Following a major overhaul at the end of 2018, Instagram released an update that made users swipe instead of scrolling to see their newsfeeds. A couple of hours and a few thousand unhappy customer complaints later, the company pulled back the feature and apologised for a test that got (a little) out of hand.
Swiping makes sense. From an ergonomic point of view, our thumbs are better at swiping than at scrolling. From a user experience (UX) point of view, it’s a lot cleaner and quicker. One of the first apps to take advantage of this feature was Tinder. We all know how successful that’s been – some more so than others…
However, when Instagram pushed out the update, users were not very impressed. Many took to other social platforms to express their disgust and anger at the feature. Within hours, Instagram had pulled the plug on the update and apologised, claiming a ‘bug’ and everything was back, as they say, to normal.
Instagram apologising for its 'mistake'.
Maybe that was the case, there has been a bug going around after all. But maybe, Instagram’s Community Managers quickly highlighted the uproar and the powers-that-be pulled the update back.
UK grime artist Skepta shows his despair.
Either way, the audience just wasn’t ready for it and when they do release it, it will certainly take a lot of getting used to. There’s always 2019 Instagram, maybe you can make that swipeable!
Did you witness the change on your Instagram feed and what did you make of the update?
Getting the branding right when managing your social media campaigns is key. Messaging across social platforms with focussed, clear and relatable content ensures it resonates with an audience. Doing so consistently builds trust with them. A by-product of brand trust is more engagement, followers, traffic, leads and sales. Therefore, we discuss the ways and benefits of effectively building brand presence through social. Any queries? Don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Consistency in your voice & creative
The first step to getting your branding right is a consistent messaging voice. This includes the wording and images used on your profiles, as well as post and ad copies. They should all follow one distinct voice. This means your writing style should remain similar across all posts on your social channels. Be it conventional, formal, or a bit of both; pick a style and stick to it in your campaigns. Tone of voice heavily reflects your brand’s image!
Similarly, consistent visuals are important. Stick to your brand’s primary, secondary and tertiary colour scheme. Additionally, use the same fonts in all creative. This will help consumers identify your business through its colour scheme. Regardless of visible logos. As a result, brand awareness improves making it more dependable.
Brand your logo & ensure content is relevant
Visual content is imperative on social media. Images and videos whether short or long-form generate great engagement. Therefore, to get the branding right, label this content with your logo. Using a logo strengthens your social presence and boosts brand awareness. However, if you’re yet to develop a logo, contact Momentum Social. Our in-house experts are well equipped to take your ideas from rendering to reality!
Furthermore, build brand presence by sticking to a topic theme that represents your business. Relevancy is paramount; ensure the content reflects your product/service and gives the audience value. This helps to attract the right customers and develop relationships.
These are a few ways and benefits of building brand presence. Consistency in messaging voice and visual creative is important. Lastly, branding visual content with a logo and ensuring posts are relevant, whilst representing your business is key for success; generating awareness, engagement and developing customer relationships.
It’s been an interesting year in the social media world. We’ve seen platforms update and diversify to compete with rivals. As well as technological advances in AI/chatbots and voice. Facebook’s been busy with Instagram, Watch, Dating and Gaming. In addition to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. So it’s time for us to look back on 2018 in retrospect. Whilst we can’t cover everything, we’ll roundup the newsworthy events to conclude the year ahead of 2019. Let’s get into it!
Facebook’s 2018
June 2018 saw Facebook’s Instagram launch IGTV to rival YouTube. The long-form video feature enhances storytelling through portrait video on mobile. Videos are up to an hour long, working similar to Stories. A rival to Snapchat, Stories has improved with each update throughout the year. 2019 will surely see more updates in the vertical video landscape.
On the other hand, Facebook launches Watch to rival YouTube. The video add-on features ‘Watchlist’ and ‘Top Videos For You’, as well as ‘Watch Parties’. In addition, their e-dating alternative Dating began testing in South America, determining its success. Additionally, Facebook Gaming came out to rival Twitch and YouTube. While it gained momentum with popular streamers, top streamers and the majority of gaming viewers remain on its rivals. Furthermore, 2018’s latter stages saw Facebook struggle with data breach scandals. We’re all aware of the Cambridge Analytica mess. Zuckerberg got a grilling from the US Congress, whilst EU bodies were calling for a full audit. It looks like data privacy and trust remains an ongoing issue for the new year!
Technological advances
2018 has seen major advances in AI tech. The Huffington Post suggests 60% of millennials use AI and chatbots on a regular basis. Therefore, brands are utilising them via messenger apps and chat windows to communicate with their audience. That’s because chatbots are flexible, effective in quick comms and customer service. Their always on approach provides instant gratification 24/7, freeing up time for personnel to engage in other activities.
