"The Social Media Hash" is a weekly blog covering changes and updates to the ever changing social media landscape. You can join us live every Friday at 4:00 pm/pt on the LKE Social Media Facebook page for "The Social Media Hash Live with Roc & Red," where we hash it out!
On April 30 and May 1, 2019 major changes and updates to Facebook and its other apps were announced at the F8 conference.
Desktop and Mobile redesign Facebook Redesigns Mobile App and Desktop Site Around Stories, Groups, and Events. The redesign rolls out on mobile this week and on desktop over the next couple of months.
Emphasis on stories and Groups
THE NEW LOOK
* Puts Stories at the forefront, above the feed
* Features a prominent Groups tab
* Highlights a personalized activity feed with updates from across all of your groups
* The new Groups tab will have an improved Discovery tool with better recommendations for other groups
* Specialized types of groups such as health support, job and buy and sell will get new tool
* A new events tab will roll out this summer, allowing you to see whats happening around you and
will alert you with recommendations
* Facebook is currently testing a Meet New Friends tool in select markets.
* Will eventually get a wider rollout and integration with Groups.
* Will allow users to browse people from shared communities such as school, workplace, or city who have also opted into the feature
* Algorithms will sort potential connections through mutual friends and interests
* Can send a friend request or ONE ONLY MESSAGE
Messenger Introduces Lighter, Faster Mobile App and Upcoming Desktop Site: After simplifying and decluttering the Messenger interface as of October 18, 2018
The more simple version of Messenger will focus on chat, highlights your “close friends,” and features video co-watching capabilities. The redesigned Messenger experience will roll out to mobile later this year and will get desktop apps, co-watching and emoji status
Facebook Adds New Business Tools: Messenger is providing a new set of plug-and-play solutions aimed at making it easier for businesses to drive in-store traffic, generate leads, and provide customer care. An appointment-booking function lead generation template will be built directly into Ads Manager
CREATE AND MANAGE A GROUP FROM YOUR BUSINESS PAGE
OTHER CHANGES, UPDATES AND NEWS
YouTube is rolling out the New YouTube Studio, where creators will be creating and storing all their content. You can toggle between both for now, but within a few months it will transition to the new format.
Facebook Dating rolled out in 14 countries last week.
Instagram Adds Ability to Shop From Creators: Instagram users will soon be able to shop fashion looks directly from creators’ Instagram photos with a new product tagging tool.
Instagram Adds Donation Stickers to Stories: Starting this week, Instagram users in the U.S. will be able to raise money for non-profits they care about directly within Stories. A new Donation sticker joins Instagram’s library of interactive sticker options.
Instagram Introduces New Camera Design With Create Mode: In the coming weeks. The new camera will make it simpler to use popular creative tools like effects and interactive stickers without having to start with a photo or video.
I hope to hear from you on FB, Twitter and Instagram. I welcome feedback and questions about social media for business that you would like covered in subsequent blogs and on my Facebook Live "The Social Media Hash Live with Roc & Red" every Friday at 4:00 pm/pt