I have three kids under five — and getting them out of the house regularly is essential. I'm always scouring Google Reviews for new and interesting kid-friendly things to do in our neighbourhood. I look for great reviews, of course, but you know what stands out even more? Reviews with responses from the business.

There's a "kids' cafe" not far from us that responds to every review. That tells us they care about their customers — and we go there often. I know I'm not alone in this, either.

BrightLocal's research found that 88 percent of consumers would use a business that responds to all of its reviews, both positive and negative.

Here's the data on why you should be replying to Google reviews, how to streamline the process with Buffer, plus a real-life example from boutique social media marketing agency Sapphire Social, which makes replying to reviews a priority for their clients.

5 reasons why replying to Google reviews matters

Replying to reviews is inarguably good practice — and common sense — but it can have a powerful effect on the bottom line, too. The numbers are fascinating:

1. Your customers are reading reviews

According to BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey, 97 percent of consumers read online reviews, with 41 percent saying they "always" read reviews when evaluating a business. That's a big jump from 29 percent the year before.

Most of those reviews are on Google — roughly 81% of consumers use Google reviews specifically to evaluate local businesses (Sixth City Marketing).

And they're not just skimming star ratings, they're reading what businesses say back, just like I do, as I mentioned up top.

2. Replying to reviews directly impacts whether people choose you

Around 88% are influenced by whether a business responds to its reviews, good and bad. Engaging with your reviews makes consumers nearly twice as likely to choose you. And you don't have to be perfect at it, you just have to do it.

And it's not just about responding to the negative ones. Only 47% of consumers said they'd use a business that exclusively responds to negative reviews. Responding to only positive reviews fared similarly poorly. Interesting, right? Consumers apparently don't love it when you cherry-pick which reviews to acknowledge.

The latest 2026 survey goes even further: 89% of consumers now expect business owners to respond to reviews, and 50 percent say generic, templated responses would make them less likely to choose a business (BrightLocal, 2026).

3. Responding to reviews correlates with more revenue

All of the above might sound like common sense, but there is revenue data behind it, too.

A study by Womply analyzed transaction data from more than 200,000 U.S. small businesses and found that businesses replying to at least 25 percent of their reviews earned 35 percent more revenue than average. Businesses that didn't respond to any reviews earned 9 percent less (Womply via Illuminate8).

Consumers also spend more when they see a business engaging with feedback. The same study found that people spend up to 49 percent more at businesses that reply to reviews.

And the Harvard Business Review found that when hotels began responding to reviews on TripAdvisor, they received 12 percent more reviews and their ratings increased by an average of 0.12 stars, without ever asking for more reviews (Harvard Business Review). A separate Harvard study found that a one-star improvement in rating can translate to a 5-9 percent increase in revenue.

4. It boosts your local search rankings

Google itself recommends responding to reviews. Their official Google Business Profile help documentation states that responding shows customers you value their feedback and signals responsiveness (Google Business Profile Help).

Review signals, which include volume, quality, recency, and whether a business responds, account for a meaningful portion of local search ranking factors. Research from SOCi found that businesses ranking in Google's top three local results (the "3-Pack") earn 126 percent more traffic and 93 percent more conversion-oriented actions than businesses ranked lower (SOCi).

Responding to reviews also feeds into Google's E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), which helps determine how prominently your business appears in local results. Each response is fresh, keyword-rich content on your profile, which is a signal Google rewards.

5. Negative reviews are actually an opportunity

This is the part that surprises most business owners: negative reviews, handled well, can actually help you.

Research from Reputation.com found that consumers are 33 percent more likely to upgrade their review if a business responds with a personalized message within a day. And businesses experience a 16 percent boost in customer advocacy when they address complaints publicly, versus a 37 percent decline when complaints go unanswered (Reputation).

Reputation CEO Joe Burton described the dynamic well in an interview with CX Dive: a negative review where the company visibly makes things right becomes something like a "superpowered review." It demonstrates accountability in a way that even five-star reviews can't (CX Dive).

There's also the practical consideration that 85% of consumers say seeing whether a company responds to negative reviews is important in their purchasing decision. Silence in the face of criticism tells potential customers you either don't care or aren't paying attention.

The data makes a pretty compelling case. But keeping on top of Google reviews is easier said than done — especially when you're managing more than one."

How one agency made Google reviews manageable

Everything above applies to a single business with one Google Business Profile. Now multiply it. This is something I hear constantly from agencies and multi-location businesses.

Each location receives its own reviews, has its own customer base, and may require a tailored response due to local context. A copy-paste reply that works for one client might sound completely wrong for another.

BrightLocal's guide on multi-location review management highlights the core tension: maintaining brand consistency while keeping responses local and authentic (BrightLocal). And the stakes are high. BrightLocal found that 91 percent of consumers say local branch reviews impact their overall perception of a multi-location brand.

When Alexandrea Browman, founder of Sapphire Social, described her workflow before Buffer, she talked about logging into individual client accounts, switching between platforms, and trying to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.

Sapphire Social manages around 30 channels across multiple clients, and when I asked her what Buffer feature has made the biggest difference to her workflow, she didn't hesitate: community management.

Specifically, the ability to respond to Google reviews without logging into each client's account separately.

"I can't tell you how amazing community management through Buffer has been," she told me. "We don't have to select from inbox or comments, it's just all in one place. It's so simple."

Before, her team had two options: log in with the client's credentials (a security headache) or navigate through native platforms (a patience-testing headache). Now they handle everything in one dashboard. For an agency juggling multiple Google Business Profiles, that's the difference between staying on top of reviews and letting them quietly pile up unanswered.

Introducing Google review replies in Buffer

This is exactly why we've added support for replying to Google reviews directly in Buffer. If you're already managing your Google Business Profiles in Buffer, you can now see incoming reviews and respond to them from the same place you manage the rest of your social presence.

For agencies like Sapphire Social, this means no more logging into individual client accounts to check for new reviews. For franchises and chains, it means finally having a centralized view of reviews across every location. And for any business with a Google Business Profile, it means one less reason to let reviews go unanswered.

As Alexandrea told me: "If you want a tool that handles scheduling, quality control, community management, and team management without the usual headaches, Buffer is it."

How to build a review response habit that actually works

You don't need to turn review management into a full-time job. A few principles go a long way.

Respond to everything. The data is clear. Consumers prefer businesses that respond to all reviews, not just negative ones, not just positive ones. Selective responding looks calculated.

Be timely. BrightLocal found that 19 percent of consumers expect a same-day response, and 81 percent expect a response within a week. The faster you respond, the more it signals that you're actively engaged.

Personalize your replies. Half of consumers say generic, templated responses put them off. Mention specifics from the review. Use the reviewer's name. Keep it conversational, not corporate.

Don't get defensive with negative reviews. Acknowledge the experience, apologize where appropriate, and offer to take the conversation offline. This isn't just for the reviewer. It's for every future customer reading the thread.

Use tools that centralize the work. This is especially critical for multi-location businesses and agencies. Having one place where reviews across all your Google Business Profiles surface, where you can read, respond, and track, turns an overwhelming task into a manageable daily habit. As Alexandrea put it when describing what changed for her team: "We also don't have to select from inbox or comments, it's just all in one place."

Don't leave reviews on read

Google reviews are one of the most visible pieces of content associated with your business. Every one of them is a conversation waiting to happen and if you have those conversations, you're earning more trust, more clicks, and more revenue.

(And helping parents like me find a good way to entertain the kiddos!)

More resources for businesses

• Social media engagement: 9 ways to boost yours + why it matters
• How to start a social media marketing agency
• Top 11 social media engagement tools
• Community management: everything you need to know

December’s flying by, and I feel like we’re speedrunning the end of the year. I’m deep in planning mode for January and have been thinking through how I want to spend 2025 (very proactive, I know).

It got me thinking — what’s on your mind for the new year? Is 2025 your year of growth as a creator? Or are you taking a step back from social for a while?

If you aren’t thinking about it yet, I highly recommend setting aside some time within the next few weeks before the holidays are in full swing. That way, you can enjoy your time off and come back in the new year with maximum energy.

💌 What’s in this issue: 3 minutes, 19 seconds

• 💻 The latest content on the blog
• 📰 Social media news and features to note
• 📸 Start planning your “2024 Wrapped”
• 🪂 Dive into our primer on influencer marketing

That’s it from me!

Hope you have a lovely weekend, and we’ll see you next Friday!

Warmly,

Tami & the Buffer team

P.S. You can now schedule videos to Bluesky in Buffer! Try it →

👇 The latest from the blog

• Here’s a no-frills guide to Instagram hashtags and how to use them.
• Discover 40 free, high-quality social media icons to elevate your website's design
• Get our tips and strategies to help you grow your TikTok following

🖊️ Deep dive

How to Adopt Influencer Marketing As a Business or Creator

Influencer marketing has become a core strategy for many brands—and it’s easy to see why. Done well, it offers:

• Authenticity: Consumers trust creators more than traditional ads.
• Niche audiences: You gain access to highly engaged, targeted followers.
• Scalability: It works whether you’re spending $100 or $100,000.

However, as influencer marketing grows, so does skepticism as audiences become more concerned with authenticity.

Not to worry, even if you’re new to influencer marketing and are just exploring it on either end! Here’s how to get started:

• Understand what influencer marketing is. Simply put, it’s partnering with creators to promote your brand to their audience. The best influencers aren’t just popular — they actually influence purchasing decisions.
• Set clear goals. Decide if your focus is brand awareness, engagement, sales, or something else. If you’re on the other end, determine what you offer the brands looking for creators like you. Choose metrics that align with these goals, like impressions for awareness or revenue for sales to focus on or highlight in your media kit.
• Define your budget or pricing. Whether it’s product gifting or paid sponsorships, figure out what you can afford — and get creative to make it stretch. As a creator, determine your pricing according to the right compensation for what you offer.
• Find the right influencers. Nano- and micro-influencers are great for smaller budgets, while larger creators can help you scale your reach. For creators, this means that audience size is less important than the quality of your content. Authenticity always wins, regardless of size.
• Track your results. Focus on 2–3 metrics to measure success and refine your strategy over time.

Influencer marketing offers an organic way to build trust with new audiences and grow — and it won’t hurt your creator or business brand if done authentically.

Start small. Look for influencers of a similar size and niche to yours and explore their brand partnerships to get ideas. You can start outreach by engaging with their content. Or, if you’re a creator, reach out to brands you’ve seen partner with people similar to you and propose a partnership. From there, evaluate what works and build on it.

📱Social tip of the week

If you’re chronically online like me, you’ve likely heard the “…and with that, the [insert year] season comes to an end” sound every year since 2021. The creator, sportscaster Sammy Levitt, always has his voice go viral across TikTok and Instagram

This is your reminder to start putting together the images or videos you’d like to include when doing the trend, ready to go for the end of the year!

Bookmark the sound on Instagram and TikTok.

🤳 What's happening in social?

• LinkedIn shares posting tips
• Threads is planning a significant update to its search features
• Speaking of Threads, Meta launched a hub that you might find helpful
• Youtube shared their top trends of 2024 — and Pinterest made some predictions

🎬 How to use Bluesky

If you’re new to Bluesky or don’t quite know to get setup, Kirsti put together a handy guide in this video.

Thanks for reading! ❤️

What would you like to see more (or less) of in the newsletter? Give us all your feedback in this form or let us know on all our social channels @buffer!

It’s been a very blue week in social — a Bluesky week, that is.

We’re big fans of Bluesky here at Buffer and have been since we first heard whispers about it last year. Fun fact: I’m user number #562!

Bluesky is having a moment, and as such, we’ve pooled all the resources we can find to help you get your feet wet (or dive right in). Scroll to see.

Before we get into it, though, I have a request. We’d like to give you, dear subscriber, a chance to shape the newsletter. Tell us what you think of our weekly emails in this form.

Finally, as American Thanksgiving comes upon us, we’ll be skipping next week’s newsletter. See you in 2 weeks!

Let’s get into it.

Warmly,

Tami & the Buffer team

P.S. You can now connect an Instagram personal profile in Buffer — get all the details →

💌 What’s in this issue – 4-minute read

• 💻 The latest content on the blog
• 📰 Social media news and features to note
• 🖊 A quick guide to get you set up and settled on Bluesky 
• 📱 Some ideas for your Bluesky posts
• 🗓 Our latest YouTube video

🖊️ Deep dive: How to get set up on Bluesky

Bluesky is having a moment as users flock the the platform in the millions. Its unique features make it a standout among its fellow decentralized and text-based social media.

Here are some quick-start tips to make the most of Bluesky. (Check out the full guide for a more detailed breakdown.)

• Set up your account with ease: Visit bsky.app or download the mobile app to get started. Complete your profile with a clear bio and profile picture to build trust and attract followers.
• Claim your identity with a custom domain: Replace your handle with a custom domain (e.g., yourname.com) for instant credibility. Bonus: It’s quick and easy to set up.
• Bring your network with SkyBridge: Use this tool to find and follow your Twitter connections on Bluesky, making the transition seamless.
• Customize your feed: Bluesky’s standout feature is its custom feeds. You can create or select feeds tailored to your interests, like trending topics or quiet posters.
• Fine-tune your content moderation: Mute specific words, filter replies, and control who can DM you — Bluesky gives you robust moderation tools.
• Post your first Bluesky update: Start with an introduction post to say hi and share a bit about yourself. After that, try engaging posts like sharing your routine, offering tips, or asking for opinions.
• Connect your Bluesky account in Buffer: With Buffer, you can easily share your content and cross-post to other platforms.

7 ideas for your first or next Bluesky post

Keeping with the theme so far, here are 7 ideas for your next Bluesky post.

• Create a "start here" post for your Bluesky profile
• Showcase your favorite tool or app and explain how it makes your life easier
• Share a "one thing I wish I knew sooner" tip about your niche or life in general
• Post a "What I’m working on today" update
• Ask for recommendations for a specific need
• Break down a quick how-to in your niche with 2-3 steps
• Reflect on a recent lesson learned and how it changed your perspective

👇 The latest from the blog

• Hailley shares how she’s changed her approach to using AI
• Here’s a round-up of all the features on Bluesky and how to use them
• Check out four alternative approaches to Black Friday in 2024
• Find out the best image sizes for all types of Instagram posts to ensure your content is always pixel-perfect

🤳 What's happening in social?

• Bluesky passed 20 million followers this week
• Speaking of Bluesky — want to import posts? There’s an app for that
• Mastodon now has over 7.6 million total users
• Threads is rolling out custom feeds globally
• Instagram will soon let you ‘reset’ your recommendations

📹 Video: How to create a social media calendar from scratch

One last thing before you go ❤️

Help us make this newsletter exactly what you want it to be with a 2-minute survey.

