This past June was a landmark month for several reasons: it marked the halfway point of 2018, summer officially started, and a plethora of social media and SEO updates were unveiled. With each new month comes a multitude of exciting updates as tech companies continue to release game changing advancements and cutting edge software, and June showed no sign of a summer slow down. We’ve put together a list of last month’s most noteworthy announcements from Facebook, Google and more to help you keep your business on top of the latest trends and changes in best practices.
3D Posts
At their annual F8 Developer Conference, Facebook gave us an ambiguous glimpse at their forthcoming 3D Post feature. Recently, however, an update has surfaced regarding the multidimensional development. Facebook’s 3D effect will utilize the dual-camera that most smartphones are equipped with to create a “depth map.” Essentially, as you scroll by photos in your newsfeed and tilt your phone, the images will respond and move to match your perspective. The finished product will look something like this:
SourceTime Spent Tracker
Following a study highlighting the negative effects of excessive social media use, Facebook is testing a tool that will allow users to track how much time they’ve spent using the app.The tool will give users insight into how much time they spend on Facebook and provide a variety of notification settings that help users monitor their future usage. With users more mindful of the amount of time spent scrolling through Facebook, marketers may want to consider modifying their social media campaign strategy should they notice a decrease in their engagement after the tool’s release.
SourceShopping Tags in Stories
Instagram is allowing a handful of brands to use their new shopping tag feature in Stories. Selected brands can post photos of products to their Instagram stories and tag them with shopping bag stickers. Users can then click the stickers to access more information about the featured product. This update will allow brands to push advertising beyond the newsfeed and drive purchases in the highly-engaging Stories platform, which has attracted over 300 million users to date. This update is currently only available for select brands during testing with no published expansion date.
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IGTV APP
According to Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom, teens have been watching 60% more video in just the last year. Instagram’s new IGTV app caters to these video-prone users by making video more accessible and convenient. IGTV videos are displayed vertically and can last up to an hour long, unlike their minute-long Instagram predecessors. When the app is opened, videos from Instagram creators play immediately, mimicing a television that has been switched on with a multitude of “channels” to choose from. IGTV is a separate, downloadable app, but it is also available within the Instagram app.
@Mention Sharing
If your business is mentioned in someone else’s story, @mention sharing gives you the option to share that mention in your very own story. Say a customer gives your brand a shoutout in their story. Instagram will notify you that your handle has been featured elsewhere and give you the choice to repost the story for the rest of your followers to see. This feature promotes engagement with your consumers and establishes your credibility as a company.
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Google Algorithm Update
Google has made major updates to its core search algorithm over the past few months, and this month is no different. Many SEO professionals believe Google updated its core search algorithm early in June. While some websites may not have been affected by these updates, a great number of high-authority sites have seen a dramatic decrease in traffic. If you’ve noticed your website had a sudden drop in traffic for June, this algorithm change is the most likely culprit for your dip in numbers. However, as of now, there is not much you can do but wait it out and continue to implement SEO best practices on your website. In time, these updates should settle and well-performing, optimized websites will reap the benefits of patiently sticking to the plan.
Is It Time For An Update?
Implementing these updates into your digital marketing strategy might seem a bit daunting, but it’s manageable if you have the right team. Creative Click Media’s experts are masters of all things digital, ranging from social media to SEO and beyond. Contact us today to discuss how to get your business a head start on the current and predicted trends in the digital marketing sphere!