Voice search in the digital sphere is advancing. Whilst podcasts are regarded as the OG of social content, voice controlled AI are deemed the future; surging in value. Early adopters like Gary Vee look to utilise the feature, with tech giants like Amazon and Google launching Alexa and Home devices. Voice is gaining momentum so expect to use ears as well as eyes in 2019.
Facebook and Instagram’s developments were newsworthy events shaping how we consume social content in 2018. The data breach scandals set in motion an issue of trust and data privacy which will continue in the new year. Finally, AI advancements in chatbots and voice are changing how we communicate and search for content across social media. Here’s hoping for a fruitful 2019!
Stay ahead of the curve with #MomentousMondays! Happy New Year from the Momentum Social team.
A day to forget for Instagram? The app as we know it could be changing. Today, they began rolling out an update. However this update changes vertical scrolling to horizontal swiping, much like stories. Although the rollout didn’t effect everyone, those effected went over to Twitter to vent their displeasure. Therefore let’s analyse the feature and see what all the ruckus is about. Contact the Momentum Social team for more information!
Update information
TechCrunch were the first to report the app’s redesign in October; testing the feature internally on the app’s explorer page. However, Instagram ended up rolling out the feature today to millions of users. This was unintentional with head of product Adam Mosseri apologising on Twitter saying “this was supposed to be a very small test but we went broader than expected”.
Update outcry
Today saw Instagram expand the feature to the main feed, effecting more users than originally planned. Users with the update report being unable to scroll the main feed, as per the design since its launch. Instead, they were only able to swipe left and right through images, as opposed to up and down. Following suit of prior Instagram updates, the change sparks outrage as public outcry unfolds on Twitter. Moreover, Instagram hasn’t announced the changes publicly, hinting that the rollout has been one big mishap.
The comments on Twitter appear as complaints and demands to revert back to the old design. The trend #instagramupdate took place with mostly negative comments. It’s safe to say the update was unwelcome, likening it to Tinder. It was live for roughly an hour before reverting back to the old design due to the backlash it received. It’s suggested the reason for the redesign is to stop endless scrolling, promoting tap and examine on posts. At least they listened to their users with a quick roll back!
It’s Christmas eve! A time for family, love, laughter and consumption. It’s also time to get great social media engagement. Despite people’s busy schedule, they’ll be sharing content across social the world over. The question is, how do we get our content to stand out from the rest? Granted, a lot of Christmas campaigns are already in place. However, Momentum will provide top tips on how to get great exposure; upping those Christmas post metrics. Any questions? Contact the Momentum Social team.
Christmas creatives
Get creative and deviate from the norm. Instagram’s current trend of #blackchristmastree is hot right now. Rather than standard decorations, this sort of creativity will engage users with something new. Attached to text that adds value, creatives like this are sure to boost engagement. Alternatively, pineapples are still trending, even at Christmas! Why not create a tropical festive post? It’s been tagged over 25k times on Insta so it’s worth a shot.
Content types and posting times
Image led posts with food, drink, presents and pets get good engagement. But the question is, when do we post them? Platform algorithms now control the distribution of content. However, posting at the right time can help boost metrics. Although timelines of posts means less than it used to, it’s a good idea to keep this in mind… Try not to post in the morning as most people are probably opening presents and sorting out dinner. Post festive shots after dinner time and later in the day!
Christmas apps
So the festive shot’s snapped and it’s the perfect time to publish. All that’s missing is a decent editing app to give the post a little jingle. Apps to consider: Afterlight, which can cut editing time in half. Kirakira+ adds a sparkle to any image. Later is a cool scheduling tool to queue posts up in advance of the after dinner slump. Lastly, the popular Unfold is perfect for jazzing up Instagram Stories.
Get creative and boost engagement with these top Christmas posting tips. We hope everyone has a wonderful day and a happy New Year. From all of us at Momentum, Merry Christmas and happy posting!
Stay ahead of the curve with #MomentousMondays! Merry Christmas from the Momentum Social team.
With 2019 nearing, digital marketers are underway with strategic planning. We should be auditing current analytics to get a clear picture on the best way forward. However marketers often make critical errors in planning their strategy, leading them astray from desirable metrics. Therefore we’re going to highlight three of the most common errors made whilst strategising and how to avoid them. Let’s get into it!
Uncertain goals
Goal uncertainty’s a critical error. Clear strategic direction needs SMART goals. Are they specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely to business aims? Audit competitor behaviour, see what they’re doing. Additionally, really think about which social channels can best market the brand. Image led services like hairdressing suit Instagram, as opposed to LinkedIn, for example. Therefore, define clear goals to shoot effective tactics toward business aims.