Get the need-to-know highlights from the social media industry that happened the week of October 16-20.

Meta

1. Broadcast Channels Feature

• Meta is testing Telegram-like broadcast channels on Facebook and Messenger, providing a new avenue for Pages to engage with their audiences. Keep an eye on this feature's rollout to leverage broader communication channels on Meta's platforms.

2. Instagram Data Portability

• Users can now transfer their Instagram media to Google Photos and other services, enhancing data management across apps. Use this feature to secure and manage your digital assets efficiently.

3. AI Chatbot Moderation

• Meta is striving to curb inappropriate responses from its new AI chatbots to ensure a safer user experience.

4. Verified for Business Onboarding

• Meta revealed the onboarding steps for its Verified for Business program, aimed at authenticating business identities. Explore this verification process to boost your brand's credibility on Meta platforms.

Threads

1. Facebook Post Display & Branded Content Tags

• Threads is integrating with Facebook by displaying posts and testing branded content tags, expanding its reach and advertising potential. Explore Threads' growing interconnectivity with other platforms to amplify your content visibility.

2. Instagram Profile Tags & Direct Messaging

• New features facilitate tagging Instagram users and possibly a unique messaging feature, enriching inter-platform connectivity.

Instagram

1. "Get Orders" Feature

• The new "Get Orders" button on posts offers an additional interaction point for businesses and creators. Use this feature to streamline order processes and enhance customer interaction.

2. Web Tracking Opt-out

• Meta now allows users to prevent Instagram from tracking their web activity, bolstering privacy controls.

3. Reels Play Bonus Discontinued

• The discontinuation of a significant income source via Reels Play Bonus has sparked creators' dissatisfaction.

4. Link Addition and Desktop Activity Access

• New functionalities include adding a link to your page and accessing account activity on desktop, enhancing profile management.

WhatsApp

1. Self-Destructing Messages & Multi-Account Login

• Upcoming features include self-destructing audio messages and the ability to stay logged into two accounts simultaneously, enhancing privacy and user convenience.

2. Scheduled Chats for Communities

• A new feature under testing allows scheduling chat events in communities, fostering organized interactions.

Twitter/X

1. Blocking Bing Search

• Twitter/X has blocked Bing from crawling its content, potentially affecting search visibility. Monitor how this change may impact traffic referrals and content discoverability.

2. Enhanced User Verification

• In a bid to combat bots, Twitter/X is introducing payment, phone, and ID verification along with a $1/yr fee for new users. Familiarize with these new verification steps to maintain your account integrity and platform access.

3. Possible Exit from Europe

• Due to EU laws, Elon Musk contemplates withdrawing Twitter/X from Europe, which could shake the platform's global presence. Stay updated on this development, especially if your audience is largely based in Europe.

4. Twitter Isn't Free Any Longer with New User Fee in Selected Regions

• New users in New Zealand and the Philippines will be charged $1 a year for key features access, a step towards platform monetization. Observe how this fee introduction impacts user growth and engagement in these regions.

5. Community Fact Checks Requirement

• Community fact checks on Twitter/X now require source inclusion, promoting more transparent information validation. Make sure to include reputable sources when engaging in community fact checks.

6. Possible Link Throttling

• Allegations of Twitter/X throttling links to rival sites like Threads are emerging. Use available tools to ascertain any link throttling affecting your content reach.

7. "Enhanced Discovery" for Premium Users

• Twitter/X Premium may soon offer an "Enhanced Discovery" perk, enriching content discovery for its subscribers. If you're a premium user, look forward to leveraging this perk to enhance your platform experience.

8. Fake Airline Rep Scam

• A new scam on Twitter/X involves fake airline reps assisting in flight rebooking, showcasing a bizarre exploitation tactic.

9. Community Membership Qualification

• Entry questions rollout on Twitter/X aims at qualifying users for community membership, fostering a more curated community experience. Use this feature to build and maintain a more engaged and authentic community.

LinkedIn

1. AI-Powered Profile Enhancement

• LinkedIn Premium users now have access to an “AI-powered Magic Wand” feature to enhance their profiles, offering a competitive edge in the professional arena.

2. Platform Evolution Attracting Brands

• LinkedIn is transitioning beyond a job board, becoming a valuable space for influencers and CEOs to build their brands, with a burgeoning market of specialists ready to assist in maximizing LinkedIn's potential. Explore this evolving platform dynamic to broaden your personal or corporate brand reach, and consider engaging professional assistance to harness LinkedIn’s full potential.

YouTube

1. Affiliate Product Display Enhancements

• New features like product timestamps in clips, bulk tagging for affiliate products, and insights into sponsored mention performance are set to bolster affiliate marketing on YouTube. If you're into affiliate marketing, leverage these features to enhance your product visibility and track performance.

2. Supporting News Organizations with Shorts

• YouTube is allocating $1.6 million to assist over 30 news organizations across 10 countries in creating Shorts, enriching the platform's news content. Explore YouTube Shorts as a fresh avenue for news consumption or sharing.

3. Facilitating Diverse Creator-Advertiser Connections

• A new initiative allows creators to self-identify regarding race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and disabilities, making it easier for advertisers to connect with diverse creators.

4. Product Timestamps for Enhanced Shopping Experience

• Creators can now add timestamps to tagged products in their videos, enriching the YouTube shopping experience. Use product timestamps to guide viewers to the exact moment a product is featured, enhancing their shopping journey.

5. Authoritative News Source Promotion

• YouTube is nudging users towards ‘authoritative’ news sources through a new watch page, showcasing longform videos, livestreams, podcasts, and Shorts under currently playing content.

6. Playback and Creator-Focused Feature Rollout

• A suite of new features including stable volume control, enhanced video descriptions on smart TVs, real-time view, and like counts for the first 24 hours, among others, are aimed at enhancing user and creator experience on the platform.

TikTok

1. Halloween-Themed Voice Effects

• TikTok introduces spooky voice effects to add a dash of Halloween spirit to your videos.

2. ‘Parents of TikTok’ Hub Launch

• A new hub called ‘Parents of TikTok’ aims to spotlight parenting content and create a supportive community for parents on the platform.

3. ‘Out of Phone’ Ad Expansion

• With the new 'Out of Phone' ad option, brands can now extend their TikTok clips to billboards, in-store displays, and cinema promos.

4. AI Chatbot ‘Tonik’ on TikTok Music

• TikTok Music is testing an AI chatbot named Tonik, hinting at interactive features in the music domain.

5. Monetization Feature: 'Work with Artists'

• A new feature facilitating collaborations between creators and artists opens monetization avenues.
• Explore 'Work with Artists' to discover collaboration and monetization opportunities.

6. Mobile Gaming Feature ‘Drops’

• ‘Drops’ allows viewers to earn in-game props by completing tasks during live streams, enhancing the gaming experience on TikTok.

7. CapCut for Business Launch

• TikTok unveils a suite of business-centric video editing tools, including an AI script generator, AI virtual try-on, and collaboration features among others, targeting brands, marketers, and creators. Explore CapCut for Business to elevate your video marketing efforts with AI-powered tools and collaborative features.

8. Auto Captions on All Videos

• Auto captions will soon be a default feature on all videos, promoting accessibility on TikTok.

9. Privacy Fine Challenge in EU

• TikTok is contesting a €345 million fine over teen privacy concerns in the EU, showcasing the platform's ongoing legal challenges in the region. Stay updated on this legal battle as it may impact TikTok’s operations in the EU.

10. Video Mention Feature from Audio Page

• A new feature allowing mentions of other videos from the audio page enhances content interlinking on TikTok. Use this feature to reference and connect with other content, enriching your video narratives.

11. AI Memes Generation

• Generate AI memes on TikTok with a new feature that adds a fun and interactive element to your content creation.

Alternative Platforms

Artifact

• Recommendation Feature Expansion
  • Instagram co-founders' app, Artifact, now assists users in discovering and sharing favorite places like restaurants, bars, or shops, enhancing local exploration.

Snapchat

• Facilitating Creator-Brand Collaborations
  • Three new tools, including a Paid Partnership tag, Creator Discovery API, and Midroll ads for Stories, are launched to bridge collaborations between creators and brands, offering insightful metrics for informed partnerships.
• Web Content Embedding Feature
  • Snapchat now allows websites to embed content like Lenses, Spotlight videos, Public Stories, and Public Profiles, broadening content shareability beyond the app.

Discord

• Shutting Down Gas
  • Discord decides to shut down Gas, an anonymous compliments app it acquired earlier this year, marking an end to this unique platform feature.

Reads

• Coca-Cola Social Media Insights
  • An in-depth exploration into how Coca-Cola effectively leverages social media to enhance brand presence and engagement.
  • Takeaway: Delve into Coca-Cola's strategic approach for potential insights to refine your own social media strategy. Read more
• Paying to Dodge Ads
  • A look into how much social media users are willing to pay to enjoy an ad-free experience on their favorite platforms.
  • Takeaway: Understand user preferences regarding ad-avoidance to tailor your advertising or subscription-based strategies. Read more
• New Stories Feature on Twitch
  • Twitch introduces a Stories feature for eligible streamers, enhancing interaction and content sharing with their audience.
  • Takeaway: If you're a Twitch streamer, leverage the new Stories feature to engage with your audience in a fresh, transient manner. Read more
• Teen Digital Behavior Insights
  • A study revealing that most U.S teens spend around 4.8 hours daily on social media, with distinct preferences between genders on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
  • Takeaway: Gain insights into the digital behaviors of Gen-Z to tailor your content and engagement strategies accordingly. Read more

That's it for updates!

Instagram is one social media platform that is evolving at a rate of knots. Remember when all you could do on Instagram was share oversaturated images of your food? (Love you, Lo-Fi filter.)

Now the social network lets you do everything from broadcasting to your followers to creating your own stickers with AI, with a host of new features only hitting the Meta-owned app in the last few months.

If you’re happy with tried-and-tested photo and video sharing, that’s all well and good, but I’d encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. The Instagram algorithm loves early adopters of its new features.

Making the most of them will help you reach previously untapped corners of your audience or reengage followers. A great example of this is how Notes updates will appear at the top of your followers' inboxes (but more on this below).

In this article, I’ll unpack everything you need to know about Instagram’s latest features and give you a step-by-step guide to using them all. Here’s what you can expect to learn about:

1. Broadcast Channels
2. Collab posts with more friends
3. Insights on desktop
4. Meta Verified
5. Music on carousels
6. Notes
7. Reels templates
8. AI stickers
9. Photo stickers

Broadcast Channels

This is one of Instagram’s most popular new features among creators and brand accounts — with good reason. Broadcast Channels, which hit apps in February 2023, offer you a chance to send mass updates to followers who have opted in. 

Creating a Broadcast Channel (only available to those with an Instagram Creator account) will allow you to send text, photos, videos, voice notes, and even polls to your followers who have joined the channel. Broadcast Channels offer a unique way of sharing launches, big announcements, and company news, or just fostering a deeper sense of connection between you and your followers. 

A great example of this is how the trainers behind the Sweat app helped users stay accountable in their 12-week challenge by creating a Broadcast Channel for each program and trainer. The trainers sent encouraging messages, voice notes, and videos, and included polls to make the channels more interactive. 

Below are examples from @kelseywells and @kayla_itsines.

We have an in-depth guide to creating your own Instagram Broadcast Channel and how to use it (with screenshots), so do head over there if you’re going to take the plunge. Here’s a high-level overview of how to get set up:

How to create an Instagram Broadcast Channel

1. Tap the message icon at the top right of your Instagram app.
2. Tap the new message icon on the top right.
3. Choose ‘Create broadcast channel’. From here, you’ll be able to enter a channel name, choose an audience, specify an end date, and choose whether or not to show your channel on your profile. 
4. Once you’ve chosen your settings, tap ‘Create broadcast channel’ at the bottom. Your chosen audience will get an invite and join the channel if they accept.

Collab posts with more friends

Collabing on posts is not a new feature — Instagram made it possible for two accounts to partner on a post back in 2021 — but now they’ve opened the feature up so you can invite up to three friends to co-author a feed post, carousel, or Reel.

What’s great about this feature is that it means your content will appear in the feeds of your collaborators’ followers, too. The post will also be visible on all the collaborators’ profile grids, and all the engagement on the post will be shared by the accounts. 

Again, we’ve got an in-depth guide to Instagram collab posts here, but here’s another high-level how-to.

How to create an Instagram Collab post

1. Tap the Create (+) icon at the bottom of your Instagram app and choose the photo or Reel you want to upload. 
2. In your final editing screen before posting (where you enter your caption), tap ‘Tag people’ then ‘Invite collaborators’.
3. Search for the users you want to partner with and tap their names to select. Tap ‘Done’ on the top right.

4. Don’t forget to write your caption, add a location, and more before you post. When you’re ready, hit Share. Your collaborators will receive an invitation to join the post. Once they’ve accepted the invitation, the post will live on both of the accounts’ grids and feeds.

Insights on desktop

In a helpful move for social media managers everywhere, Instagram’s analytics, Instagram Insights, is now available on desktop, too. 

How to access Instagram Insights on your computer:

1. Head over to your Instagram profile on your desktop browser of choice. Underneath your bio, you’ll find a short summary of your recent reach. Click the ‘View Insights’ link next to it. 

2. You’re in! In the desktop version of Insights, you’ll find an overview of your Reach, Engagement, and more. At the top of the screen, you’ll be able to toggle between specific time frames, from seven to 90 days. 

Meta Verified

While this is not an Instagram-exclusive feature, it means a huge change for brands and creators using the platform, so I thought it was worthwhile including it here.

Getting verified on Instagram is certainly nothing new — that little blue tick has been around almost as long as my beloved Lo-Fi filter — but Meta has introduced a whole new way to get one.

With the introduction of Meta Verified in 2023, accounts no longer have to belong to a notable public figure to get the coveted checkmark. Subscribers can pay a monthly fee to be verified on Instagram (and big brother app Facebook). They’ll also get access to some premium features like increased access to support and account protection, and personalized stickers. 

How to sign up for Meta Verified on Instagram

1. Head over to your Instagram profile by tapping your profile picture on the bottom right of the app.
2. Tap the hamburger menu (the three lines on the top right).
3. Choose ‘Meta Verified’.

