world. If Facebook doesn’t already feature in your social strategy fix that now because you can guarantee your audience is using it.
Messenger discover?- making it easier to find bots and business in Messenger it’s time to get serious about customer service and social selling through Facebook.
Metrics update?- now you can see how many people are recommending your business on Facebook among other new stats. Who doesn’t like having more data?
Find Wi-Fi?- a little-known feature you’re bound to find useful: Facebook shows you a map of all the local Wi-Fi hotspots shared by businesses. Cafes and shops with Wi-Fi for customers better make sure they appear on the map.
Facebook live from VR?- as if VR wasn’t enough, Facebook wants you to live stream from inside its VR platform. This is the future Facebook wants to create.
Single inbox?- making it easier to monitor all comments, posts and messages this is a welcome update.
Original TV shows?- Twitter isn’t the only one getting into the TV business; Facebook is rumoured to be working on original TV shows. Has Netflix got a rival in the making?
Household targeting for ads?- scared by the amount of info Facebook has on you? Well, you aren’t going to like this, but advertisers will. No longer do we need to target an entire household instead we can focus on the key decision makers.
Small business mobile help?- a whole host of new mobile features aimed at helping small business owners manage their Facebook presence.
Offline conversion tracking?- link your offline sales to your Facebook ads, prove that ROI and understand how Facebook impacts the analogue world as much as the digital one.
Creative hub updates?- these updates are a blessing for integration between creative and advertising teams.
Ads in Messenger?- Messenger is popular which means it is time for ads. Not a favourite move with users but a whole new area of opportunity for businesses.
Video headers?- bored of static images for your Facebook page header? Well, now you can have video.
Stabilisation, 4k and 360 live videos?- the camera shaking all over the place can be a huge immersion breaker; luckily Facebook is here to help. Alongside stabilisation we have 4k and 360 live videos, the future is here, and it is in horrifyingly high definition, makeup sales are bound to increase.
Videos to autoplay with sound on?- video rules the internet, and you can’t escape it. These updates only serve to reinforce that.
Custom ad audiences from Instagram engagement?- a long awaited feature currently in testing you will soon be able to target ads to people who interact with your Instagram account.
No more editing link previews?- last and probably most significant, this update has already upset a lot of users. No longer can we edit the image, headline or description pulled through when a link is posted to Facebook. Now is the time for a website audit, make sure you have those Open Graph tags in place.
Wow, that’s quite a list — and that is in just the last few months.
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