Unclear target audiences
Assuming a demographic will take an interest in a brand’s products/services is a costly error. Social platforms offer analytics, showing who the target market is, their location and content needs. The success of a campaign relies on understanding an audience, targeting them with relevant, reliable content. As a result, narrowing the focus ensures money and time’s well spent on ads. This engages the right people at the right time to deliver value.
Rushed results & data confusion errors
Expecting immediate results via online marketing is another common error. Marketers often ditch campaigns if they don’t see fast results. The digital marketing industry is fast and ever growing. However, audiences are human and take time to properly engage. In addition, changing algorithms make it so not everyone will see the content. Therefore, rushing results is an error that can be helped with consistency across multiple points of exposure, with a little bit of patience!
Furthermore, it’s easy to get bogged down and confused given all the data available with platform analytics. Confusion around that data lessens as we figure out what we’re looking at and what to use it for. Firstly, figure out what’s relevant. Impressions? Video views? This should be in line with set goals. In turn, forming them into KPI’s, which shows exactly what’s working and what isn’t.
These three marketing errors are common. They can be avoided in strategic planning if outreach efforts are in line with set goals and business aims. Additionally, narrowing an audience focus ensures money and time’s well spent engaging the right people. Rushed results can be limited with consistent content exposure and a little patience. Lastly, data confusion can be helped by forming relevant KPI’s.
Stay tuned for more strategic content. Fancy a strategy chat ahead of 2019? Contact the Momentum Social team.
As the year comes to a close, Momentum touch on strategy and trends likely to make an impact in 2019. We’ve already seen content and influencer marketing trends. Therefore, we’re going to take a look at macro trends impacting the digital industry in the next year. We’ll look at the Google marketing platform, as well as platform popularity, GDPR and 5G. Want to discuss these trends in more detail? Contact the Momentum Social team.
Google Marketing Platform
Google announce changes to their system in 2019. They’re launching their Google Marketing Platform. Renaming Adwords to Ads, in addition to tighter integration of Doubleclick ad platform and analysis features. This will see changes to Analytics, Data Studio and AB testing.
Digital platform popularity
OfCom’s 2018 review shows a declining use of Facebook across all age groups. Except for gen X (55+), which is now the biggest user group. On the other hand, Instagram shows an increase in use amongst all age groups. The largest group being 25-34. Therefore, shifts in usage, advances in AI and the introduction of voice will see brands being more creative in customer interaction. In fact, nearly 50% of all searches will be done through voice by 2020. So watch out for AI and voice/ audio-activation!
GDPR
2018 saw drastic changes to GDPR. 2019 will see trend changes due to GDPR and increased use of AI. The new GDPR legislation limits cookie use which is damaging ad revenue streams. Therefore, creativity will be a deciding factor in differentiation and campaign success in the new year. GDPR’s transparency will mean companies ignoring users’ privacy will end up in the doghouse. Much like Facebook have been this past year!
5G access
Faster internet access means three things. 2019 will see faster, smarter and newer services for online users. Companies will take advantage of the improved network speed to tighten up the delivery of new content. However, this is dependant on it being available in both urban and rural locations. Faster internet speed is sure to change how we digest content online!
In summary, the digital marketing trends set to have an impact in 2019 consist of changes to Google’s marketing platform. As well as platforms’ popularity, regarding creative uses of AI and voice. In addition to GDPR and 5G access.
Stay ahead of the curve with #MomentousMondays! Contact the Momentum Social team for more information on online trends.
Like myself, people are feeling pretty nervous about Brexit. The whole situation’s a mess. The Commons vote delay, as well as May going back to Brussels with the possibility of a no-deal scenario… Chaos! However, we’re not here to be all political. In the week prior to the Commons vote, the UK Government thought to splurge £100k promoting Brexit through Facebook ads. In addition to buying ads on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google. Therefore we’re going to discuss the social strategy and analyse its overall impact.
The social splurge strategy
Facebook figures show the tories splurge a whopping £96,684 over 11 ad promotions. Although figures across the other platforms are unknown. Occurring between December 2-8, the strategy is a desperate attempt to avoid facing defeat. The ad campaign features three videos. Ads explain the Brexit deal regarding free trade, the economy and border control. Costing between £10-£50k each and reaching roughly 500,000 users, they spent a total £150k. This includes the £50k spent in November. So it’s fair to say it’s been a costly failure to limited avail!