4. Read through the explainer, then tap ‘Next’.
5. Choose which Meta accounts you’d like verified.
6. Confirm and pay. From here on out, you’ll be charged the monthly subscription fee* unless you cancel. It could take up to 48 hours for your blue tick (and all the benefits) to appear. 

*Note that the cost of your subscription will differ depending on your region. 

Music on carousels

The ability to add music to Instagram photo posts has been around for a few months, but Instagram recently rolled out the feature for carousel posts (those with multiple photos) as well. 

How to add music to carousels

1. Tap the Create (+) icon at the bottom of your Instagram app as you would with a regular post.
2. Tap the carousel icon just underneath your photo preview, on the right. Select all the photos you’d like to include in the carousel, then tap ‘Next’ on the top right of the app.
3. Choose your desired filters, then tap ‘Next’ again.

4. Now you’re on the final editing screen, where you can add your song of choice by tapping ‘Add music’.
5. Scroll through the list or search for the song you’re after, then tap on it to select.

6. Tap the ‘30’ icon to set how long you want the song to play for. Swipe the audio bar at the bottom left or right to choose the segment of the song you want to play. When you’re happy, tap ‘Done’.
7. Again, don’t forget to write your caption, add a location, tag friends, and more before you post. When you’re ready, hit Share.

Notes

Millennials — remember how you could include a song on your MySpace page? Well, Instagram’s Notes feature is kind of like that (just not quite as invasive for your followers). Regardless, the teens love it, The Verge reports. 

Before we go too far down memory lane: with Notes, you can share a short text-based update with followers who also follow you. Notes dropped in December 2023 but was recently updated so that users could share a song as well as text. 

New Notes will appear in a bar atop your follower’s messages inbox, so the feature is a great way to keep your account top-of-mind for followers, even if your Reels and posts haven’t quite made it into their feed. It could also help you reach followers who may not have seen new content or announcements (just like @thepilatespt and @paolasbodybarre have done in the screenshot below).

How to share a Note on Instagram

1. Tap the message icon at the top right of your Instagram app.
2. Tap the speech bubble just above your profile picture.
3. Add text by typing in the bubble, or tap the music icon below your photo and select your song of choice. You can have both text and music, if you choose. 
4. Hit ‘Share’ on the top right to publish.

Reels templates

Sure, video editing is a heck of a lot easier than it used to be, but the fiddliness of cropping and tweaking clips on your phone is still headache-inducing, no matter how often you do it. 

Enter: Reels templates. 

The feature has been around for a while, but Instagram recently updated the process to make templates so much easier to use. 

This clever play from Instagram allows you to effectively steal another Instagrammer’s edit, using your own clips or photos in place of theirs. This is particularly handy for the clever Instagrammers who have managed to nail their video and music timings!

Not all the Reels on Instagram are available as templates (the creator will have had to toggle an advanced setting on, more on this below). On Reels that can be used as a template, you’ll see a little button that says ‘Use Template’ right above the original creator’s name on the left-hand side of the app (like the screenshot below of this Reel by @mati_espy_home).

How to find Reels you can use as a template

1. Tap on the create (+) button in the Instagram app, then choose ‘REEL’ at the bottom of the screen.
2. Choose ‘Templates’ at the top of the screen.
3. Here, you’ll find a library of Reels you can use as a template for your next video, including a selection recommended for you and trending Reels. Tap on your chosen Reel, then follow the steps in the next section. 

You might also find Reel templates you like on the Reels or Explore pages, so be on the lookout.

How to create a video with a Reel template

1. Once you’ve found a Reel you like that is available as a template, tap the ‘Use as Template’ button.
2. Tap on one of the clip placeholders to insert your own photos or videos, then ‘Next’.

3. From there, you can either publish your new Reel as is (tap ‘Next’ again), or hit the ‘Edit video’ button on the bottom left to make tweaks.
4. If you tap the Edit video button, you‘ll be taken to the regular Reels editing dashboard. Here, you can change the timings of the clips, the music, and the transitions that carried over from the template. You can also add more photos or videos, text, and stickers. When you’re happy with your version of the video, tap the blue arrow on the right-hand side of the screen.
5. This is the final editing screen before posting. You can write your caption, change the cover of your video, tag people, add a button, location, or a paid partnership label, and more.

6. It’s also where you can set whether or not your Reel can also be used as a template. Scroll to the bottom to find ‘Advanced settings’.
7. Toggle ‘Don’t let others use this reel as a template’ on or off.
8. Ready to send your Reel out into the world? Tap ‘Share’. 

Stickers

Instagram is clearly leaning into stickers this year, with not one but two new ways to create your own unique stickers in Stories and messages.

AI Stickers

Whether you’re looking to find a sticker applicable to your niche situation or just something really silly, AI stickers can be a ton of fun. 

Case in point for the latter: My request for a sticker that communicated to my husband that he needed to stop sending me distracting Reels while I was working on this article yielded the confusing, albeit adorable, sea monster below. (To be fair, it was a terrible prompt.)

More straightforward prompts will definitely generate better results — Buffer Content Writer Tami Oladipo’s at the bottom of this section is a great example. These stickers offer a great way to keep the conversation going in your messages or add some personality to your Stories.

To send an AI sticker on Instagram via DMs:

1. Tap the messages icon on the top right of the app to go to your inbox and find the person you want to send your sticker to. (You can also do this by replying to one of their Stories by tapping the ‘Message’ button when viewing their Instagram profile.)
2. Tap the '+' icon on the bottom right, then choose Stickers.
3. Enter a text prompt in the search bar, and your AI stickers will appear below.
4. Tap an AI sticker to send it to your chat.
5. It’s worth noting that if you send an AI sticker, people in the chat will also see the text prompt that you entered.

To add an AI sticker to an Instagram Story:

1. Tap the Create (+) icon at the bottom of your Instagram app (or tap on the blue + next to your profile in the Stories bar).
2. Take a photo or video, or choose one from your camera roll.
3. Tap on the stickers icon (the square with a smiley face), then tap ‘AI STICKERS’.
4. Enter a text prompt, then tap ‘Generate’.
5. Tap on an AI sticker to add it to your story.

Photo stickers

If you're after something really unique for your Stories, Instagram now lets you turn your own photographs into stickers.

How to create a photo sticker in Instagram Stories

1. Tap the Create (+) icon at the bottom of your Instagram app (or tap on the blue + next to your profile in the Stories bar).
2. Take a photo or video, or choose one from your camera roll.
3. Tap on the stickers icon (the square with a smiley face), then tap the 'Create' icon. (In the screenshot below, you'll see all the stickers I've already created pop up in the menu, too.)
4. Choose a photo from your camera roll you'd like to turn into a sticker.
5. Instagram will automatically outline the best part of the photo to use, but you can choose your own by tapping the 'Select manually' button on the bottom left. When you're happy, tap 'Use sticker'.

Have we missed any new Instagram features you’re enjoying? Leave a comment below, or tag @buffer in your Instagram content — we’d love to see your work!

Get the need-to-know highlights from the social media industry that happened the week of October 9-13.

Meta

1. Creator Compensation for AI Chatbots

• Meta is investing heavily in creators, with a whopping $5 million deal for a top creator’s contribution to AI chatbots. Explore Meta’s creator programs to potentially monetize your contributions.

2. AI Celeb Backlash

• Meta's introduction of AI celebrities faces resistance, indicating a challenge in user acceptance. Monitor public reception to AI advancements within Meta platforms, adjusting engagement strategies accordingly.

3. Comment Filter Enhancement

• Meta's new feature prioritizes comments from verified users, potentially altering engagement dynamics. Verify your Meta accounts to ensure your comments gain priority and visibility.

Threads

1. Edit Button Addition

• Threads introduces an edit button, enhancing post-editing flexibility without additional costs. Use the edit feature to ensure your posts are accurate and up-to-date.

2. Trending Topics and More

• With new features like trending topics, GIFs, and voice posts, Threads aims to enrich user engagement. Use these new features to enhance your Threads presence and engagement.

Instagram

1. Avatar Interaction Controls

• Control who interacts with your avatar with Instagram’s new settings, a move towards enhanced user control. Customize your avatar interaction settings to manage your engagement levels.

2. New Stickers and Interactive Features

• Instagram announced experimental stickers and interactive features to boost engagement and personalization. Experiment with new stickers and features to enhance your posts’ engagement.

3. Desktop Activity Access

• Instagram extends account activity accessibility to desktop, enriching user experience across devices. Monitor your account activity on desktop for a more comprehensive overview.

WhatsApp

1. Enhanced Search and Chat Privacy

• WhatsApp revamps its status search bar and upgrades the Chat Lock feature, aiming at a more user-friendly and secure experience. Use the enhanced search and privacy features to optimize your WhatsApp experience.

Twitter/X

1. Community Member Vetting

• The new member vetting feature in Twitter/X communities mirrors Facebook Groups, enhancing member quality and interaction. Embrace the vetting feature to foster a more curated community environment.

2. Live-Stream and Spaces Buttons Test

• The platform is testing new live-stream and Spaces buttons within the Post Composer, paving the way for richer content sharing. Stay on the lookout for these features to enhance real-time engagement with your audience.

3. Expanded Profile Bios Feature

• Expanded profile bios offer users more space to express themselves, improving personal branding opportunities. Use the additional bio space to provide a more comprehensive introduction to your profile visitors.

4. Reply Restriction to Verified Users

• A new feature allows post replies restriction to verified users only, aiming at promoting a verification paywall. Consider the impacts of this feature on your engagement strategies, especially if verification is a part of your plan.

5. Variable Upload Quality for Video Creators

• Testing variable upload quality options empowers video creators with better quality control. Explore these quality options to optimize video content on the platform.

6. Potential Removal of Engagement Counts

• Twitter/X contemplates removing all engagement counts and buttons, leaving only ‘views’ visible, which could alter user interaction dynamics. Prepare for possible changes in engagement metrics and how it may affect your content strategy.

7. New Premium Subscription Tiers

• Twitter/X is working on three new Premium subscription tiers offering varying ad experiences, from full to no ads in the feed. Evaluate the new subscription options against your usage needs and ad tolerance.

YouTube

1. Glow Effect Extension

• YouTube's glow effect, which pulls colors from the edges of the video player, now extends to a fullscreen view, with an option for users to disable it if desired. Check out the glow effect in fullscreen view and decide whether you prefer it on or off for a better viewing experience.

2. New Audio Description and Pronoun Features

• YouTube enriches creator profiles with new audio description options and the addition of preferred pronouns, promoting inclusivity and better content understanding. Use the new audio description feature for broader accessibility and update your profile with your preferred pronouns to foster a more inclusive community.

3. 'Posts-Only' Feature Test

• The 'posts-only' feature under testing emphasizes community engagement by focusing on community notes feed within the mobile app. Engage with the 'posts-only' feature to foster a stronger community and monitor its effect on your channel engagement.

TikTok

1. News Drought

• A study reveals TikTok's algorithmic recommendation systems effectively isolate users from news content, dubbing it a "news wasteland." If you're on TikTok for news, you might want to diversify your sources to stay informed.

2. Legal Hurdles in Montana and Utah

• TikTok faces a federal court hearing in Montana that might lead to a state ban, while Utah sues the platform over its harmful impacts on young users. Keep an eye on these legal developments that could affect TikTok's availability and usage.

3. Disney Partnership

• TikTok and Disney kick off a unique partnership, creating a content hub for fans to engage with Disney-themed content and activities.

4. Revamping Creator Payment for Viral Filters

• TikTok restructures its payment system for creators of viral filters and effects, making monetization more accessible. If you’re a creator, delve into TikTok's updated monetization structure to potentially earn more from your viral creations.

5. Direct Posting from Various Apps

• TikTok now supports direct posting from a range of apps including Adobe, CapCut, and Twitch, making content sharing more seamless. Use this feature for a smoother content upload experience from different platforms.

6. Expanded Mental Health Support

• In line with World Mental Health Day, TikTok announces expanded mental health support options for users.

Alt Platforms

Bluesky

1. Graysky Mobile App

• Bluesky welcomes Graysky, its first third-party mobile app, set to launch later this month, marking a significant milestone for the platform. Keep an eye out for Graysky's launch to experience Bluesky on mobile.

2. Security-Focused Update

• Bluesky bolsters security by introducing email verification and flagging misleading links, promoting a safer user environment. Revisit your Bluesky security settings to take advantage of these new features.

Mastodon

1. WordPress Integration

• WordPress.com blogs can now be followed on Mastodon and other federated platforms, bridging the gap between mainstream and alternative social networks. Connect your WordPress blog to Mastodon to reach a broader audience.

2. User Count Adjustment

• Mastodon discovers an additional 407K+ monthly users, indicating a larger user base than previously thought. The growing user base could mean more engagement opportunities on Mastodon.

Pebble/T2 Social

1. Hashtag Mayorships

• Pebble unveils “Hashtag Mayorships” to highlight the most active user on a particular hashtag, fostering community engagement. Engage with this new feature to become a “Hashtag Mayor” and boost your visibility on Pebble.

Snapchat

1. UK Data Watchdog Alert

• Snapchat receives an enforcement notice from the UK data watchdog over its AI chatbot, hinting at potential data privacy concerns. Stay updated on data privacy issues, especially if you’re a UK Snapchat user.

Google Business Profiles

1. Social Media Links Expansion

• Google broadens access to social media links in business listings, enabling businesses to share more platforms with potential customers. Update your Google Business Profile to include all your active social media links.

Reddit

1. TV and Movie Discovery Report

• Reddit publishes a report on its role in TV and movie discovery within the app, highlighting the platform's influence on entertainment choices. Explore Reddit for TV and movie recommendations and join discussions around your favorite titles.

Top Reads on Social Media and Creator Economy

Social Media Trends and Concerns

1. The Internet's Lost Fun Factor
   • This piece in The New Yorker discusses how the internet has transitioned from being a fun, exploratory space to a more controlled and commercialized arena.
2. Content Moderation Dilemma

• This article in Garbage Day delves into the challenges of content moderation and how it's turning into a failed project.

3. AI Audio's Disinformation Wave on TikTok

• The New York Times article highlights how AI-generated voices aid the spread of falsehoods on TikTok.

Creator Economy Insights

1. Networking App for Content Creators

• A former TikTok employee is creating a networking app for content creators to share insights and ‘spill the tea.’

2. Legal Music Remixing for TikTok

• Hook aims to provide a platform for creating legal remixes of popular tracks for TikTok.

3. Viral Video Challenges for TikTok Shop Sellers

• Business Insider discusses how viral videos on TikTok Shop can both benefit and challenge sellers with sudden sales spurts.

