March Social Media Round Up

Here are the latest social media features, changes, and trends from the past month to help our clients make more informed decisions and drive better results in their social media marketing strategy. 

1. Instagram Re-Igniting User Engagement with “Memory” Story Prompts

Instagram is currently testing a new feature to encourage users to repost their old content. The feature is called a 'Memory' Story prompt and is already appearing on users' feeds. This feature is in response to the declining engagement in the platform where users are less likely to post personal updates, yet consume more content.

This feature is essentially a repackaging of the archive feature. When tapping the Memory story, users will be shown their previous stories that were shared around the same date.

This helps your organization revisit activities you did in the past making it a good way to post #throwbacks on your social media channels. 

2. Meta Reveals Multiple Measures to Safeguard Teen Users

Meta released an overview of its strategies and tools that aim to safeguard teenage users on its platform after seeing data that showed a huge 265% increase in reports of children being sexually exploited online in recent years. This new update will urge teenagers who are already on Facebook to pick settings that are more private. This includes settings that determine who can see their list of friends, as well as their actions and profile on Facebook.

Thanks to these updates, your organization can support protecting vulnerable users. Nonprofits who work with children and young people can benefit from this in a way to ensure their safety and protection from online harm. Also, it helps non-profits demonstrate their commitment to ethical and responsible practices, which can increase trust and credibility among stakeholders.

 

3. Linkedin Has Introduced New Visual Features for User Profiles, as Well as Scheduling Tools for Newsletters

LinkedIn is making an effort to enhance the visual appeal of user profiles, which will be welcomed by critics who have long complained about the platform's stagnant format. Your Activity section on the website now shows pictures, videos, and articles in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This means that you have more choices for how to make your profile look better with visuals. 

4. These Changes Aim to Enhance the User Experience on the Platform and Make It Easier for Professionals to Manage Their Content and Communications

Wow! That means, you will now have the option to incorporate more visual elements into your profile presentation, and the Activity section will display images, videos, and articles in a more aesthetically pleasing manner. Your profile visitors will also be able to view specific activity elements in a more visually engaging format. Now, that sounds way nicer.

5. A Significant Amount of Social Media Discussions Are Shifting Towards Messaging Platforms.

People are now using private messages to share updates with their close circles instead of posting publicly. This is because public posts can lead to arguments and stress due to sensitive topics being discussed. Because of this, Meta is focusing more on messaging and has added new features to Instagram, such as 'Channels', which allows for broadcast messaging. They have also reintegrated Messenger into the main Facebook app. 

This shift would help your organization build personal connections, real-time communication, and increased transparency towards your clients. Are you excited to try it out? 

6. Linkedin Has Created a 'podcast Academy' in Order to Grow Its Podcast Network

LinkedIn wants to support new podcasters by creating a LinkedIn Podcast Academy that will start on March 20th. It has 19 new business podcasts and will help creators gain a bigger audience by giving them special programs, coaching tools, and LinkedIn co-branding.

The best benefit of this feature for organizations is an increase in donor retention. Learning how to create podcasts can help retain existing donors by providing regular progress updates on your work, while also showcasing the impact of donor contributions. Time to launch your first podcast!

 

7. Openai Has Launched a New Version of Gpt as Generative Ai Tools Continue to Grow and Develop

OpenAI has released GPT-4; an improved version of the AI model used by ChatGPT. OpenAI claims that they can create text that looks like it was written by a human. They can do many things, such as translate languages, create language models, and write text for chatbots.

How can this update help you? Using this version will help your organization improve communications with supporters and donors by generating personalized and relevant content. This can increase engagement and build stronger relationships with stakeholders.



And our favourite function? It can automate content creation, which can reduce the cost and time associated with creating content. This can free up resources for nonprofits to focus on other important activities.

 

8. YouTube's iOS App Now Allows Creators to Choose Thumbnails For Their Short Clips

YouTube is now allowing creators on iOS to choose a frame from their Short clip as their thumbnail. Thumbnails can grab the viewer's attention and entice them to click on the video, increasing the likelihood of engagement. Its consistent use of branded thumbnails also allows non-profit to build brand recognition, engagement and increase awareness of their cause. But, make sure to choose the best thumbnail—one that grabs your audience.

Wow! That’s a lot of updates. But, if you want to truly succeed in your social media marketing efforts, you need to start tuning into our monthly roundups. So, which of these updates is more exciting to you?