What's new in social media? 📱
1. Instagram will be changing its grid display soon. In a bid to move more towards video content, Instagram has tested changing from a square grid display, to a vertical display. This will have a big impact on creators who have curated a perfectly lined up grid, so it's worth noting in your social media strategy.
2. Threads has had some changes. Notably, it has officially introduced analytics, with key performance metrics, to the app. It's also rolling out post scheduling for up to 100 posts. These changes are a clear move towards facilitating content creators on the app.
3. LinkedIn has improved its semantic search capability to allow it to "answer complex queries". This means there may be less of a need to use hashtags on LinkedIn, since their search system doesn't use just keywords now.
Hear team BV's AI top tips 📱
1. Nichole's top tip is continuous training is essential. It's crucial to educate ourselves on both the risks and ethical considerations of AI, as well as how to effectively utilise it. With AI evolving rapidly, ongoing training and learning from others are key to maximising its potential.
2. Alec suggests when using ChatGPT, to generate multiple versions of the content to give yourself a range of options. You can then mix and match elements, followed by careful editing, to create what you're looking for.
3. Sarah highlights how the quality of your prompt directly impacts the quality of the content generated. So take your time and ensure that you include as much information as possible in your prompt. Structured Prompt is an efficient tool to make sure you're getting the most out of ChatGPT or other AI tools.
4. Lucie's top tip: Use ChatGPT's image generator for inspiration. Some of the content it produces is pretty whacky, but it can be a great starting point to build on when designing graphics!
5. Chloe's insider knowledge is that AI isn't just for generating content; it's also a valuable tool for enhancing it. It's useful to put the written copy into AI and ask what it thinks the key messages are, what sections could be removed, and how it could be improved.
6. Chloe C's top tip is to use caution! When using AI, it's essential to be mindful of how you use these tools and what information you share. Avoid disclosing sensitive data, especially on unsecured platforms, and ensure the AI services you use have strong privacy policies. Ethically, consider how you communicate the use of AI, prioritising responsibility and transparency. Always stay informed on best practices for AI security and ethical usage to protect yourself and others.
What's new in social media?📱
- LinkedIn has seen record engagement in the fiscal Q4 period, and video is the fasting growing content type. They're also looking to lean into features such as full screen videos. This means you may want to consider increasing your video content.
- Instagram has updated its metrics to emphasise a focus on views rather than the traditional likes and followers. Instagram's algorithm is showing you more of the type of content you engage with, rather than more of the content of people you follow. User patterns have changed, so it's something to consider when building your social media strategy.
- Instagram has also expanded carousels to 20 photos rather than 10.
Happy birthday to us!
As we turn 16, we feel extremely proud of the huge milestones we've achieved this year, including expanding into Jersey and the UK, we cannot wait to see where we will be on our next birthday. 🥳
What's new in social media? 📱
- Threads continues to grow and reports it has hit 200 million users in just over a year of its existence.
- LinkedIn is rolling out the possibility for company pages to be verified. Pages will need accurate key information, such as location, active page admins, and compliance with policies.
- X has moved the livestream feature so only paying users can access it, furthering the divide between premium and non-premium users.
"TikTok has become an increasingly pivotal platform for marketers."
CreatorIQ’s report highlights the top 100 brands based on Earned Media Value (EMV) from March 2023 to Feb 2024. Key takeaways:
1. Authenticity is crucial.
2. Consistent creator posts boost engagement.
3. Strong brand-creator alignment is essential.
4. TikTok users trust brands more when creators recommend them, leading to higher engagement and EMV. 📈
Check out the full report here: https://experience.creatoriq.com/tiktok-top-100/p/1?submissionGuid=873bf301-2a2e-4339-8eb1-f60f8d64f41b for more insights.
Our Jersey based Account Director, Sarah Allum, is an expert in business development. She understands how to build and maintain professional relationships and is a networking superstar.
Below are Sarah's top tips for business development:
- Understand who your customers are. Ensure you understand your different client profiles before approaching them as one approach does not fit all. You need to be flexible according to your client. This way you're able to connect with them more effectively.
- Listen. It might sound simple, but it's easy to talk at a potential client and tell them all about you and your experience. If you don't listen, you won't understand their pain points.
- Share your expertise. If I connect with someone who isn't ready to become a client just yet, I always offer some help, as a) I genuinely want to help and b) it helps to maintain a relationship over time. Whether they become a client or not, you've made a good contact.
The final count is in and we're so thrilled to share that we raised a total of £2,000 for The Bathing Pools at our BV Bingo night!
Thank you to everyone who came along and donated generously on the night. It was a lovely evening in support of an excellent community space.
Black Vanilla was one of the initial sponsors of La Vallette and it's amazing to see how far the project has come.
We had so much fun playing bingo with you all and raising money for a great local cause.
Thank you again to all who donated the fantastic raffle prizes, we had some very happy winners!
Le Gouffre Cafe and Restaurant
Rosso
Specsavers Guernsey
Rocquette Cider
JTsocial
POS
Louise Le Pelley - Guernsey Pubs
GoYoga
Gallienne & Goubert
The Hollis family
Are you celebrating an anniversary next year?
Whatever the occasion our events team are always happy to chat through your plans, big or small. We can help you with every stage of the process and be the extra pair of hands you need to make your event a success!
Have a no strings attached coffee with us to discuss an event and see how we can help you. ☕️
Call the office on 01481 729 229 or email [email protected] to get in touch.
What's new in social media? 📱
- Instagram tests a 'super like' on stories. It's unconfirmed whether this will be a paid feature but it looks to be limited to once per day. This feature could also act as a signal to the alogrithm that you're super keen on that account's content so you will see more of it on your feed.
