October has been a busy month for the social media platforms. Here’s a short round-up of what’s new in social media in October.
X
X, formerly known as Twitter, is testing a new program called “Not A Bot” in New Zealand and the Philippines that will charge new, unverified users $1 each year for some of the platform’s basic features, including posting, replying, reposting, and liking. This is the first time that X has charged users for basic features.
The company says that the goal of the program is to reduce spam and bot activity on the platform. X has been struggling with spam and bots for years, and the company believes that this new program will help to make the platform more welcoming and useful for all users.
Threads
Threads, Instagram’s close friends’ messaging app, is testing a new feature called “Paid Partnership” tags for influencer promotions. This feature will allow creators to identify posts and messages that are sponsored or paid for by brands.
To use the new feature, creators simply need to tap the three dots icon in the top right corner of a post or message and select “Mark as paid partnership.” They will then be able to select the brand that they are partnering with.
Once a post or message has been marked as a paid partnership, it will have a “Paid Partnership with [brand name]” label at the top. This label will be visible to all of the creator’s followers.
In October 2023, LinkedIn laid off approximately 668 employees, or 3% of its workforce. The layoffs affected employees across the company, including engineering, product, talent, and finance.
The layoffs came as LinkedIn’s revenue growth slowed. In the third quarter of 2023, LinkedIn’s revenue grew 12% year-over-year, down from 23% growth in the same quarter of 2022.
LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky said in a memo to employees that the layoffs were necessary to “ensure that we are best positioned for long-term growth.” He also said that the company would be “slowing the pace of hiring for the rest of the year.”
The layoffs at LinkedIn are part of a broader trend of job cuts in the tech industry. In recent months, other tech companies such as Meta, Twitter, and Netflix have also laid off employees.
Facebook is introducing a number of new features this October.
The platform has released a number of new features for Reels, including the ability to cross-promote Reels to Instagram, the ability to schedule Reels, and the ability to add text overlays to Reels.
There are also new features for Groups, including the ability to create Reels in Groups, the ability to expand Group admin features, and the ability to add additional Instagram integrations.
Facebook is also investing in AI-powered discovery to help users find more relevant content on the platform. This includes recommending posts, photos, videos, groups, and short- and long-form articles based on users’ interests and past behaviour.
Finally, from Instagram, there are several updates.
Instagram is testing the ability to create Reels up to 10 minutes long. This would allow creators to share longer-form content on Instagram, such as tutorials, vlogs, and performances.
The platform is also launching a new feature called Notes. Notes are short messages that users can post to their profiles and stories. Notes can be used to share thoughts, ideas, and updates with followers.
About 8848
8848 Agency is a successful full-service agency. We provide marketing communications support to a wide range of blue-chip and successful businesses. Established in 1999, we provide a wide range of marketing support.
Our social media team creates and executes successful social media strategies for a diverse range of clients. This includes understanding the target audience, developing engaging content, and using social media analytics to measure and improve results.
Our social media team offers:
- Creativity: we develop content that will capture the attention of your target audience. This includes creating visually appealing images and videos, writing engaging copy, and coming up with new and innovative ways to promote your brand.
- Technical skills: we have a strong understanding of social media platforms and how to use them effectively. This includes knowing how to create and post content, use social media ads, and track and analyse results.
- Data analysis: we’re specialists in collecting and analysing data to measure the success of your campaigns and identify areas for improvement. This data can be used to inform future social media strategies and create more effective content.
Alongside social media, 8848 has a team of experts in a variety of marketing disciplines including:
- Branding
- Content marketing
- Digital marketing
- Sponsorship management
- Email marketing
- Public relations
- Search engine optimisation (SEO)
- Social media marketing
- Web design and development
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