Tag Archives: Social Media Today

Although the vast majority of retail purchases are still made in-store, global online sales are on the rise, and are expected to account for over 22% of all retail sales by 2023. In fact, eCommerce has already begun to overtake physical store sales in some cases. According to a U.S. Commerce Department report, the total market share of online U.S. retail sales were higher than general merchandise sales for the first time in history last February. It’s easy to see why brands are increasingly prioritizing their investment in online sales. A recent survey of over 200 retail executives by eTail and Stackla found that 50% of retail brands are currently […]

It’s taken some time, but Twitter has finally rolled out an element of its ‘conversational’ feature updates that its been beta testing over the last six months. We’ve given conversations a makeover on iOS. When people you follow are in a conversation, you’ll see their replies in a new way in your Home timeline. This new layout makes it easier to see who’s replying to who so you can join in on relevant conversations. pic.twitter.com/xNmnAtQFeI — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) January 31, 2020 As you can see here, Twitter is bringing a new ‘threaded’ conversation update to its iOS app, which more clearly defines replies from people you know to any […]

The question of misinformation, and its impact on public perception of major issues, has become a key focus in recent times, with social media platforms seen as the main culprit in facilitating the spread of ‘fake news’, leading to confusion and dissent among the populous. But we don’t know the full impacts of this. For all the study, all the research, for all the data analysis stemming from the 2016 US Presidential Election in particular, it’s impossible to say, for sure, how much impact social media has on people’s opinions – and subsequently, how they vote. But it must have an impact, right? These days, it feels like we’re more divided […]

When was the last time you checked through your old social media profiles, and the content that you’ve posted online over time? These days, most people have at least one old social media account which remains active online, including your images, posts, etc. But you’ve likely forgotten about it – it’s that MySpace account that you had years ago, that Tumblr fanfic account from your teen years, etc. But what if someone went looking for info on you, say, a potential employer? What would they find on those old accounts? This is an increasing concern in the modern, digital age, and with so many of our thoughts and experiences being […]

I mean, it seems almost too obvious, now that Twitter’s done it, but Instagram is reportedly also testing out quick emoji reactions for direct messages in the app. Instagram is working on Reactions for Direct Messages Currently, “non-employees can only see the ❤️ reaction” Facebook’s Tech Comms Manager @alexvoica confirmed this unreleased feature and this is “something they’ve been testing for a few days” pic.twitter.com/EzVWfA6Doo — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) January 30, 2020 As you can see in this tweet from reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong, Instagram’s new DM reactions are currently only available in test mode to internal employees. Non-employees, as noted, will only see the ‘heart’ response […]

As Facebook pushes further into gaming, and game streaming in particular, The Social Network is also being forced to address issues with trolling and other types of anti-social behavior which have, unfortunately, become common staples in some corners of the community. Though some of that is due to varying tolerance within different groups, and the unclear boundaries between each. As explained by Facebook: “While our Community Standards protect against the most egregious harms like hate speech and terrorism, sometimes all it takes is one person being rude, mean or simply disruptive to ruin a conversation for everyone. And what may be considered competitive banter in one streaming community, might be considered toxic […]

After we got our first glimpse of the coming option earlier in the month, Snapchat has now confirmed that its new Bitmoji TV offering will be launched this weekend to all users. As first reported by TechCrunch, ‘Bitmoji TV’ will make the custom Bitmoji avatars of you and your Snap friends the stars of their own full-motion cartoon series. The episodic cartoons will be mapped out by Snap’s team, but your custom Bitmoji characters will appear in each, undertaking various types of adventures and quests. The option aims to tap into the rising interest in short, TV-like content, along with the popularity of Bitmoji, while also adding a extra dash of […]

Microsoft has once again reported that LinkedIn saw ‘record levels of engagement’ over the last three months of 2019, while the platform also continues to expand its audience across the globe. The findings are listed in Microsoft’s FY20 Q2 report, which the company published this week, outlining its key performance highlights in the most recent period. As per Microsoft: “LinkedIn continues to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce – every seven seconds someone is hired on LinkedIn. We saw record levels of member engagement again this quarter. Marketing Solutions remains our fastest growing business as marketers leverage enhanced tools and LinkedIn Pages to connect with our […]

Super Bowl LIV is coming up this weekend, and both Facebook and Snapchat have launched some new visual features to help users get involved in the action and show their support. First off, on Facebook – The Social Network is adding a new set of Messenger camera filters and stickers which have been designed in partnership with the NFL, including its ‘Endzone filter’ for your Messenger videos and Stories. As per Facebook: “With the Endzone filter, you’ll be able to picture yourself as a wide receiver from the Niners or the Chiefs catching the game-winning Hail Mary to get your team the Lombardi Trophy. And with the Fan filter, you’ll […]

With music fans increasingly turning to social media to learn about upcoming band events, Facebook has this week published a new report into how music industry marketers can utilize social platforms to better connect with fans and related audiences. According to Facebook, live events are becoming a bigger deal over time. Various research reports have suggested that younger audiences, in particular, value experiences over things, and Facebook says that, now, some 57% of internet users would prefer to spend money on a unique experience than a status brand. And the stats show that live concerts play a key role within this category. As per Facebook: “It’s no surprise that music […]