June’s Digital Marketing Updates
Big Headline: Instagram’s Testing a New Stories UI
Stories may look different in the next few weeks if Instagram releases a 'show all' prompt on multi-frame stories. This is what we know so far:
Instagram plans to hide Stories after a certain frame count.
A few tests show the first 3 frames along with a tiny ‘Show all’ prompt on the top left of the screen.
Experts predict fewer stories will be seen if this prompt is released.
Audience’s Perspective — If this feature becomes permanent, brands will need to change their approach to stories with a focus on the first 3 frames.
Facebook Introduces 'Basic Ads' Product
After years of legal setbacks revolving around data privacy, Facebook is reportedly developing a new ad product that will not rely on users' personal information. According to Business Insider, this is what brands can expect:
Made for brands to raise brand awareness and shape perception of products through broad targeting.
Measured by basic metrics including engagements and video views.
Audience’s Perspective — Facebook is still reeling from Apple’s new privacy rules and this is their plan to offset negative results. That said, it is still unclear how this will benefit brands.
Twitter Tests 'Twitter Circle'
Similar to Instagram's 'Close Friends' list, Twitter plans to release 'Twitter Circle'— a space where users can share content with a smaller group of people. Here's how it will work:
Users can choose up to 150 people to share content with.
People within the circle will see green text letting them know that the content is exclusive to them.
Users can add and remove people from the Circle without notifying others.
Audience’s Perspective — This has been a key feature of many platforms. Remember Google+? Despite being a good idea, it is unlikely to succeed because most people will not set up their circle.