Exploring New Frontiers

1. Google's AI-Centric Search

• Google’s AI-driven search can now generate images and draft texts, marking a significant advance in search experience.

2. LinkedIn’s Newsroom Expansion

• LinkedIn is scaling up its newsroom to enhance its news coverage, showcasing a blend of professional networking and real-time industry updates.

3. YouTube Overtakes Netflix Among Teens

• A survey reveals YouTube surpassing Netflix as the preferred video source among teens, indicating a shift in digital consumption patterns.

4. Social Media Subscription Models

• This analysis explores the potential impacts of social media subscription plans on user engagement and platform revenue.

5. Duolingo Owl's Gen Z Appeal

• Fast Company examines why Gen Z is captivated by Duolingo Owl, shedding light on successful branding strategies that resonate with younger audiences.

6. The Free Internet Dilemma

• A discussion on Hot Takes Space probes whether posting on the internet should remain free or become a paid endeavor.

7. TikTok’s Tinned Fish Trend

• Business Insider delves into TikTok’s obsession with tinned fish, illustrating how social media can spotlight unexpected trends.

That's it for updates!

Get the need-to-know highlights from the social media industry that happened the week of October 2-6.

Meta

1. Agencies Rethink Meta's Platforms

• Digiday reports a decline in agency investments in Meta due to diminishing returns. This could lead to lower advertising competition and costs on Meta platforms.

2. Meta's Subscription Model

• WSJ unveils Meta’s ad-free subscription pricing, impacting ad visibility on Instagram and Facebook – this may affect ad engagement rates. It might be time to re-evaluate your advertising strategies on these platforms.

3. Meta's AI Assistant

• Meta trains a new AI assistant on public posts, yet QZ argues Meta wins even if it fails.

4. Evolving Consumption Shifts

• Meta’s report highlights consumption shifts crucial for marketers. Understanding evolving consumer behavior is key – adapt your marketing strategy to align with consumption trends.

5. Underwhelming AI Shopping Campaigns

• Adweek shares marketers’ disappointment with Meta’s AI-fueled shopping campaigns. As you experiment, monitor AI campaign performance and have alternative strategies.

6. Messenger Data Collection Alert

• Messenger now alerts users on data collection upon clicking links. Increased awareness may affect user engagement with links – so be transparent about data practices to maintain trust.

Facebook

1. Professional Access & Meta Verified Section

• Facebook introduces a Professional Access section and a Meta Verified section, hinting at more features to improve professional networking and verification.

2. New Features Galore

• New additions include a “Stories” section, comment filter for “Meta Verified”, and “FB Pro Tools Bookmark” to aid growth.
• Also, several new features were launched: a new notifications feed, “Send to WhatsApp” button, and “Turn stories into Reels”.
• New AI Stickers to enhance engagement with Stories

Threads

1. Reviving Interest in Threads

• Meta explores new options to reignite interest in Threads, alongside Instagram's focus groups with creators. This could lead to a potential resurgence of Threads as a platform for creators and small business owners. Keep an eye on new features and user engagement trends on the platform.

2. New Sharing and Display Features

• Threads introduces new sharing options, highlighted threads, and user activity display for better user engagement.

Instagram

1. Design and Editing Enhancements

• Instagram unveils a new design for the “Send to a specific user” menu and promotes the “Sequence” editing feature for Reels.

2. Monetization and Partnership Updates

• Introduction of a paid partnership label on Broadcast Channels and a "Content Funding" feature for Reels signify new monetization avenues and transparency in partnerships.

3. Metrics and Insights Accessibility

• Watch time for Reels and desktop access to Instagram Insights provide better performance analysis. Use these metrics to refine your content strategy and improve engagement.

4. Sharing and Discoverability Features

• New features like "Turn stories into Reels", "Send to WhatsApp" button, and "Use Hashtag" button enhance content sharing and discoverability.

5. New Reels Features

• Features like downloading Reels with music and adding Channels stickers to Reels for better engagement and enhanced creativity and engagement on Reels.

WhatsApp

1. Pinning Messages and Text Formatting

• WhatsApp is introducing a feature to pin messages at the top of conversations and advanced text formatting options for better communication.

2. Enhanced Channel Updates Sharing

• New functionality to share links to individual messages in Channels, making sharing updates outside WhatsApp easier.

3. Updates Section Search Function

• WhatsApp simplifies its Updates section with a new search function, aiding users in finding specific updates quickly.

Twitter/X

1. Usage Statistics and Growth

• Twitter (X) CEO unveils new stats on platform usage: 14% increase in user time, 20% rise in video consumption, significant growth in creators, and nearly $20 million paid to creators via its ad revenue program.

2. Links and Headlines Changes

• Elon Musk points out that X is discouraging links in posts while X removes headlines from news story links for a cleaner look. This could affect traffic to external sites and user engagement with shared links. Adapt to these changes by crafting compelling captions and utilizing X's native features.

3. Trademark Lawsuit

• Trademark lawsuit against Elon Musk's X by an ad agency called X Social Media. Legal challenges could potentially affect X's branding or operations. Stay updated on legal developments that could impact X's platform policies or branding.

4. Game Streaming and Live Shopping

• X experiments with game streaming and signs a live shopping deal with Paris Hilton to enhance platform content. Explore these new content formats to engage and grow your audience on X.

5. Subscriber-Only DMs and ID Verification

• Introduction of subscriber-only DMs setting and “ID Verified” label for Premium users.

6. Regulatory Challenges

• X headed for a 'rule of law' clash with EU, warns Twitter’s former head of trust & safety. This highlights potential regulatory challenges in the EU market. Monitor regulatory updates to ensure compliance and understand potential implications for your business.

7. Pinning Feature Experiment

• X experiments with the capacity to pin more items in the app, including Communities, Search Queries, and Profiles.

LinkedIn

1. AI and Education

• LinkedIn suggests AI disrupting the traditional four-year college degree, emphasizing lifelong learning. This indicates a shift in the value of traditional education versus continuous learning and skill development.

2. AI Tools Launch

• LinkedIn unveils new AI tools for learning, recruitment, marketing, and sales, powered by OpenAI. Use these tools to optimize your learning and recruitment initiatives, and to improve marketing and sales strategies.

3. AI Assistant for Advertising

• New AI assistant feature to help brands auto-generate ads and campaigns using website content. Experiment with the AI assistant to enhance your advertising efforts on LinkedIn.

4. Profile CTA Button Visibility

• LinkedIn increases the visibility of its Profile Call to Action (CTA) buttons for enhanced profile visibility and engagement opportunities. Customize your profile CTA buttons to encourage desired actions from your audience.

YouTube

1. Content Monetization & AI Effect

• YouTube expands access to content monetization and adds a generative AI effect called Bloom in YouTube Shorts, transforming people into vibrant topiary structures. Explore the monetization options and experiment with Bloom effect to enhance short video content.

2. Mobile Live Streaming

• Exclusive mobile live streaming for members rolled out on YouTube mobile app. Consider offering live-streaming sessions to engage with your member base.

3. Podcasts Auto-Download

• YouTube Music introduces auto-downloads for podcasts. If podcasting, ensure your content is available on YouTube Music to leverage the new feature.

4. 'You' Tab Redesign

• YouTube is testing a redesign, replacing the Library with a 'You' tab. Monitor the update for potential changes in viewer interaction and adapt your channel layout accordingly.

5. Subscriber Analytics

• YouTube launches new subscriber analytics for better content planning. Use the analytics tool to plan content that resonates with your audience.

TikTok

1. TikTok Shop Performance

• Brands find TikTok Shop's performance a slow burn, indicating a slower adoption rate and potentially delayed ROI for businesses exploring TikTok Shop.

2. TikTok Shop Halts in Indonesia

• TikTok halts online shop in Indonesia to comply with new regulations, a loss of an e-commerce channel for brands in Indonesia. Stay updated on regional e-commerce regulations to navigate channel availability.

3. ByteDance Financial Performance

• ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, reports Q1 2023 profit of $6.8 billion, with revenue nearly on par with Meta's.

4. Ad-Free Subscription Plan

• TikTok tests a $4.99 ad-free monthly subscription plan.

7. Creative Assistant for Ads

• TikTok launches Creative Assistant to aid in ad creation process.

6. CapCut Photo-editing Features

• CapCut expands to photo editing with advanced features.

7. CapCut Updates

• CapCut introduces new views, filters, and a History feature for recently viewed templates. Use the new features for improved editing workflow and content variety.

Alt Platforms

1. Mastodon Growth

• Mastodon witnessed a 488% surge in donations and reached 1.8M monthly active users in 2022. Consider exploring Mastodon for a diverse social media strategy, especially if aligned with its community-driven ethos.

2. Pebble’s Thread Composer

• Pebble introduces a “Thread composer” feature.

3. BeReal’s Global Campaign

• BeReal kicks off a global marketing campaign to find 'The Realest Person on Earth' with a 3-week paid vacation prize.

4. Reddit's Search Enhancement

• Reddit improves meme search by adding a media tab, simplifying results page, enhancing spam filters, and improving screen reader compatibility.

Top Reads on Social Media and Creator Economy

1. Emergence of Paid Social Media

• Major platforms testing subscriptions, indicating a shift from ad-based to direct user monetization.
• Impact: Creates new monetization strategies for platforms and potentially less ad clutter for users.
• Insight: Explore how paid features on these platforms could affect engagement and advertising strategies.

2. Gen Z’s Influence Ambitions

• Consistent desire among Gen Z to become influencers (57% in 2023 vs. 59% in 2019).
• Impact: Continuous influx of new creators, maintaining the influencer marketing momentum.
• Insight: Tailor marketing strategies to leverage this unceasing interest in influencer culture.

3. Artifact’s AI Image Generation

• Artifact now enables AI image creation for posts, enhancing user content creation.
• Impact: Enhances user engagement and content diversity.
• Insight: Look for ways to integrate AI in content creation to stay competitive.

4. Creator Brand Evolution Challenges

• Creators facing branding hurdles when evolving their online personas.
• Impact: Indicates a need for flexible branding strategies.
• Insight: Offer support or tools for seamless brand evolution to keep creators engaged.

5. Deepfake Scam Alert

• Prominent personalities like MrBeast used in deepfake scams.
• Impact: Raises awareness about the malicious use of deepfake technology.
• Insight: Education on digital literacy and verification tools could become crucial.

6. TikTok's Operation in Europe Criticized

• NYU Professor warns against TikTok's operation in Europe due to data privacy concerns.
• Impact: Could lead to stricter regulatory scrutiny or changes in TikTok's operations.
• Insight: Understanding global regulatory landscapes is crucial for platforms and creators alike.

7. Decline in Social Media Traffic to News Sites

• Noticeable decrease in traffic from Facebook and Twitter to top news sites, reflecting changing user behaviors or platform algorithms.
• Impact: May affect strategies of news outlets and advertisers.
• Insight: Diversifying traffic sources and understanding platform algorithms can mitigate risks.

8. The Great Internet Splintering

• Predicted shift towards a network of platforms offering customized experiences to users.
• Impact: Could usher in a less toxic era of social media with more user-centric platforms.
• Insight: Adapting to or creating niche platforms could be a viable strategy moving forward.

9. Elon Musk’s Strategy for Twitter Unveiled

• Insights into Elon Musk’s game plan for Twitter post-acquisition revealed by a former White House staffer.
• Impact: Could influence other tech magnates' approaches to platform acquisition and management.
• Insight: Keeping abreast of high-profile acquisitions and their strategies can offer a competitive edge.

10. Monk Mode: Limiting Social Media Use

• Individuals adopting 'monk mode' to restrict social media use for better mental health.
• Impact: Reflects a growing awareness and action towards digital wellness.
• Insight: Platforms and creators may need to consider digital wellness in their engagement strategies.

11. Journalists on TikTok

• Three journalists share how they utilize TikTok for news dissemination.
• Impact: Highlights TikTok's potential as a journalistic tool, expanding its use beyond entertainment.
• Insight: Social platforms can serve as powerful tools for various professional sectors, including journalism.

12. Biden Campaign's Social Media Strategy

• Biden campaign launches rapid response network on X and Threads to reach voters with ample content.
• Impact: Signifies the importance of social media in political campaigns and public engagement.
• Insight: Leveraging social platforms for real-time, widespread communication is crucial in modern political strategies.

13. Apple's Challenge in China

• Potential removal of major social apps from the App Store in China due to regulatory crackdown.
• Impact: May affect global tech companies' operations and user access in China.
• Insight: International regulatory environments continue to challenge global platform availability.

14. U.S. Supreme Court on Social Media Moderation

• Landmark cases on social media moderation to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Impact: Decisions may significantly affect moderation policies on major platforms.
• Insight: Legal frameworks around digital content are evolving, and platforms must adapt to ensure compliance.

That's it for updates!

Get the need-to-know highlights from the social media industry that happened the week of September 25-28.

Meta + Facebook

This was a particularly update-heavy week for Meta & Associates, as they held their Meta Connect 2023 conference and unveiled several updates aimed at enhancing user engagement and streamlining content sharing.

Here's a breakdown of the key updates and what they mean for you.

• Meta Business Suite has rolled out an improved version of its Stories uploader tool for desktop users. This update could be a game-changer for creators who find desktops more convenient for crafting their stories.
• Mark Zuckerberg introduced Meta AI, a new assistant that facilitates interactions across WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram DMs, and soon, Quest 3. For small business owners, this could open new avenues for customer engagement. Imagine automating responses to frequently asked questions or having a virtual assistant manage appointment bookings. The possibilities are enticing.
• Meta is set to unveil new 'sassy' AI chatbots later this week, with one being self-described as a "sassmaster general" with “superior intellect, sharp wit, and biting sarcasm.” Watch for this update; it could be your ticket to resonating with a younger demographic.
• Meta has updated its Ray-Ban Smart Glasses to include live streaming to Instagram. This can potentially open up new, immersive ways to share content and engage with your audience.

Threads

Here’s a roundup of the significant updates from Threads.

• Threads will introduce a feature allowing separate account deletion by December. This could provide a sense of security and control for users, a step towards addressing privacy concerns which, in turn, may encourage more creators to join the platform.
• The platform is also testing an edit button.
• Despite its struggles to retain users, The Verge reports that reads could still catch up to Twitter/X. With a significant gap in user numbers compared to its rivals, the platform is still in the game, attempting to carve a niche for itself.
• You can now sort your 'Following' accounts and log into multiple accounts on mobile.

