Social Media Notes
Here’s this week’s round-up of social media (& tech) news. Come by each week for what I hope to be a fun & informative blog post on social stories that caught my eye throughout the week!
- I think this is so funny! Read about how a Twitter bot turned the 2016 election into a giant Pokemon battle! “A wild MIKE HUCKABEE wants to fight!” “DONALD TRUMP is CONFUSED! They hurt themself in their confusion!”
- I’m always fascinated on articles showing how big brands operate their social media teams – the latest is a look at Refinery29’s Snapchat Discover Operation – the women-focused digital publisher churns out 14 pieces of content, 7 days a week. The content is produced by 10 staff members! 10 for Snapchat!
- A new Instagram Industry Report from Simply Measured shows some of the most popular emojis used by companies on Instagram – can you guess which ones make the cut?
- I always liked seeing how different emojis show up on different platforms. Twitter’s just released new ‘twemojis’ that you might start seeing if you view from Twitter desktop! (They’re basically just catching up with the phone emojis)
- Facebook vs. Yelp? Facebook’s new unannounced desktop-only feature ‘Facebook Professional Services’ gives people the ability to find the highest rated businesses in a specific location, bringing up popular dentists, plumbers, pizza joints, and the list goes on.
- The Year in Reviews are trickling in! Here’s Facebook’s listing of the most talked-about topics of the year. It’s basically all tragedies…
- And Twitter’s 2015 highlights video also shows similar heavy topics and how they played out on the platform this year.
- Check out Twitter’s 2015 highlights sub-site here – including a list of the most retweeted tweets of the year!
- I love when brands are funny on social media. Reese’s reaction to the Internet criticizing their sad peanut butter Christmas trees is just so good. #AllTreesAreBeautiful
- Noooo…. we’d heard it rumoured for awhile but now it looks like Twitter is finally experimenting with non-chronological timelines. Do not want.
- Here’s a way to drive away potential users… looks like the 500 million people who check Twitter each month but don’t sign up/sign into their own account will now be exposed to advertising.
- Spoilers be damned, encouraging live-tweeting of TV shows = increased engagement. The advertising take on it: “the data provides programmers with a good idea of the best times to use social media when it comes to promoting other programs. It also allows television programmers an opportunity to adjust their messages according to when users are tweeting while maximizing promotions strategies.”
- Virtual reality is everything right now. Flickr now offers a new 360-degree virtual reality experience, powered by Oculus for Samsung Gear VR.
- Stop it, Facebook. No one wants to download multiple Facebook apps (this time they’re really trying to force their ‘Moments’ app on you).
- Social media, we just can’t quit you. Well, people will try though – like singer Ed Sheeran – who says he is taking a break from social as he’s “seeing the world through a screen and not his eyes.” Ho hum. (He’ll be back – plus, you’re still seeing the world, even if you’re stopping to take Instagram photos and sharing that with millions of people).
- Here’s a nice overview of the BBC and its “year of innovation” on social media. I do love what the BBC does on its social platforms.
- Interesting – a new report says 68% of employees considered using social media for personal, non-work-related reasons each day as a break/distraction from work tasks is appropriate. Your thoughts?
- Want to call out bullying online? Apple’s released an emoji to help you do that. It’s part of an anti-bullying initiative called I Am A Witness. Emojis have become so commonplace in language today – this makes sense. Basically like a, hey stop that, you’re being a horrible person and it’s not okay, without actually saying it.
- Looks like Tumblr is the first to give users the option to share Apple iPhone 6S/6S Plus’ Live Photos & 3D-touch functionality. This could pave the way for more third-party integration (though I’m surprised it wasn’t immediately adopted as soon as the features were announced).
- Interesting: Tinder has teamed up with Britian’s National Health Service to let users swipe right to become an organ donor.
- Did you see this week’s Cat Saturday photos?!
Thoughts on these stories? Tweet @ me or leave a comment below!
Linda