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