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This week's all about optimization and user experience—from the social network and brand perspectives. Facebook grabbed headlines with a big algorithm change that aims to reward high-quality content, and social media industry leaders united to stress the gravity of live video.

We'll also divulge all the details about Facebook's rumored standalone camera app meant to rival Snapchat, share surefire ways for your brand to build a successful presence on messaging platforms like WhatsApp, and tip you off about the best tools for upping your Instagram game.

Skim for all the latest!

Facebook tweaks News Feed algorithm in effort to boost engagement

The social network announced a series of algorithm tweaks affecting what posts are likely to appear in a user's Timeline.

The first tweak places higher priority on engagement time, which not only reflects whether a user liked or commented on a post but also now uses data from Instant Articles and the like to see how long those users spent on similar posts from an author or publisher in the past.

Facebook's second adjustment will reduce how often people see several posts from the same publisher in a row, a response to user complaints that their Timeline content is becoming repetitive and boring.

The company notes that publishers may see a very small increase or decrease in traffic, but says no significant changes are expected. In all, the shift is a move toward quality over quantity, and should reduce the amount of clickbait we see.

1. Social marketing leaders converge to spotlight the importance of live video

Marketing nerds of the world descended on San Diego this week for the world's largest social media conference, where industry leaders made two things clear: Snapchat has shed its awkward adolescence and now demands the attention of all, and live video has become the most vital form of content.

That may not sound like a revelation to those of you who 'Skim with us every week, but there's a shift in social that takes us beyond posting and commenting, and now all but requires a combination of elements, including audio, video, live video, and image creation. It's a more complex puzzle that requires a whole new way of thinking, and an entirely new approach to content marketing.

In short: that meeting you keep pushing back between your strategy and creative departments needs to happen now.

2. Snapchat quietly kills its in-app payment option

After a failed attempt to get consumers to pay the network directly for the privilege of re-playing snaps, the ephemeral photo-sharing platform shuttered its in-app payment option.

This comes just two months after the company stopped selling lenses back in January, signaling that the app might have difficulty expanding its revenue streams outside of its core ad business.

In a bright spot, Snapchat has seen success with its new On-Demand Geofilters, which allow individuals and organizations to design and buy filters at affordable rates.

3. Facebook reportedly plans to take on Snapchat with standalone camera app

A report from the Wall Street Journal says the social network has tasked its London team with developing a Snapchat competitor in the form of a standalone camera app that incorporates livestreaming capabilities.

Even if it comes to fruition, any consumer-ready product is a long-way off, and Facebook has reportedly declined to comment further. Given the mixed-bag of success with previous app endeavors, we'll have to wait this one out to see whether it truly becomes a Snapchat killer.

4. YouTube rolls out six-second video ad product

They're called Bumper ads, and their unskippable, six-second format is best on mobile, where snackable video bits perform well. Do you think your brand could tell its story in six seconds, like Audi did in its Bumper ad below? Let us know in the comments!

5. For many publishers, Twitter video beats Facebook

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#SocialSkim: What Facebook's Algorithm Change Means, Plus 12 More Stories in This Week's Roundup

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image of Christian Neri

Christian Neri is a digital marketing professional in the film & television industry, and a contributor to MarketingProfs. An American expat in Paris, he recently completed his MS in digital marketing at IÉSEG School of Management.

Instagram: @christianneri

Twitter: @christianneri