What would Instagram be like without likes? This month Instagram began testing hiding the like count on posts meaning that users will no longer be able to see how many likes a post receives. Other updates we saw in the social media world include Facebook getting a makeover on its mobile app and Instagram releasing quiz stickers on its stories. Continue reading below for all of the latest news in the social media world!
Instagram without likes?
Instagram has begun testing hiding the total number of likes on a post! The test for now has only begun in Canada with likes being hidden in the Feed, permalinked pages and on profiles. Although followers won’t be able to see the total number of likes on a post, the owner will still be able to see their total like count. If Instagram were to remove the like count completely it would be interesting to see how the platform would change. We might see less people deleting photos that didn’t receive as many likes as they hoped and more authentic photos that haven’t been heavily edited. It will be very interesting to see what happens to the platform if it abandons likes all together! No need to worry though, it is only in the testing phase and may be a while till we see any changes. Click here to learn more about Instagram hiding like counts!
Instagram launches quiz stickers
Instagram has launched another interactive sticker on its stories which allows users to create a quiz for their followers. The new quiz sticker is a great way to interact and gain feedback from your followers. Businesses are already jumping at this opportunity to communicate better with their customers, by asking what they would like to see from their brand. It’s important to interact with your followers as when a user interacts with one of your stories it sends a signal to Instagram’s algorithm. This can then rank your stories higher in the user’s story timeline, meaning there is a higher chance your followers will see your story! Getting users to not only view your content, but interact with it is key to reaching a greater percentage of your followers. For more information on how you can use Instagram’s latest quiz sticker, click here!
Shopify adds facebook dynamic ads and Snapchat Story AdsShopify has just allowed businesses to create, manage and launch dynamic ads on Facebook and began rolling out Story Ads on Snapchat to help reach more shoppers. If you’re not sure what Facebook dynamic ads are, they are similar to a normal Facebook ad, however instead you can create an ad template that automatically uses images and details from your data feed on products you would like to advertise. With dynamic ads, you can retarget people who have taken action on your website or app, or use broad audience targeting to reach people who may not have visited your website or app before. Available on the Shopify platform, merchants can now synchronise their pricing and product availability information with Facebook’s dynamic ads that show items to target customers through the social platform. Shopify users can also create branded tiles in Snapchat’s Discover section to display a selection of products within Snapchat story ads. These latest Facebook and Snapchat integrations offer e-commerce advertisers seamless ad creation and management for their social campaigns. For more info on these new adds within the Shopify platform, click here.
Facebook to receive a makeover!
If you haven’t noticed already, Facebook mobile has had a makeover with a new layout, which is just the start of some major changes to the social platform! The Facebook logo is currently undergoing a full redesign and the desktop layout is also going to be revamped with the blue border being removed at the top of the screen. The new design has also placed groups and communities front and centre meaning Facebook is wanting the platform to be community based, encouraging users to interact with one another. Not only is a new makeover on the cards for Facebook, but improvements to its privacy settings, more social features in the Messenger app including the ability to watch Facebook videos with your messengers friends at the same time and more focus on community groups. It will be interesting to see the changes that Facebook will undergo during the rest of the year and how this may affect businesses. These changes may offer businesses the chance to organically grow their audience with Facebook Groups and build a community of engaged followers! For more info on what the rest of 2019 brings for Facebook, click here.
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