What’s New in Social Media? October 2016 Edition

What’s New in Social Media? October 2016 Edition

Here’s a summary of what’s been happening on all of your favorite social media platforms lately.

Social media platforms change so frequently, it’s often hard to keep up. But, since social media is a crucial part of any effective content marketing strategy, it’s important to know what tools are available to your business and how you might gain value from using them.

That being said, we’ll be regularly summarizing any updates, changes, additions, or otherwise noteworthy goings-on in the social media world in this space. Feel free to send me an email if you want more information about any of these tools or if you’d like to see us cover something new in social media that we haven’t.

Facebook combats fake stories in Trending Topics

After letting its news curation staff go this summer, Facebook is working to find a solution to combat sensational news stories from creeping into its Trending news section, now run completely by algorithms. The company announced that it will implement a technology similar to that used by the news feed feature. Read more

Longer tweets come to Twitter

As of September 19, Twitter has changed the kind of content that counts toward the 140-character limit in tweets. Media attachments, quote tweets, and @names in replies no longer count toward the limit. Read more

Snapchat becomes Snap Inc., launches video sunglasses

In September, Snapchat launched a new line of business, video-enabled sunglasses (called Spectacles), and rebranded with a new corporate name, Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel said in a blog post that the rebranding reflects the company’s diversification. Read more

Facebook launches Messenger Day to Poland, and it looks a lot like Snapchat

Facebook Messenger users in Poland, where Snapchat is not yet popular, can now share illustrated photos and videos that disappear within 24 hours. The platform says it often tests new features before rolling them out to other markets, but it is not yet clear if or when Messenger Day will come to the U.S. Read more

Twitter rolls out Moments to all members

Moments are a collection of tweets that focus on the same subject. Previously available only to specific partners, all members are now able to use this feature. Read more

Facebook enhances Canvas’ capabilities for brand advertising

New metrics, templates, and upcoming features like 360 videos are all ways Facebook is expanding the advertising feature’s utility for all businesses. Read more. Relatedly, brands can now create custom audiences based on users who have viewed their Canvas ads on Facebook. Read more

Pinterest launches Promote button

Brands can now promote their pins when creating it or when viewing it on their profiles with the new Promote button. Read more

Vimeo rolls out Vimeo Business

Video streaming platform Vimeo officially announced its business-focused membership option, Vimeo Business. The subscription includes unlimited bandwidth, analytics tools, and lead-generation mechanisms. Read more

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Social Media Facts for B2B Companies

Social Media Facts for B2B Companies

social media and supply chain managementA recent collection of social media facts and stats offers an interesting look at B2B company and buyer behavior.

Last month, Webbiquity published a list of 49 social media facts and stats about user behavior on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+. These figures, collected from various studies, offer insight into how people and businesses are using social networking in recent times.

B2B companies may find several of the stats particularly interesting, and it may influence the way they think about social media marketing. I have pulled out some of the most applicable and offered some thoughts below.

Social media facts and stats from Webbiquity

88% of B2B companies use Facebook for marketing (and 96% of all B2C companies )

If you are not using Facebook in your marketing efforts, you are in a quickly growing minority. With 968 million active daily users, the largest social networking site offers a huge opportunity — actually, the most expansive opportunity available — for your business to attract, court, and convert potential customers. Here are some of our top tips for using Facebook to market your business.

93% of small business owners and marketers use Facebook.

Small businesses don’t have the time or budget to compete with large brands when it comes to marketing — but social media can level the playing field. Social media, and Facebook especially, is an ideal marketing platform for small businesses because it can be relatively inexpensive but have a high impact on growth. Your company can cultivate your brand, engage with customers, and form business relationships. Learn how two small companies saw enormous growth thanks to social media.

21% of consumers say they unfollow brands that post repetitive or boring content. 19% say they would unfollow a brand on Facebook if the brand posted too often — more than six times a day.

We know that creating good, original content is key to a successful inbound marketing strategy. But knowing how often to post to the various social channels can be one of the more intimidating obstacles to overcome. How do you know what’s too much and what’s too little? Learn how often you should post on social media.

74% B2B decision makers use LinkedIn to help make purchasing decisions.

Don’t let anyone convince you that social media channels are for personal use only: customers are online, and if you aren’t, you’re at a disadvantage. And since nearly three-quarters use LinkedIn for purchasing decisions, it’s critical that your business is strategic about your presence on the network. Check out this guide for creating the perfect LinkedIn company page to get started.

88% of B2B marketers in North America use Twitter for content distribution.

Twitter is one of the more effective channels for gaining business, and the numbers prove it. A Market Probe International survey found that 72% of those who follow a business on Twitter are more likely to make a purchase from that business, and that 82% of followers are more likely to recommend a product or service to friends and family. Additionally, 85% of respondents reported feeling a closer connection to a small business if they follow them on Twitter. Learn more about Twitter for business.

Pinterest has 47 million active monthly users worldwide, 80% of whom are women.

While Pinterest use is rapidly growing among B2C marketers, the B2B world still hasn’t quite figured it out yet. I pulled out the two above stats to show the enormous potential this channel has, particularly for businesses whose customer base is primarily women. Fronetics’ social prospecting workbook has some ideas on how to get started using Pinterest.

32% of U.S. companies with 100+ employees used Instagram for marketing activities in 2015. eMarketer predicts that number will jump to 70.7% by 2017.

The importance of Instagram for B2B companies will continue to grow. Here’s why: 90% of Instagram users are under age 35. A recent Google study showed an increasing number of Millennials on the B2B purchasing path — up to 46% of potential buyers were of this generation in 2014. Their preferences and behaviors are having a noticeable impact on B2B buyer behavior as a whole. So if your business wants to capitalize on the nearly 300 million active monthly users, Instagram should be on your radar.

64% of North American B2B marketers use Google+ to distribute content, but just 17% use it for new product launches (vs. 81% who use LinkedIn).

Americans may use Google+ less frequently than some of the other networks, but don’t count it out entirely. More people check the site than people realize, including die-hard fans of Google products and the many businesses who use the Google suite professionally.

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