Instagram

Here’s what’s been cooking at Instagram:

• You can now share AI stickers in Direct Messages. This feature could add a fun, interactive element to your conversations with followers or team members.
• You can now allow others to use your Reel as a template.
• You can now set your avatar interactions under "Settings and Privacy" to either ‘Everyone’, ‘People you follow’, or ‘Only me’.

Twitter/X

Let’s unpack the key highlights from Twitter/X:

• Twitter is reportedly working on an ad-free version of its premium subscription, offering a cleaner browsing experience for subscribers.
• Twitter removed the feature allowing users to report misleading information.
• An improved content reporting flow has been introduced, simplifying the process of reporting rule-breaking content.
• Enhancements like in-stream Bookmark button and a 'Verified Only' reply option are in the pipeline
• Twitter/X previews new community features, including private communities, improved reporting, and spam controls to boost niche engagement.
• Audio and video calls are set to become a premium subscriber-only feature.
• Twitter announces the shutdown of ‘Circles’ as of October 31st.

LinkedIn + YouTube + TikTok

LinkedIn

• With Microsoft’s Immersive Reader, LinkedIn adds text-to-speech and real-time translations, enhancing platform accessibility.

YouTube

• YouTube has updated its monetization guidelines concerning sensitive topics, a crucial update for creators to adhere to.
• YouTube retires its ad-free Premium Lite Subscription

TikTok

• TikTok’s e-commerce venture faces hurdles amidst global backlash, a roadblock in its commercial expansion.
• TikTok's testing on AI-Generated Profile Avatars, added a "Switch Account" feature for anyone with multiple accounts, and has made analytics tools for "Series" content available.
• From a centralized wallet to new account management features, TikTok is enhancing its in-app transaction and user experience.
• The platform may soon integrate Google Search results, expanding its functionality.

Alt Platforms

Mastodon

Mastodon rolled out updates to improve search functionality, onboarding process, and cross-site interactions, a step towards better user experience.

Reddit

• Reddit has removed the opt-out option for ad personalization based on user activity, signifying a move towards a more targeted advertising model.
• The platform is piloting an initiative to reward top contributors with real money, incentivizing quality content creation.

Snapchat

• Snapchat is testing a feature that'll give users the ability to extend their images, powered by OpenAI, as well as custom chat colors for Plus subscribers.
• A study revealed a drop in teen engagement, with TikTok leading in daily phone usage among teens - but the study was only based on 203 U.S. teens.

Telegram

• Super App Ambitions: Telegram's introduction of new features echoes the functionalities of WeChat, indicating a move towards becoming a super app.

The top reads of the week

The following reads cover a broad spectrum of issues, trends, and developments in the social media realm.

Cyber Security and Ethical Concerns

• Facebook Account Hacks: A Vox expose reveals that hackers frequently infiltrate Facebook accounts via cookie theft, a concern for individual and brand accounts.
• TikTok's Bodybuilding Drug Scandal: Alarmingly, some TikTok influencers are pushing bodybuilding drugs to a teen audience, raising ethical and safety red flags.

Monetization Dynamics

• Will Twitter Charge Users?: All the speculation about Twitter introducing user fees stirred the pot, although the CEO remains tight-lipped.

Emerging Platforms and Features

• Artifact vs. Twitter: Artifact, an AI news aggregator, adds a new Post feature places it as a direct competitor to Twitter, broadening the social media landscape.
• Louis Vuitton on Discord: The luxury brand's move to Discord signifies a novel approach to community engagement and customer input.

Influencer Economy and Creator Recognition

• Forbes Top 50 Creators 2023: This list, headlined by MrBeast, KSI, and Jake Paul, underscores the evolving creator economy and the influential power of digital personas.
• Influencing Degree: A quirky yet telling sign of the times, an Irish university now offers a degree in influencing.

Platform Evolution and Challenges

• ChatGPT's New Capabilities: With added voice and image prompting, ChatGPT takes a leap towards more interactive and multi-modal AI interactions.
• Shopping on Social Media: Platforms face challenges as they strive to integrate shopping experiences seamlessly.

User Engagement and Demographics

• Gen X on TikTok: The under-targeted Gen X demographic on TikTok presents a potential untapped market for brands.

Miscellaneous Insights

• Meta's News Blackout Impact: An examination of how Meta's news blackout in Canada adversely affects student journalists.
• Comparative MAU and DAU Stats: A glance at user engagement metrics across major social apps providing a snapshot of platform popularity.

That's it for the news!

If there’s one thing we love to check on at the end and beginning of any year, it’s the trends. Who got what right — or wrong? What did no one see coming? It’s all fascinating to witness.

Perhaps antithetical to my love for trend-watching, the biggest lesson I’ve learned from predictions is that no one can tell the future. We can only make observations based on data and the cultural landscape and cross our fingers.

Keeping that in mind, we — along with experts — outline what we’ve noticed people are picking up more of in the industry and make observations about what the future might hold for social media in 2023.

1. More AI-generated content – and accompanying tools to track it

Based on the current trajectory of interest, this is a more obvious prediction, but one that has to be made nonetheless.

The end of 2022 was bang-on for AI with the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We, and much of the Internet, were instantly hooked on the tool and its potential applications. We’ve seen it used to manage and write emails, tweets, and, more controversially, to make art.

Mohammed Asaduallah is the CEO of BetterwithBenji a tax software platform for creators. He predicts that social posts will be generated by ChatGPT after being trained with a company's brand persona. Writer, the AI writing platform, is already pushing a feature that promises to achieve this called CoWrite.

Of course, the danger of increased AI use could lead to increasingly mediocre content flooding the Internet. Daniel Sobey-Harker, Head of Community at Windscribe, predicts that companies will mistakenly believe that they can replace writers with AI tools – leading to a deluge of mediocre content that creates an aversion to long-form articles in general.

On the flip side, there is a golden opportunity for writers, artists, and creators with a unique voice, style, and perspective to stand out. I personally predict that once the hype passes, human creativity will become more valuable than ever. After all, AI isn’t trained on AI-created content – it’s trained on human content.

2. Regular people will become creators

The era of the rich, aspirational creator is fading quickly, making way for new voices in everyday people. Kasey Bayne, marketing consultant and founder of KBConsulting, predicts more "regular people" getting to share their voice, especially on video. Kasey predicts more people becoming creators on TikTok, not in a way that necessarily becomes their full-time gig, but to share and be rewarded for the content they put out there.

I want to add to this that more than ever, people want to see other people’s thoughts on the products and services they’re considering buying. According to Stackla, 79 percent of people say user-generated content highly impacts their purchasing decisions. So user-generated content created by these everyday people will be more valuable than ever.

A great existing example of this is Keith Lee, who reviews small, often family-owned restaurants using the same format. His videos have helped small businesses gain new fans and revenue.

In the same vein, there will be a push for authenticity with social media marketing, either with content or influencer marketing, as pointed out by Karen Okoro, Head of Digital Media at DG Sentinel. People are beginning to decipher what paid content looks like, so creators will have to push the envelope on how they create.

3. Brands will hire social media managers per platform

More brands will realize why their social media team can’t also be their PR team, copywriters, content creators, and everything in between, predicts Kendall Dickieson, social media expert and founder of Flexible Creative.

Kendall also predicts that per-platform social managers will become a thing since brands can be more efficient and devote their attention to one platform. Also, with nuances between platforms, social media managers will want to specialize and become experts at one or two platforms instead of spreading their attention to multiple.

However, this might be wishful thinking in a time of layoffs that disproportionately affect marketing and other roles that are harder to prove their impact on revenue generation. But there might be a solution that can work for everyone – celebrity social media personalities.

4. Celebrity social media personalities will become more common

Adjacent to the idea of per-platform SMMs, brands that have to consolidate budgets will also face a reckoning with the changing requirements of social media managers. According to Hayley Rodgers, social media manager at Paddle, dwindling budgets might lead to more consolidation of the social media manager role and a shift in skills needed to be successful.

Video content creators that are great on camera will be sought after to create social-first, video-first content for TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Zaria Parvez, Global Social Media Manager at Duolingo, is a classic example, her work for the company’s social media and especially TikTok, elevated the brand to millions of views per post.

In an effort to not overwhelm their teams, user-generated content might come into play. There are signs that point to more brands adopting existing creators within their niche to create content for their social media. More than using their product or service and selling their video, these creators are not necessarily highlighting the brand and are more focused on becoming a familiar face and name that consumers can latch on to.

LinkedIn partners with DeAndre Brown, a comedic creator whose content focuses on Gen-Z in the workplace, helping the brand connect to a new generation.

WhoWhatWear partners with Andrea Cheong a creator who focuses on sustainability in fashion. Andrea has a broad knowledge of the fashion industry and focuses on helping consumers make better buying decisions.

5. Creators will focus on brand building through owned platforms

2022 was the year that really drove home for many creators that they don’t own the platforms they build their following on – and anything can happen to something you don’t own. From “Make Instagram Instagram again,” to the Twitter takeover to TikTok’s will-they-won’t-they with various governments – no platform or creator was safe.

Jennifer Reardon, Communications Director at AltExchange predicts that creators will hone in on email marketing and focus more on building their own brand and creating their own businesses than relying on brand partnerships.

More than ever, creators will have to figure out how to generate income outside of social media. Some might turn to newsletters, others to courses, and others still to paid communities.

6. More organic and high-quality content to make up for decreased paid social spend

Paid ads have been facing a reckoning in the past few years with major ad platforms, Google and Meta, getting fine after fine, restriction after restriction. Users are being given more power over how their data is used, so businesses will have to figure out new ways to reach their audiences.

Arielle Sanchez, marketing consultant and owner of Marketing Chica, predicts an increase in higher-quality, targeted content to combat the decrease in cookieless paid social.

Corroborating that statement is Duarte Garrido, Global Head of Social Media at Standard Chartered, who says that we will see a resurgence in organic content due to the pivot from the social graph to the interest graph. Basically, instead of a hyper-focus on interest in individuals, audiences will be more interested in overarching ideas and the communities that foster those ideas. No more following a single influencer as a holy grail, but following communities that might have multiple influencers. Companies that create content with audience interests at heart won’t need to resort to paid.

An interesting example of this is Bobbie Goods, a small business that makes coloring books. The business’ TikTok attracts thousands of views to cozy and relaxing videos of the founder using her own products or packing orders.

7. Unexpected collaborations between brands and creators

Natalie Sportelli, Head of Content at Thingtesting predicts that we'll see many more creative and unexpected collaborations between companies, celebs, and influencers.

There’s already precedent for this, but as brands try to reach audiences that are important to them but that they haven’t captured, we may see both small and large-scale examples of this. Two collaborations that fall into either category already come to mind:

The first is Mr. Beast working with Shopify to go to Antarctica, do a quick ad spot, and name a mountain after the brand – all set to a soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. The video of the expedition reached 73 Million views in two weeks.

On a smaller scale is Martha Stewart’s collaboration with water brand Liquid Death. The celebrity chef created a candle in the shape of a severed hand for Halloween. The video has reached a couple million views across the brand’s social media.

From stunts to product launches, collabs will create a memorable moment for consumers and help all stakeholders tap into each other's audiences.

Use predictions as a guide, not a certainty

To reiterate, predictions are merely assumptions about the state of the world after some time has passed based on what’s happening in the present. Avoid the temptation to follow the crowd and take everything on this list with a grain of salt. It’s all important to consider, of course, but it’s more important to have a solid strategy in place, understand your audience, and create content that serves your brand.

Do you have any thoughts about what social media could look like this year? Share them with us on our social media @buffer!

What’s coming to social media in 2020?

It can be hard to predict the future, especially for something as fast-changing as social media. But if you look to today’s trends and the latest buzz, you’ll start to see the signs.

Social commerce is one of the hottest trends in social media today, and it looks to have an even bigger impact in 2020.

Continue reading to find out the latest on what social commerce is, what it looks like, and how you can make the most of this buzzworthy new channel to further your brand and your business.

What is social commerce?

Social commerce is selling products directly within social media platforms.

This is different than social media marketing, where you might try to drive referral traffic from social media to a website or online store. With social commerce, the store — the entire shopping experience — happens without the customer ever leaving the social media site.

How does social commerce work?

There are a ton of benefits to this, as you might imagine. It’s a far more streamlined process, especially when you can enjoy things like chatbot checkouts, and autofill payments and delivery details. There are fewer clicks and taps with social commerce than with traditional e-commerce through a web store.

The efficiency of the social commerce purchase journey far outdoes the typical e-commerce purchase. There’s a really great blog post on BigCommerce about this. Basically, the math goes like this:

• If you have a traditional website and store, let’s say you get 10,000 visitors to the site.
• Of that group, 25% give you their email address
• When you send that group an email, 25% of them open it.
• Then 5% of those who open the email click on the link in the email.
• And three percent of those clicks end up buying something.

That’s a grand total of 1 purchase, after starting with 10,000 visitors.

Now, compare that to a hypothetical social commerce journey. Let’s take a messenger chatbot for instance.

• Start with 10,000 chatbot visitors.
• Of that group, you can message 99% of them
• Open rates are quite high for chatbots, around 75%.
• So from the group that sees your message and opens it, let’s say that 48% click through
• And then 1% purchase something.

That’s a total of 35 purchases, compared to the one (1) purchase in the website example.

Now, it obviously goes without saying that your mileage may vary here.

These are just example numbers. But hopefully they highlight some of the advantages of the ease and efficiency of social commerce.

There’s also a strong case to be made on the qualitative side of things. Andrew Waber of Teikametrics, writing on Marketing Land, points out that there are really four separate stages of shopping experience. These are:

1. Convenience
2. Shopping as play
3. Shopping as exploration
4. Shopping as entertainment
   

Today’s e-commerce channels mainly fulfill items 1 and 2, while 3 and 4 are more future-looking trends to build towards. Social commerce delivers on both of them much more readily than traditional e-commerce channels because it is a much more natural extension of existing consumer behavior.

Speaking of existing consumer behavior, it’s become widely known just how much consumers are shifting to social and mobile as primary means of content consumption and product discovery.

• This year, time spent on mobile devices is estimated to surpass time spent watching television
• 30% of online shoppers say they would are likely to buy direct from a social media network like Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat.
• Social Media Messenger sales have been massively outperforming email
• Social media referral traffic to online stores has grown more than 100% in the past two years, more than growth of any other channel

Now, let’s talk about the state of social commerce today.

What does social commerce look like on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest?

The primary players in social commerce are Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. We’ll touch on each of them quickly, starting with Instagram.