- Instagram has also expanded its notes feature meaning users can now leave notes on reels and feed posts. Notes only last three days and you can only leave a note if you are a mutal connection meaning this feature is just another way to ineract with your friends.
- TikTok updates video thumbnails. You can now upload an image to use as the preview image instead of picking a still from your video.
#SocialMedia #Instagram #TikTok #Engagement #PersonalBrand
What's new in social media 📱
- X is developing a dislike button for replies.
- Instagram shares some tips on how to improve your reels game.
- TikTok shares its tactics for avoiding the spread of misinformation on the platform amid global elections
TikTok claimed: 'We proactively removed over 96% of violative misinformation content before it was reported to us, and over 80% before receiving a single view in this period.'
Read the full article here: https://shorturl.at/4yvJC
- LinkedIn's new AI assistant, which is only available for premium users, has many useful tools. For example, it helps boost engagement and visibility by offering insights into your audiences' interests, pain points and desires, so you can tailor your content to them. The tool also provides valuable insights about companies and professionals, making it easier to tailor outreach efforts and build meaningful connections.
What's new in social media?
- Likes are now private on X. What does that mean for brands and companies using X? The intention may be to give people more 'freedom' to engage with content they enjoy without fear of judgement, but it could also mean users are more likely to engage in damaging and hateful content 🆇
- LinkedIn has created a new video ad placement, whereby brands can choose where the ad is placed in their video content, and which ads are used. This is part of LinkedIn's drive towards video content to increase user engagement, and will add credibility to ads 🤳
- Instagram is trailling 'creator insights' which provides an overview of performance over the last 30 days. Brand accounts can view this information about creator's pages to evaluate the potential for partnerships. Insights given include follower growth, engagement and reach 📈
- TikTok has added the option for creators to download their videos without a watermark. This will provide the option to repurpose the content on other platforms without the usual penalty that content with a TikTok watermark used to get on platforms such as Instagram reels.
What's new in social media? 🆕
1. Tiktok has recently launched a management dashboard called 'Tiktok Studio', designed to help creators manage their Tiktok accounts. The dashboard will allow them to manage video uploading, editing and performance analytics too 📲
2. LinkedIn has changed its link previews, meaning you may want to change your posting approach. All organic posts will eventually have a smaller link preview image, meaning you'll be able to distinguish between organic and sponsored posts 🔗
3. In an attempt to increase engagement, Instagram tests making memes interactive. The trending memes will be available to incorporate into their reels function to aim to make content more timely and trendy 🎥
4. Threads has rolled out a side swiping feature, in an effort to give people more control over the content they see. Users will be able to swipe right to like a post, and left to indicate that they are not interested in this type of content 👈
#SocialMedia #Tiktok #LinkedIn #Instagram #Threads
Liberation Day 2024 was a great success, so let's rewind and take a look back at one of Black Vanilla's busiest days in the calendar! ⏪ 🤩
#LibDay2024 #BVImpact #Client
What's new in social media? 📱
- Data from Aptopia suggests Threads now has more active users in the US than X.
- LinkedIn wants to reignite relationships at work and 'put fun at the heart of it' and has launched three games that can be played within the mobile app. Similarly to Wordle, the games can be played once daily, and you can see a leaderboard of your other connections who play.
- Instagram has made a major algorithm update after months of user complaints about low reach and engagement. Smaller creators and accounts posting original content will be given more love.
- TikTok is trialling 60 minute videos. Despite being known for its short form video content, it could attract users from apps such as YouTube, expanding its users average age.
#SocialMedia #LinkedIn #Instagram #Threads #Tiktok
This week is Alternative Transport Week, and we have sponsored JAE Lucie to be able to hire an electric bike for the week and commit to not using her car for the entire week! 🚲
The rest of the team will be trialling different modes of transport to work this week to see if they can find a more sustainable way to the office which suits them.
At Black Vanilla, we encourage our team members to make a conscious effort to promote sustainability within their lives. 🌍
#ATWGuernsey
What's new in social media? 🌐
-What is TikTok Notes? TikTok is starting to roll out an image sharing app, similar to Instagram in functionality. It is currently only available in Canada and Australia and in the testing stage. Users can link their TikTok profiles and, just like TikTok, there will be a 'following' feed and an algorithim based 'for you' feed.
- New X (formerly Twitter) users will have to pay to tweet. In a bid to reduce bots, Elon Musk has said that a small fee will be charged to users as bots can easily pass the 'are you a bot' test.
- Facebook has launched an update which means that all videos posted to the app will be expanded to a vertical format. This comes as video content, specifically short-form, becomes increasingly popular. It's a clear nod to how powerful TikTok has been in changing the social media space.
#SocialMedia #TikTok
What's happening in social media? 🌐
- Will TikTok be banned in the US? Vice President Kamala Harris said banning TikTok was 'not the goal...of this conversation' in response to questions on the sell-off bill. Due to national data privacy concerns, the US wants TikTok owner, ByteDance, to sell the platform to a US owned organisation or face a nationwide ban.
- A new LinkedIn feature allows users to message company pages.
- Instagram tests a new feature with some users which gives the option to comment on individual photos in a carousel post.
- X (formerly Twitter) announces a new Head of Safety and looks to improve its moderation processes. The Head of Safety position has been unfilled since June last year and users have noticed an extreme lack of content regulation on the platform, described in a Fortune article as ‘so toxic it’s almost unrecognisable’.
#SocialMedia
This week in social media 🌐
-Instagram has added insights and analytics to desktop! Making social media managers everywhere very happy 😁
-X has launched its new call feature, enabling video and audio calls. Currently, you can only call users that you have interacted with in DMs.
-Further songs and sounds on TikTok are being muted and lost as the dispute with Universal Music Group continues.
#socialmedia