Splurge impact; a huge failure
Spending £100k+ of taxpayers money in a mad panic to secure the deals approval won’t sit well with people. Especially given the pulling of the Commons vote! In fact, Corbyn slates it as an inappropriate and wasteful use of taxpayers’ money. With the public no closer to fully understanding Brexit’s impact, how can we disagree? Using £150k of public money promoting a botched deal online is wasteful. Additionally, saving the PM’s sinking ship for personal gain threatens our democracy. Coupled with the fact the vote won’t even go ahead, the money’s spent on promoting a lost cause. To add insult to injury, the tories spent an additional £40k on ads supporting the deal.
Facebook issues its figures in line with their new transparency measures. This is in response to criticisms around their political interference. Given the figures, it’s easy to see their social splurge strategy failed. Quite badly as thousands are spent with minimal, if any positive impact on the Brexit deal. Here’s hoping a solution presents itself soon!
Digital marketers are currently strategising for the New Year. Apparently, 83% of all marketers actively pursue social media marketing initiatives. So amongst planning and implementing social strategies for next year, we provide hot tips on how to strengthen them; in line with the latest industry trends. If you’d like to discuss these points further, contact Momentum Social.
Review current social media use
To strengthen social strategy, review current platform use by auditing and reviewing data. Decide if the current platforms are relevant to set goals. Additionally, decide if they’re driving relevant traffic and conversions. Data audits show platform successes and drawbacks. So draw on this data to decide which platforms are most appropriate to deliver value to the audience.
Strengthen social media profiles
Strengthen 2019’s strategy overall by optimising social profiles. Ensure clear graphics are used for profile and header images. In addition, create an accurate bio by using keywords in ‘about’ sections. As well as using working links. The simple details make a huge difference to a brand’s image!
Set realistic goals
After reviewing current social media use and optimising profiles, set realistic goals. Use analytics from audits to set achievable goals based on the current situation. From this, decide how to best proceed. Goals can be as simple as upping or lowering posting frequency across specific platforms.
Create a content schedule
Content marketing is key to social media strategy. Marketing relevant content at the right time is pivotal for engagement. Therefore, creating a content schedule promotes consistency and retention. Publishing reliable, value driven content ensures quality content in a timely fashion.
Use varied content types
With an optimal profile and reliable content schedule in place, strengthen 2019’s strategy using varied content types. Text and image based content are popular and receive good engagement. However, 2019 will see a strong emphasis on video. Therefore, look to use more videos in campaigns, especially across Instagram as Stories and IGTV are popular.
After reviewing current social media use, strengthen platform profiles and set realistic goals. Then, create a content schedule in line with these goals, using varied content types. Finally, record and review key analytics such as impressions and engagement to tailor strategic direction.
The power of influencer marketing is growing rapidly. So much that the ASA ‘s Influencer’s Guide, outlining the rules of posting sponsored content came out earlier this year. Apparently, influencer marketing can generate up to 11x the ROI of traditional advertising. So it’s a solid strategy going into 2019. With this in mind, we take a glimpse at the biggest influencer trends heading into the New Year. Stay ahead of the curve, for further insight contact us here.
Influencers or entrepreneurs?
Currently, a social influencer utilises their personal brand to promote products to their followers. However, 2019’s trends will see influencers change their personal brand into proper business ventures. An entrepreneurial outlook enables them to take full advantage of their reach, maximising platform success and revenue streams.
Influencers Guide; disclosing sponsored content
We’ve previously discussed this guide a while ago; check out the blog. Anyhow, the ASA and CMA collaborate forming rules and regs in conjunction with the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The rules state influencers must now identify ads as sponsored or not. This will make it easier for consumers to decipher a post from an advert. It removes any ambiguity from paid or authentic opinions, shaping the industry for the New Year.
E-Sports influencers
Marketers will look to harness the power of gaming and E-Sports. Top Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Gaming streamers have massive followings. Sponsoring their live-streams or having product promotions on stream generates huge brand awareness. Tapping into E-Sports, the influence of streamers/pro gamers and their audience will be a key trend for 2019! Have a read of our blog, see how E-Sports are revolutionising the gaming industry.
Podcasts and fake followers
More influencers will improve their reach by using podcasts. They’ll be able to share opinions in more detail. A more transparent relationship can be built with their audience this way, creating value. Meanwhile, bot followers/fake audience detection will improve, meaning marketing budgets can be more secure as technology develops.
In summary, the biggest influencer marketing trends for 2019 are influencers changing their personal brands into entrepreneurial business ventures. In addition, influencers have to disclose paid ads to remove opinion ambiguity. Additionally, influencers will utilise podcasts to create deeper value, whilst brands clamp down on fake followers. Finally, brands will look to take advantage of E-Sports and the influence pro gamers have on their large audiences.