Facebook data says that 70% of shoppers look to Instagram for product discovery. Perhaps because of this, Instagram’s roadmap has been taking on a decidedly strong shopping feel. The biggest development is Instagram Checkout, which is a fully contained shopping experience within the Instagram app. It’s currently only available to select brands like Nike and Kylie Cosmetics. With Instagram Checkout, you can see a product that you like in the Instagram feed and then complete the entire purchase without ever leaving Instagram.

This goes one step further than Instagram Shopping, another new feature that Instagram has come out with recently. Unlike Checkout, Instagram Shopping is available to businesses in over 70 countries so long as you sell physical goods and have an Instagram business account.
With Instagram Shopping, you can tag your images and stories with the products that are featured in your posts. Then your audience can tap to go straight to your store to make the purchase.

For Facebook, they’ve already taken some really huge strides toward social commerce with Facebook Page Shops and Messenger. First, let’s talk about Facebook Page Shops.

Businesses can create an entire store within Facebook, quite easily and smoothly. To get started, make sure your Facebook page has the Shopping template selected, then click the Shop tab on your Page, then click Go to Commerce Manager. Here is where you complete a few sign up steps and then upload your product catalog to your Facebook shop.

There’s a ton you can do from here, like:

• Add new products and update product information
• Sell directly from your page
• Manage orders and shipping, and
• Run Facebook ads to promote these products.

The website ConversionXL has a neat case study on a brand that has experimented with a Facebook Shop. The watch seller, MVMT, added a selection of products from its catalog to Facebook.

• Within 90 days, approximately 60,000 users visited the store.
• These visitors converted at a 0.5% conversion rate, resulting in more than $15,000 in revenue.

Pinterest also has some really powerful social commerce features for businesses, with new features coming out all the time. Buyable pins were released four years ago now, in 2015, and had over 60 million buyable pins in its first six months. We’ve seen more and more commerce features since. Most recently,

• Shop the Look, which highlights the items in a photo that are available for purchase. And
• Catalogs, which allow you to upload an entire product catalog to feature on Pinterest

How to get started with social commerce in 2020

1. Focus on your best, lowest-cost products

It makes sense that lowest-cost products might sell best on social media. You’re capturing people at a certain place in their buyer journey where they’re eager to buy, not eager to weigh the pros and cons of a major purchase.

That’s why we recommend using a strategic approach to what you list for sale on social media. If you start with your best products, you’re selling the items that appeal to the widest audience and have been proven to resonate with your fans. If you sell your least expensive ones, then you’re reducing friction for shoppers even more.

Along with this, it’s useful to know the larger themes with social commerce, too. According to an eMarketer report, the most relevant verticals for social commerce are categories like apparel, luxury goods, beauty, and home decor.

If you’re in doubt about what to sell, then start with an experiment mindset. You don’t need to put your entire catalog on social right away. Especially since social commerce is still gaining traction, not all your audience may be primed to purchase. A GlobalWebIndex study found that 21% of shoppers use social to make a purchase — a number that we’d expect to rise quite a bit in 2020.

2. Get the right tools at your disposal.

There are a ton of great options out there, but we want to highlight just a couple to give you a taste of what’s possible. First, there’s a messaging tool called ManyChat, which allows you to combine Facebook Messenger and SMS campaigns. ManyChat, and other chat tools like it, can be great for collecting leads and converting them into buyers.

Similarly, another great social commerce tool is jumper.ai. This tool comes with pre-built automated checkout chatbots, which integrate with all sorts of different tools and platforms. You can integrate it straight into Instagram to create a social commerce experience.

And along with third-party tools, there are new social commerce features coming to social networks all the time. We think it’s really smart to continually try out these new features, both for their commerce potential and for the engagement boost you get from trying out new content on your accounts.

3. Partner with influencers and encourage your community to share your products.

These two groups — influencers and community — can be very powerful for your commerce efforts thanks to the way that networks like Instagram and Pinterest are set up. Many of their new features allow people to share your products on your behalf and still tie into the frictionless buying experience of a buyable Pin or Instagram shopping.

4. Measure your strategy

The ultimate goal with social commerce is to guide customers to checkout. And you can do this in any number of ways, through great content, two-way communication, and more. Ultimately, though, the best measurement of a social commerce strategy is in dollars and cents. How many sales did you make.

And at the same time, as we talked about above, not all your audience may be ready to shop just yet. Social commerce is still a trend in the making. Not everyone is on board.

So this opens up a variety of alternative measures for success. For instance,

• How many emails you capture. These emails can become important for starting a relationship with your customers and helping guide them back to your social accounts or your e-commerce website.
• You can also think about measurements like
  • Brand engagement, and 
  • Completion of certain steps before the conversion

How to say hello to us

We would all love to say hello to you on social media – especially Twitter!

• Heather-Mae on Twitter
• Dave on Twitter

Thanks for listening! Feel free to connect with our team at Buffer on Twitter, Buffer on Facebook, our Podcast homepage, or with the hashtag #bufferpodcast.

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About The Science of Social Media podcast

The Science of Social Media is your weekly sandbox for social media stories, insights, experimentation, and inspiration. Every Monday (and sometimes more) we share the most cutting-edge social media marketing tactics from brands and influencers in every industry. If you’re a social media team of one, business owner, marketer, or someone simply interested in social media marketing, you’re sure to find something useful in each and every episode.  It’s our hope that you’ll join our 27,000+ weekly iTunes listeners and rock your social media channels as a result!

The Science of Social Media is proudly made by the Buffer team. Feel free to get in touch with us for any thoughts, ideas, or feedback.

How to subscribe: iTunes | Google Play | SoundCloud | Stitcher | RSS

The brands that are successful in delivering personalized experiences to their audiences are the brands that are likely to thrive with their social media strategies in the coming year.

But in order to be able to capitalize on this and everything else social media has to offer, you have to know what’s coming!

Which is exactly why today we’re covering 5 data-backed social media trends you need to know to make 2019 your best year yet with social media marketing.

Let’s dive in!

5 data-backed social media trends you need to know for 2019

What follows is a lightly-edited transcript of the Buffer Podcast episode #127 for your reading pleasure.

Table of Contents

• • Trend 1: In-the-moment content will win out over highly-produced content
  • Trend 2: AI-driven personalized customer experiences
  • Trend 3: Brands can no longer afford to ignore social media ads
  • Trend 4: Rise of social media TV and vertical videos
  • Trend 5: The evolution from multichannel to omnichannel marketing

Kicking off our most popular show of the year: Social Media Trends 2019.

1. In-the-moment content will win out over highly-produced content

Brian: Our number 1 trend for 2019, and by the way these 5 trends are in no particular order because we feel that they are all hugely important, is that in-the-moment content will win out over highly-produced content.

Stories and rise of ephemeral content across social networks, which I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of in 2019, is capturing the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere.

Hailley: One of the key parts of that trend is that we’re predicting that stories will become the primary way to share content on social media, overtaking the News Feed. Only time will tell, but we’ll count on you to let us know if that prediction was right or not next year!

But this is why social media marketers have to continue to pay close attention to the rise of Stories and how it impacts how people consume content. And it’s why we talk about it so much here on the show. We’re witnessing a fundamental shift in media.

Brian: Mobile usage and even shorter attention spans will continue to increase the popularity of short-lived content in 2019, especially with Millennials and Generation Z’ers, who thrive on their relationships with brands being authentic and meaningful.

Which is exactly why it’s crucial that social media marketers establish a solid video strategy for ephemeral content.

More and more brands will embrace this personal, authentic and in-the-moment style content vs. overly produced, pre-packed content.

Hailley: What exactly does that mean for you?

Well, this means an increased focus on the people and personalities behind your brand. Think about how you can use video, Stories and images to connect your audience with the human – maybe even, dare I say, the vulnerable – side of your business.

You can accomplish a lot of this by taking your audience behind the scenes and showing the work your business day-to-day.

If you’re a coffee shop, create a story of how you brew the perfect cup.

If you’re a service business, take your followers on a tour of your office or show your team working.

Brian: Overall, the key thing is to experiment.

Imagine at one end of the spectrum there’s the old social media with pre-packaged, very produced content. At the other end you have in-the-moment, super raw content. For brands, there are millions of untapped miles of opportunity in the middle of those two ends to try new things.

2. AI-driven personalized customer experiences

Which, brings us to our next social media trends 2019 and that’s that we’ll start to see AI drive a personalized customer experiences across lots of different channels.

Hailley: From chatbots to ad optimization, platforms like Google and Facebook have been continuing to adopt artificial intelligence to enhance customer interaction.

But it remains a huge opportunity and is underutilized by many brands.

Where we’re seeing this develop particularly fast is in the form of online customer service.

In 2018, the growth in AI-driven communication has been undeniable, with tools like Intercom and Drift starting to appear on websites everywhere.

Many experts predict that by 2020, more than 80% of all customer service interactions will be powered by AI bots.

Brian: Again, with the younger generations leading the charge.

Millennials are the quickest adaptors of chatbot-based customer experiences. According to Huffington Post, 60% of the millennial population already uses chatbots and 71% of Millennials have implied that they would like to try using one.

In 2019, more and more brands will strengthen their online customer service practices and even move to new platforms that may potentially offer more effective technology for customer service to thrive online, such as WhatsApp and Messenger.

Hailley: Let’s talk about WhatsApp for a second because I think marketers forget that they have over a billion users.

In 2019, we should begin to see the rise of WhatsApp as a primary social customer service channel. The release of the WhatsApp business API in August 2018 will continue to be a total game-changer in the industry.

With this new API, WhatsApp allows businesses to respond to customers for free within 24 hours. This shift means businesses are now incentivized to reply to their customers faster. It puts the focus firmly on improving customer experience.

Brian: What I love about how WhatsApp is set up is that customers can talk to a business on a channel they are already using for communication (with friends and family) without being spammed with marketing messages. The power with WhatsApp really is in the consumers hands.

But in terms of personalization, given the vast amount of information being uploaded by people each day, it’s become very easy to get insights into all kinds of information about your customers.

This has opened the door for enhanced personalization, and that has increased consumer expectation for the same. So in other words, consumers are coming to expect it.

Hailley: Content, products, emails, ads – all can now be based on the consumer’s purchase history, clicked links, social media posts, and other behavior.

Like for example, Airbnb now sends personalized trip and activity ideas based on your upcoming trips. And Netflix offers shows to watch based on your taste. Amazon and eBay show products similar to the ones you’ve bought before. All of that is personalization.

Brian: It’s on you as a business to figure out what personalization looks like for your company.

As long as you are respectful of personal privacy, personalization is a solid way to go for marketers to boost campaign performance in 2019.

3. Brands can no longer afford to ignore social media ads

We’re already seeing a ton of businesses jump on board with social media ads. Marketers increased social ad budgets 32% in 2018 alone and produced more ads than ever before.

In fact, one of every four Facebook Pages now use paid advertising as part of their strategy. And Facebook accounts for 23% of total U.S. digital ad spending. All of those numbers are sure to increase in 2019.

Brian: What happens when we see this trend emerge is that it gets more competitive and more expensive to advertise.

To counter this, social teams should make sure they pair their ad money with equal time investment and creativity..

In other words, you won’t be able to just create any old ad and have it work. You have to invest some time in creating great content. One of the easiest ways to do this is to just boost your top performing organic content.

Hailley: If you’ve noticed, lots of brands like Spotify, Blenders Eyeware, and others are leading the way with creative social ads that are both personalized and entertaining, rather than just banner ads squeezed into a news feed.

It’s the brand awareness type ads that are really thriving. Even if you’re selling your product, you can do it in a way that doesn’t feel intrusive to other types of authentic content in the news feed.

Brian: Content should feel like something coming from your friends.

We wanted to give you a few tips on creating better ads.

First, you must must must, understand your target audience.

Each ad campaign should target a focused group based on interests, jobs, relevant competitors, and previous interaction with your brand.

Hailley: Next, make sure to define your goals and metrics up front.

It’s important to show that social media has a positive bottom-line impact on your business.

Awareness campaigns, for example, might focus on impressions, while conversion campaigns should put more value on click-throughs.

After goals, it’s all about investing in high-quality content.

With more brands competing for people’s attention on social media, ordinary posts just aren’t going to cut it.

Brian: At the heart of great content are compelling visuals, which are essential for clicks and high conversion rates on social media. Not every brand will have the budget for expensive equipment or a professional team, but even just learning some video basics or even hiring a freelancer can make a difference.

But one thing every brand and marketer can and should be doing is repurposing ideas from top-performing organic content.

Creating high quality social ads takes time and money. Test your ad concepts as organic posts first to see how they perform. Once you see what’s working, you can adapt and repurpose your top performing organic content for ads.

Hailley: Doing that will help increase ROI of your ads right from the beginning.

And one more thing on that topic is to embrace new ad formats

Instagram Stories ads, for example, have been around since 2017. But this year Instagram gave brands the ability to use three consecutive photos or videos.

Pinterest, on the other hand, recently rolled out wide-format promoted videos.

And Facebook Messenger ads now allow brands to connect with customers directly via instant messaging.

4. Rise of social media TV and vertical videos

One of the biggest social media trends since 2018 has been the launch of IGTV by Instagram.

This along with other developments from social networks points to the rise of what we’re calling “social television” lead by the vertical video format.

Hailley: I think that this fourth trend is one of the most exciting social media trends 2019 and is going to fundamentally shift the way that brands and marketers create content.

Plus, Instagram is just going to continue to grow exponentially. Other platforms will probably follow suit with their own version of vertical video and Stories.

According to data collected by Statista, more than 50% of digital videos are now viewed on mobile in vertical format. And it has been showing a general upward trend since 2013.

Brian: I hope at this point everyone is starting to realize that these trends for 2019 are all connected. Personalized experiences, advertising, and vertical videos are all a part of the overall way the social media industry is heading.

Each platform is working hard to create experiences that people want to return to every single day. Which is exactly why things like IGTV are so compelling—that content sits right there at the top of the feed, and is top of mind each time someone logs on.

Hailley: Your daily authentic content creation approach that businesses will inevitably take advantage of in 2019.

The way we see it is that savvy businesses will create content for each type of consumer:

• The daily consumer that Stories really helps to attract.
• The shoppers and scrollers that the News Feed is perfect for.
• The power users that longer form content, like what’s found on IGTV, is perfect for.

Brian: Thinking about your target audience as these types of personas and then matching your content to their intentions on social will lead to the biggest engagement.

Which, is a great transition into our 5th trend to look forward to in 2019 and that’s a shift in marketing best-practices.

5. The evolution from multichannel to omnichannel marketing

Hailley: Now this one isn’t solely about social media trends 2019, but social media plays a critical role in your overall marketing strategy.

