To say it’s been a strange year so far would be an understatement. Yet, even in the midst of a pandemic (and no doubt because of it) programmers at Instagram and Facebook have been busy at work updating the platforms with new features. We’ve highlighted five of these social media updates that can benefit advertisers, marketers, and creators.
FB: Facebook Shops
Facebook recently made it easier for brands to list their products on Facebook and Instagram with the launch of Facebook Shops. It’s not a new concept—Facebook has had on-platform shops before. But this one’s different.
Businesses can tailor the look of their virtual shop with customizable fonts and colors, and users can make purchases without ever leaving the app (if you’ve enabled checkout in the US). If you sell merchandise online, Shops could be a Facebook marketing game changer. It’s free, and it makes it easier to leverage the most powerful social media platform in the world.
People can find Facebook Shops on a brand’s Facebook page, Instagram profile, or through stories or ads.
IG: New Story Stickers
IG stickers are interactive elements that help you engage your followers—more than 500 million people use them every day. Story stickers can help you promote your products and show off your brand’s personality. You can even create custom stickers.
Instagram has added a flurry of new Story stickers to improve user experience and keep up with the times. Here are some recent additions:
Stay Home
As we’ve (painfully) learned in the last few months, staying home is the best way to prevent community spread of COVID-19. Remind your followers how important it is by adding the “Stay Home” sticker to your IG Story. Adding the sticker will change the color of your Story ring and put you at the top of your followers’ Story feed.
Support Small Business
Small businesses have taken a huge hit from the pandemic. Encourage your followers to help small businesses reach new customers by using the “Support Small Business” sticker. People can mention their favorite small businesses directly in the sticker. Once they hit publish, their story will be added to a shared IG story and will be visible to their followers.
Thanks Health Heroes
IG added a Thanks Health Heroes sticker to pay tribute to the healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic. Using the sticker is a way to show gratitude and, like the Stay Home sticker, it can also help encourage participation in COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
DM Me
Instagram’s new DM Me sticker can help businesses prompt more direct interaction. It’s an alternative to replying directly to your Story. For example, you could showcase your product in a video with a CTA to “contact us” or “get more info” to drive direct conversations.
FB: Advancing Racial Justice
In the wake of George Floyd’s death and the massive protests that followed, Facebook recently announced steps it will take to advance racial justice, including:
- Investing in communities of color: The company says it plans to invest over $1 billion to support Black and diverse suppliers and communities in the United States, including committing an additional $200 million to support Black-owned businesses and organizations this year.
- Elevating Black voices and stories: Facebook solicited the help of employees for suggestions on how to amplify underrepresented voices. It is launching Lift Black Voices, “a space for amplifying Black voices, and sharing educational resources, storytelling experiences and inspiring action through fundraising for the advancement of racial justice.” It will also continue its #ShareBlackStories editorial series on @instagram, @instagramforbusiness, @creators, @shop, and @design.
- Building a more diverse and inclusive workforce: The company has committed to increasing the percentage of people of color in leadership positions by 30% in the next five years. They have already committed to doubling the number of Black and Latinx employees and ensuring that 50% of its workforce is made up of underrepresented communities by 2023.
While these actions probably won’t have an immediate impact on businesses, a more inclusive and representative Facebook is likely to benefit brands (and everyone) in the long run.
IG: Share Live Videos to IGTV
In May, Instagram started allowing users to share live videos directly to IGTV once they’re done recording. In the past you were only able to upload live videos as Stories, and they’d be broken up into 15-second segments. They’d also disappear after 24 hours.
With life happening on screens during the pandemic, the option of sharing live videos to IGTV immediately after they’re over is more useful than ever. And it gives you an easy way to build your content library.
As with most things, though, there are some limitations. Live video replays won’t include any likes or comments from your original live video. So, if your broadcast was interactive and you make references to comments in the video, this may end up confusing new viewers.
Also, Instagram doesn’t give you the option of editing or trimming the live video before sharing it, so if it’s full of awkward pauses or content or comments you’d rather not repost, your best bet is to download the video, edit it, and reupload it to IGTV.
FB: New Live Streaming Accessibility Tools
There’s been a huge push in recent years to make online content accessible to everyone, regardless of ability. Not only is this the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. More attorneys than ever are suing private companies whose sites don’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Live streaming has exploded on apps like Zoom since COVID-19 drove us indoors. Now Facebook is taking steps to make live video content more accessible. They recently announced they’ll be releasing “audio-only” live mode as well as automatic closed captions.
Auto captions aren’t perfect—background noise and mumbling can lead to some confusing and awkward translations—but for users with hearing impairments and people who rely on screen readers, this is good news.
Learn more about making your website ADA compliant.
Get Help from the Pros
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