If you’re wondering what omnichannel marketing is and why we’re talking about omnichannel, Omni is based on the Latin word Omnis, which means ‘all or every’ – and this obviously emphasizes the importance of reaching and interacting with customers in all channels.

Brian: There’s a quote floating around out there from John Bowden, VP at Time Warner Cable, and I think he explains omnichannel marketing perfectly:

“Omnichannel is viewing the experience through the eyes of your customer, orchestrating the customer experience across all channels so that it is seamless and integrated. It anticipates that customers may start in one channel and move to another as they progress to an end point. That end point is your product or service.”

In other words, you have to think about the digital experience as a whole.

Hailley: A buyer’s journey is still a mystery for the most part because there are so many touch points with your brand along the way, but what we do know, is that nobody today shops exclusively through a single medium.

Consumers of all generations buy online and in stores, they read reviews, listen to peers, do their research and it all makes up part of a bigger picture.

Brian: The best part about thinking of marketing like this is that paid ads, social, content, and email channels don’t have to compete against each other for sales or customers.

You can grow your business by strategically integrating all these channels together.

So while email may not convert a customer immediately, readers might visit your website from your newsletter. Then you might then use that traffic to re-target visitors with a special offer on social media.

Hailley: Exactly and those people might read a review on Google or Amazon about your product.

But it all originated with that email. And even though the email won’t get credit, you still were able to add a new customer to the list.

Which I think every business would consider a win.

How to say hello to us

We would all love to say hello to you on social media – especially Twitter!

• Hailley on Twitter and Hailley’s Website
• Brian on Twitter and Brian’s Website

Thanks for listening! Feel free to connect with our team at Buffer on Twitter, Buffer on Facebook, our Podcast homepage, or with the hashtag #bufferpodcast.

Enjoy the show? It’d mean the world to us if you’d be up for giving us a rating and review on iTunes!

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About The Science of Social Media podcast

The Science of Social Media is your weekly sandbox for social media stories, insights, experimentation, and inspiration. Every Monday (and sometimes more) we share the most cutting-edge social media marketing tactics from brands and influencers in every industry. If you’re a social media team of one, business owner, marketer, or someone simply interested in social media marketing, you’re sure to find something useful in each and every episode.  It’s our hope that you’ll join our 20,000+ weekly iTunes listeners and rock your social media channels as a result!

The Science of Social Media is proudly made by the Buffer team. Feel free to get in touch with us for any thoughts, ideas, or feedback.

The News Feed is one of Facebook’s marque innovations.

Rolled out to users in 2006, it became the go-to place for people to connect with their friends,  share updates about their day-to-day life and enjoy content from brands they followed. Not to mention, it also played a pivotal role in Facebook’s march to advertising dominance.

In life and business, though, change is inevitable. And just as popular culture, music, and fashion move on,  Facebook should too.

For nearly a decade, the News Feed was the jewel in Facebook’s crown. However, over the past couple of years, Facebook has been locked into a battle with misinformation, troubled by privacy issues, and found itself trying to counter a decline in original content (photos, videos, status updates) shared by users. It even admitted the News Feed can have a negative impact on mental health.

This wasn’t the way it was meant to be.

Facebook was meant to help people stay connected with those closest to them. But Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the platform has underdelivered there. In a post on his Facebook Page back in January the Facebook founder noted:

“Recently we’ve gotten feedback from our community that public content — posts from businesses, brands, and media — is crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other.”

-- Mark Zuckerberg

And that should be a big worry for Facebook. When the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology looked into what factors can kill a social network, they found that when the bonds between users weren’t particularly strong, neither was the users’ relationship with that network.

The study also found that as networks grow, they become more cluttered, so we begin to miss out on some of the most relevant content from those closest to us. This is most definitely the case with Facebook — and was a key factor in the company’s decision to shift the News Feed to focus more on updates from people, not brands.

In a blog post about this change Facebook shared:

“Because space in News Feed is limited, showing more posts from friends and family and updates that spark conversation means we’ll show less public content, including videos and other posts from publishers or businesses.”

The rise of Stories

While the News Feed has been experiencing growing pains, a new format has arisen: Stories.

Since Snapchat debuted the Stories format in 2013, it’s gone from strength to strength and is quickly becoming the default format for content consumption and creation. In total, consulting firm Block Party estimates that nearly one billion accounts are using the Stories format daily and Zuckerberg recently shared that people now post more than one billion Stories every day.

At its annual, flagship conference, F8, Chris Cox, Facebook’s Facebook’s chief product officer, also noted that “the Stories format is on a path to surpass feeds as the primary way people share things with their friends sometime next year.” And Zuckerberg recently added that “it looks like Stories will be a bigger medium than [news] feed has been.”

The shift to stories is coming

From making the status composer default to the camera to encourage Story creation on mobile, to adding Story preview tiles to the top of the feed, Facebook is constantly running tests and experiments to familiarise more of its user base with Stories.

Over on Instagram, 47 percent of users find that Instagram Stories helps them be more authentic in their communication with friends and family, something Facebook would love to encourage on its flagship product too.

In short, it feels safe to say that Facebook is pivoting to Stories. But when your platform is the size of Facebook’s, no change is ever simple.

The roadblocks ahead for Stories

The biggest hurdle for Facebook’s move to Stories is revenue.

Right now, the majority of Facebook’s advertising revenue comes from the News Feed. As Zuckerberg recently share in a post on his Facebook Page:

“Another challenge is that we’re earlier in developing our ads products for stories, so we don’t make as much money from them yet as we do from feed ads. We’re following our normal playbook here of building out the best consumer products first and focusing on succeeding there before ramping up ads. I’m optimistic that we’ll get ads in stories to perform as well as feed over time, and that the opportunity will be even bigger because it looks like stories will be a bigger medium than feed has been.”

Though Facebook has rolled out Stories Ads, it will need to reinvent mobile video ads for this to be a success. Pre and post-roll video ads within Stories is fine for now, but if Stories are to become as profitable as the News Feed, Facebook needs to think outside the box and develop a brand new ad product from the ground up, like it did with News Feed ads five-or-so years ago.

The second hurdle is ensuring users buy into Stories.

300 million daily active users across Facebook and Messenger is great — it’s probably even more daily active users than Snapchat has on its own Stories (according to data obtained by The Daily Beast). But Facebook has 2.2 billion monthly users and the vast majority don’t use Stories yet.

Like it or not, Stories will replace the News Feed

When it comes time to shift away from the News Feed, it’s more likely that users will just have to deal with the hand they’re dealt.

When the News Feed launched, Facebook users had no choice about adopting it, and it wasn’t instantly popular — a group called “Students Against Facebook News Feed” was even formed, reaching more than 280,000 members at its peak.

Despite the pushback, Facebook persisted knowing that no matter how loud or vocal people were in reaction to the change, they would still likely continue to use Facebook anyway.

The same Swiss Federal Institute of Technology study I mentioned earlier found that when left with only two available coping strategies: to accept change or to leave, the vast majority will accept change and continue to use Facebook.

And in a 2006 post about the News Feed, then TechCrunch editor, Michael Arrington noted that: “If this feature had been part Facebook since the beginning, their users would be screaming if Facebook tried to remove it.” Eventually, I believe we’ll look back at Facebook Stories in the same way.

Stories might not be welcomed by all. But one thing is for certain: however you feel about it, it’s time to start preparing for life after the News Feed.

4 ways your business can embrace Stories

Stories are an essential part of a modern social media strategy.

Block Party’s research found that nearly four in five (79 percent) of businesses use Stories on Instagram. Instagram also found that more than one in three said that they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Instagram Stories.

As the user numbers continue to grow on Facebook Stories, it won’t be long until a large number of businesses start moving to post there too. But we’re not quite there yet.

Block Party found that only nine of 100 accounts it tracked on Instagram Stories, also posted to Facebook Stories. “All but one of those exclusively syndicated their Instagram Stories to Facebook,” it said. However, some early adopters have already started seeing better results from Facebook Stories than the News Feed.

Here are four ways you can begin to use Stories for your business and ensure you’re riding atop the next big social media wave.

1. Take your audience behind-the-scenes

Stories offer a perfect way to share unfiltered, authentic content with your audience.

Design agency AJ&Smart uses Stories to provide an authentic look at what’s happening at the business day-to-day and tries to show as much of that in real-time as possible.

For example, in its Stories, you might see behind-the-scenes at a client workshop or the team traveling to a client meeting.

The Guardian also found that, on Stories, “less polished” content performs better than heavily produced videos, so you don’t have to worry about the production quality of your content. Instead, just point and shoot with your phone and focus on creating a compelling narrative.

2. Cross-post between Instagram and Facebook

If you’ve linked your Instagram account to your Facebook page, you can cross-post your Stories content at the tap of a button, or even set your account to automatically publish all of your Stories from Instagram to Facebook.

To do this, tap your profile icon in the top-right corner of Instagram, then open your “Account settings” and choose “Story controls”. From here, tap the switch to turn on auto-posting to Facebook:

Cross-posting the same content to Instagram and Facebook might not be the best long-term strategy as your audience on the two platforms might prefer different content. But this is a great way to get started, and learn a little about what your audience enjoys on both platforms.

3. Experiment with Stories ads

Stories ads are a new addition to Facebook’s ad inventory and enable brands to share image-based or short video ads. At Buffer, we started testing Stories ads a few months back and now we’re seeing clicks to our website from Stories for just $0.06!

It’s super simple to get started with Stories ads and we’ve just launched Stories Creator, a simple tool to help you design thumb-stopping images for your Stories ads.

To help you create Facebook and Instagram Stories ads that’ll get you results, here are three tips for creating great Stories ad creatives and the exact steps to creating Facebook and Instagram Stories ads.

4. Share user-generated content to Stories

User-generated content is incredibly powerful on Instagram. In fact, it helped us to grow our Buffer account to over 40,000 followers.

And Stories offers businesses the chance to repost content from their audience at a more frequent pace than in the feed. For example, Kettlebell Kings regularly shares one or two user-generated posts to its feed each day, but by using Stories it can share 10-12 posts from followers.

This content is incredibly engaging for its audience as people who follow Kettlebell Kings love to see workout examples and techniques. It’s also incredibly rewarding for those featured and it encourages more and more customers to share their content on Instagram.

Over to you

What are your thoughts on the future of Stories on Facebook? Has your business started posting Stories? Let us know in the comments below — excited to join the conversation.

Today, Facebook has announced that it’s rolling out Facebook Stories Ads to advertisers globally.

More than 300 million people use Facebook Stories and Messenger Stories every day.

Since Snapchat debuted the Stories format back in 2013, it has taken over the social media landscape. Facebook first introduced the format to one of its properties in 2016 with the launch of Instagram Stories and has since launched similar updates across Whatsapp, Messenger and Facebook itself.

And the format is still growing across the board. Data from Facebook IQ found that 68 percent of people say they use stories on at least three apps regularly, and 63 percent plan to use stories more in the future.

The value of Facebook Stories ads

An Ipsos survey discovered that 62 percent of people said they became more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in a story and Facebook says that “brands testing Facebook Stories ads are already seeing results”.

Stories ads also have the power to help your brand grow via word of mouth, with 38 percent of people surveyed saying that after seeing a product or service in a story they talked to someone about it.

In addition, the survey found that more than half of people said they’re making more online purchases as a result of seeing stories and 34 percent said they went to a store to look for a product they had seen in stories ads.

Facebook says that both Tentree, a sustainable, eco-friendly clothing company, and Skout, a dating app,  found that adding Facebook Stories to their Instagram Stories ad campaigns resulted in more customer actions at a lower cost.

The challenges and opportunities with Stories

The audiences on Facebook Stories could be an issue for advertisers. 300 million people use stories across Facebook and Messenger whereas more than 400 million use Instagram Stories daily, and 1.47 billion use Facebook daily.

However, the newness of Facebook Stories could appeal to advertisers seeking a first mover advantage with the format. Brandon Doyle, the founder of digital agency Wallaroo Media, has been experimenting with Facebook Stories ads for over a month, and recently told Digiday:

“CPM and conversion rates have been the best of any placements over the course of the last month, probably due to the fact that the competition is lower there”.

Digiday also revealed that flight-booking service Hopper has seen both Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories ads performing better than ads in Facebook’s news feed and in Instagram’s feed. In fact, the results for Hopper have been so great that the businesses has been “prioritizing designing ads for the Stories format, then adapting them to the other formats”.

Getting started with Facebook Stories ads

Facebook has launched Stories Ads to help businesses reach more people and Stories Ads will be available to advertisers as an additional placement to News Feed or Instagram Stories ad campaigns. Facebook reports that Stories Ads will soon be coming to Messenger soon too.

Facebook Stories ads deliver your message in a fullscreen, immersive environment. Additionally, Facebook Stories ads support every objective that’s currently available for Instagram Stories ads, including:

• Reach
• Brand awareness
• Video views
• App install
• Conversion
• Traffic
• Lead generation

Facebook Stories ads have been rolled out globally today. To get started with Stories ads, head over to Facebook Ads Manager and create your ad, then when it comes to selecting ‘Placements’ you’ll see the option to include Facebook Stories:

Want to learn more about the Stories format?

With more than one billion people using Stories and vertical video formats across Facebook, Instagram, IGTV — and even YouTube… Have you wondered what this means for your business? We recently partnered up with writer, maker and marketer, Owen Williams, to share everything you need to know about vertical video and how to get started in a four-part email series.

What a year for Business Pages on Facebook!

It sure feels like every time we as marketers and business owners think we have our Facebook marketing strategy figured out, a major algorithm change is announced or a new tactic becomes the latest trend.

Over the years, we’ve learned that the best way to reach our audiences on Facebook is to study the data, experiment constantly, be open to learning, and take a growth mindset.

In the spirit of learning, we partnered with BuzzSumo to analyze more than 43 million posts from the top 20,000 brands on Facebook in one of the largest studies of 2018.

Today, we’re excited to share the eye-opening research with you (hint: Page engagement continues to decline) as well as how your business or brand can revamp your Facebook marketing strategy moving forward and still find a ton of success on the platform.

Let’s dive in!

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Table of Contents

• Key findings from 43 million Facebook Business Page posts
  1. Top Pages are posting a lot more
  2. Overall Page engagement is declining
  3. Facebook engagement down for videos, images, and links
  4. Posting 5 times per day resulted in the highest overall engagement
  5. Top Page categories experienced 49-70% overall drop in engagement
• 5 reasons why Facebook Business Page engagement is declining
• How to improve your Facebook marketing strategy today

Lessons from analyzing 43 million Facebook Business Page posts

BuzzSumo has access to some of the most robust Facebook data on the planet, which powers some incredible research studies like this one where they analyzed more than 100 million Facebook videos.

Earlier this month, we approached their team with one (not-so-simple) question:

How are Facebook Business Pages performing in 2018?

Here’s what we learned…

1. Top Pages are posting a lot more

It’s long been debated whether or not posting more results in more engagement and reach for your Facebook Business Page. Many brands report a positive increase in results when they post more, while others experience the opposite.

Either way, as we can see from the chart below there has been a 24% increase in the number of posts per quarter from 6.5m posts to 8.1m posts over the past year.

That’s an increase from 72,000 posts per day in Q1 2017 to 90,032 posts per day in Q2 2018. In other words, nearly 20,000 additional pieces of content are being posted by the world’s top brands… every day.

In Q2 2018, the top 20,000 Facebook pages were publishing an average of 135 posts per month, which amounts to just over four per day.

2. Overall Page engagement is declining (again)

Naturally, if the world’s top Facebook Pages are posting an additional 20,000 pieces of content per day to the platform, there’s going to be an increasing amount of competition in the News Feed and a decrease of engagement across the board.

As businesses, however, I don’t think we truly understood how dramatic this decline in engagement (shares, likes, reactions, and comments) has been overall – until now.

Our findings show that engagement has dropped by more than 50% over the last 18 months.

In that same time frame, the average engagement per post has dropped by over 65% from 4,490 engagements per post to 1,582 engagements per post.

3. Facebook engagement down for video, images, and links

As with most social networks, the data shows that there is a difference in performance between the various types of content that are posted (links, videos, images).

Interestingly enough, we found that images (not video) regularly receive the most engagement. However, consistent with the data above, average engagement per image dropped from 9,370 per post in Q1 2017 to just 3,454 per post in Q2 2018.

Respectively, average engagement per video fell from 5,486 to 2,867. Here’s a quick chart to show the differences between types of content:

Note: More on this chart and why it’s important for your Facebook marketing strategy later!

4. Posting 5 times per day resulted in the highest overall engagement

As we’ll discuss later in this article, there seems to be an “optimal amount of posting” to consider when it comes to your Facebook marketing strategy.

The data showed that Facebook Business Pages that posted less than once a day had the highest engagement per post:

However, those that posted less than once per day had the lowest overall levels of engagement. As you increase the frequency of posting overall levels of engagement rise, but only to a point.

Pages posting 5 times per day received an average of 2,466 engagements per post (a total of 12,330). Pages posting 10 or more times per day received an average of 1,202 engagements per post (a total of 12,020 engagements). In other words, posting 5 times per day appears to be the optimal Facebook posting frequency.

We also found that engagement fell over the last 18 months regardless of posting frequency, all Pages suffered a greater than 50% reduction in engagement.

Those Facebook Business Pages that posted more than 10 times a day saw the biggest fall off in engagement of nearly 66%.

5. Top Page categories experienced 49-70% overall drop in engagement

Last, but not least, we looked at the overall engagement drop by Business Page type:

Artist Pages saw the biggest decrease in engagement at 70.6% followed by movie Pages and media/news Pages.

Page categories still play a key role in the overall success of your Facebook marketing strategy. When selecting your Page category, be sure to understand the nuances between each and how it will affect your content.

If you’d like to check out all of the original data, feel free to jump into the Excel spreadsheet here (created by the team at BuzzSumo) and run an analysis of your own!

Now onto more insights!

5 reasons why Facebook Business Page engagement is declining

Although the data above paints a fairly bleak picture for businesses, there is still hope for your Facebook marketing strategy moving forward. In fact, we believe that the future is very bright for Pages willing to experiment and make a change.

But first, we must understand why we’re seeing a decrease in engagement so that we can know where to start to improve.

Increased competition

Today there are more than 80 million Business Pages on Facebook with a staggering 41% of all small businesses across the globe having a presence on the platform.

The challenge for these businesses is that as the volume of Page content increases, the space available in the News Feed for content remains the same. In other words, there is simply too much content being posted.

Higher quality content

Businesses are becoming more and more savvy at creating high-quality content across all social media channels. Video marketing no longer remains a mystery for many brands, ad content is better and more targeted than ever, and marketers are improving tremendously at their jobs every day.

For audiences, this is actually a major positive. As brands, much of our success on Facebook depends on our ability to be able to create and deliver quality content on a consistent basis. But that also means the content quality bar is higher than ever before.

The Facebook algorithm continues to evolve

There has long been a slow and steady decline in organic reach as Facebook has changed the News Feed algorithm over the years to favor family and friends over Pages.

According to Facebook’s Head of News Feed Adam Mosseri, in January 2018 Facebook began to “shift ranking to make News Feed more about connecting with people and less about consuming media in isolation.”

Businesses are no longer only competing against each other for attention in the News Feed, they’re now facing competition from every single profile, Page, and Group on Facebook.

Prioritization of ad content in the News Feed

At the end of the day, Facebook is a business of their own. In order to continue to provide a great experience for their users as well as a return on investment to their shareholders, they must be able to turn a profit.

And because Facebook is completely free to use for people, businesses, and developers, their largest source of revenue comes from advertisers on the platform.

For Facebook, there is a constant balancing act between creating a great experience for their users and maximizing profit for their shareholders. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a shift towards more ad content in the News Feed.

Now that we’ve looked at several of the top reasons why engagement is declining on Facebook, let’s dive into some actionable takeaways for your Facebook marketing strategy.

How to improve your Facebook marketing strategy today

As mentioned before, I believe that there is truly an exciting opportunity for businesses and brands on Facebook – as long as they are willing to make a change and experiment with their Facebook marketing strategy.

Here are my 3 biggest tips that will help your Page improve engagement and reach starting today, including a few great examples from the world’s top 20,000 brands. We can all learn a thing or two from them!

1. Consider the return on investment (ROI) of each Facebook post

One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough when it comes to your Facebook marketing strategy is the ROI of each Facebook post. In looking at the data above, it’s clear that the success of each post dramatically decreases after posting 5 (or more) times per week.

In this regard, there seem to be two schools of thought when it comes to Facebook posting frequency: quality vs. quantity.

• Quality: Focused on posting fewer, quality Facebook posts that reach a higher number of people per post
• Quantity: Focused on posting more Facebook posts that reach a higher number of people overall

In the past, the quantity approach worked for hundreds of Business Pages – the more they posted the more engagement they saw on a daily, weekly, etc. basis. However, the data above shows that this approach no longer works, and in fact, might be decreasing the effectiveness of all of your Facebook content (i.e., the ROI of each post).

Facebook Pages such as HubSpot have shifted their Facebook marketing strategy to focus on tactics that work such as producing more viral videos and images and stopped spending time on things that don’t work such as posting links to their website.

Facebook and other social media channels are no longer a means to an end. They are now the platforms in which people can consume content, be entertained, shop, share, and so much more without ever having to leave the comfort of their app.

A large part of your new and improved Facebook marketing strategy should be focused on engagement, interacting with your audience, and increasing the ROI of each post, instead of simply broadcasting your message.

2. Tap into your audience’s top reasons for sharing online

In 2011, the New York Times published an intriguing article on the science behind why people share online. More than seven years later, the lessons learned in that research are still as relevant as ever for your Facebook marketing strategy.

They found that the top 5 reasons why people share online is to:

1. Delight others with valuable & entertaining content
2. Identify and present ourselves to others
3. Foster relationships
4. Self-fulfillment
5. Spreading the word about issues, products, and brands

It’s no coincidence that some of the most viral content on Facebook is related to food, animals, fashion, humor and beauty!

I encourage your business to go through your last 50 Facebook posts and examine them from a consumer perspective. Ask yourself: if I were to see this in the Facebook News Feed, would I actually interact with the content?

Brands such as Brain Pickings are creating content centered around people’s desire to connect and share interesting things with their friends and family. Even if that something is as simple as a friendly “hello” or reminder about the special place their relationship holds in their heart. This is a great example of the simplicity of viral content:

If you’re interested in reading more about why people share online, Brian Carter made some interesting observations about what makes Facebook content viral, including 7 things that content must do in order to be shared.

3. Optimize your content for mobile consumption

The rise of mobile usage and consumption is a big deal for businesses, particularly on Facebook.

More than 95% of Facebook users access the social network from their mobile device, meaning that it’s time for us to start consider the implications of mobile and how we might evolve our Facebook marketing strategies moving forward.

One of the biggest factors driving this change is vertical video viewing, a format which reflects natural user behavior (many of us hold our phones in an upright position). Facebook studies have shown that 79% of vertical video consumers agreed that the format is more engaging, and said they would choose the vertical format in most cases. They also found that 65% of respondents said that brands using vertical video for their advertising are “more innovative.”

Brands such as LDN are using vertical video to creatively show off their products in a fun and unique way:

The other major factors to consider when optimizing your content for mobile are video length and caption length.

BuzzSumo found that the optimal video length on Facebook is anywhere between 30-120 seconds. In other words, your videos should be no longer than 2 minutes.

When it comes to caption length, we did a bit of subjective analysis within the BuzzSumo tool and came up with a way to think about captions: show, not tell.

The quicker you can get someone to click on or engage with your content on mobile, the better. That often means keeping your captions short and sweet as to not distract users from your ultimate goal.

Over to your Facebook marketing strategy

I’d love to hear from you!

How are you feeling about your Facebook marketing strategy moving forward? Are you excited for the future of Facebook in general? What experiments do you plan on trying first?

Feel free to drop me a comment or question below about the data in this study or just to say “hello.” I’m looking forward to hearing your Facebook ideas so that we can all learn from each other!

Too busy to read? Just click the play button below to listen to Hailley and Brian discuss the Instagram algorithm on our podcast.

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The way we consume content has always been driven by technology.

In the early 20th century, cinema was the clear leader, with 65 percent of the U.S. population attending the cinema each week in 1930.

Then came the television, and scarcity turned into abundance. Instead of having to go to the cinema to watch the news or a catch a bit of light entertainment every week, it could be viewed from the comfort of your own home, daily.

Following this, the percentage of people that went to the cinema each week took a steep decline:

And now, as traditional TV viewership declines, the next-generation television and entertainment product will almost certainly be in your pocket.

From Facebook Watch to Twitter’s live video broadcasts, and most recently, the launch of IGTV, a new app for watching long-form, vertical video from your favorite Instagram creators, it’s clear that social platforms are vying to be — and likely will become – the next big broadcast channels.

Introducing IGTV

IGTV is a standalone vertical video app, and unlike on Instagram, videos aren’t limited to one minute. Instead, each video can be up to an hour long.

As soon as you open the IGTV app, a video will start playing — much like when you first turn on a TV. This means you don’t have to search to start watching content from people you already follow on Instagram.

“Also like TV, IGTV has channels,” Instagram co-founder, Kevin Systrom said on the Instagram blog. “But, in IGTV, the creators are the channels. When you follow a creator on Instagram, their IGTV channel will show up for you to watch. Anyone can be a creator — you can upload your own IGTV videos in the app or on the web to start your own channel.”

Vertical videos have changed the way in which many of us create and consume content, capturing a large percentage of the video-watching market in the process.

Last year Facebook revealed that its users were more likely to watch vertical videos for longer than traditional 16:9 videos, so it makes sense that Instagram would want to follow suit and embrace, full-screen, vertical video (aside from Stories).

And at IGTV’s launch event, Systrom, explained: “The tools we watch video on are old and out of date. Think about it—we still watch videos formatted for TV, on a vertical screen.”

Examples of IGTV content

1. Manchester City FC

Manchester City FC shared a video containing every single one of the team’s goals in the Premier League during the 2017/18 season.

On Twitter, Manchester City social media manager, Christopher Parkes-Nield, explained: “Seeing lots of accounts just dipping toes in with repackaged one-minute clips in vertical rather than square in-feed. We kicked-off with all 106 #ManCity PL goals from last season – that’s over 37 minutes-worth.”

2. The Economist

The Economist published a 9-minute show a pioneering eco-resort that is trying to prove that tourism can help to revive and protect marine life.

3. National Geographic

National Geographic debuted on IGTV with a 47-minute documentary hosted by Will Smith. The documentary titled ‘One Strange Rock: Home’, follows NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson as she returns home to Earth.

How we got here: From photo sharing to long-form video

Raymond Loewy was one of the 20th century’s most prolific and influential designers. And the theory behind all of his designs was a simple one, called MAYA: Most Advanced Yet Acceptable.

He said to sell something surprising, make it familiar; and to sell something familiar, make it surprising.

For an example of Loewy’s theory in action, look no further than Instagram.

Five years ago, an Instagram product that focused purely on longer-form, mobile videoes may have been met with skepticism. And in 2013, we might all have been thinking, “I’d never watch a 15-minute show on Instagram.” But now, it feels like a natural progression.

When Instagram first launched it was an app that enabled users to filter and share photos. In 2013, videos were added, allowing users to share 15-second clips to their Instagram feed. Next came 60-second videos, vertical video formats, full-screen live video experiences and Stories.

Now, IGTV, though brand new, feels somewhat familiar and a next logical step for Instagram.

How will brand content evolve on IGTV

Will we all have to start producing, high-quality TV-like experiences for Instagram?

Maybe.

If you have the time, budgets and skillsets to put together this type of content, then yes, it might be a great play for your business.

But as video content gets longer, production values and time investment increase. And whilst creating a bunch of engaging, sub-10-second videos for a story on Instagram is a science in itself, creating a 15-minute video is a completely different challenge.

Success on IGTV will be more akin to creating and growing a YouTube channel than an Instagram profile and we’ll see plenty of experimentation from brands and creators alike to see what works on this new platform.

Content production likely won’t be the only way to make IGTV work for your brand, though.

Getting paid has always been a problem for creators and at the IGTV launch, Systrom confirmed that Instagram is focused on ways to help creators to make a living.

Instagram’s parent company, Facebook, recently launched its Brand Collabs Manager to help creators land sponsorship and partnership deals so we could see partnerships and sponsorships between brands and creators become a trend on IGTV, with brands seeking to align themselves and create content alongside stand-out IGTV creators.

And while there aren’t any ads on IGTV at launch, they’ll be on the way soon and ads could also be a way for brands to reach their audience through IGTV. With longer-form content, we may also see Instagram experiment with new ad types such as pre and mid-roll ads.

Over to you

What do you think about IGTV? Are you excited to create and consume long-form content on Instagram? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.