Coming Undone
We start today's newsletter in Nigeria, where the government banned Twitter after the platform deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari (which was widely perceived as offensive). And on top of that, any Nigerians caught using the platform will now face prosecution, according to a report in CNN. (Just imagine if Trump had had access to this kind of power 😨).
In today's news:
It's not an edit button — but we'll take it
Pinterest predicts a "Greenaissance"
And a list of upcoming social media conferences you might want to check out...
Read on ⬇️
Pay to play
For years, people have been asking Twitter for an edit button. Last summer, the company made it pretty clear that wasn't going to happen, tweeting: "You can have an edit button when everyone wears a mask." But it looks like we might be able to pay for the next best thing — the ability to "Undo" a tweet before it goes live. Here's what you need to know about Twitter Blue, a new subscription service now available in Canada and Australia.
About Twitter Blue
Last Thursday, Twitter announced the new subscription service, saying it is "meant to add enhanced and complementary features to the already existing Twitter experience for those who want it." So for those who want it, $3.49 Cdn a month provides access to a number of features including: Bookmark folders, Reader Mode, colour and logo customization, and yes — an Undo option. To activate Twitter Blue, log into the Twitter app, click on the three lines in the top-left-hand corner of the screen. In the list of offerings, you should see a "Twitter Blue" option.
More about that "Undo" feature
If you already use a scheduling tool, like Hootsuite, you're familiar with checking your tweets before they go live. But when you tweet directly within the Twitter app, once you hit send, it's gone. This new feature allows you to set a timer of 5-30 seconds on original tweets, replies, threads and quote tweets. That means you'll have whatever allotted time you choose to make changes to your tweet before it goes live.
Who should use this feature?
There are so many examples of brands who tweeted something they later lived to regret. Most recently, the Twitter account for the French Open tennis tournament (Roland-Garros) shared a post appearing to mock the world's No. 2 Naomi Osaka (who chose not to speak to media). They later deleted the tweet, but as always, someone had already screen grabbed it and shared it widely. In this case, it was a reporter from Axios. A 30-second undo feature may not have saved them in this case, but some sober reflection definitely could have helped.
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SOCIAL SNACKS
Pinterest predicts a "Greenaissance"
Pinterest recently conducted a survey that suggests 4 in 5 consumers plan to continue to take action to live a more sustainable lifestyle post-COVID. And according to Pinterest, its users are 40% more likely to say the environment is a personal interest, and 30% more likely than non-Pinners to act on that interest. So if you're using Pinterest as part of your content strategy, consider the fact that Pinterest users are more likely to eat local, buy green, and be more concerned about their carbon footprint.
Facebook gets ready to hit publish on 'Bulletin'
Newsletters are the new battleground for social media platforms, and Facebook is reportedly getting ready to jump in with its offering, called Bulletin. But according to a report in Vox, not everyone will get creator access right away. Facebook is instead recruiting (and paying) a select group of writers to create content. (Wait, I thought they weren't a media company 🤨). Earlier this year, Twitter launched its newsletter feature, called Revue.
ICYMI
🔴 Facebook says Trump's ban will last at least two years [NY Times].
🔴 Clubhouse will soon allow users to link Instagram and Twitter accounts [Mashable]
🔴 LinkedIn now allows you to add pronouns to your profile [Engadget]
🔴 Twitter is testing full-screen ads in Fleets [CNBC]
🔴 YouTube adds new analytics options to provide more context on memberships, revenue and more [Social Media Today]
APP-ETITE
Top Apps Worldwide for May 2021
It definitely feels like we're on repeat here, as TikTok holds onto the top spot for most downloaded app globally in May 2021, according to mobile app analytics firm Sensor Tower. Brazil and China are the top two countries driving TikTok's growth. And once again, Facebook and its properties (Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger) round out the other four spots in the top five.
In Canada, TikTok is the third most popular app, according to App Annie.
COMING UP
Virtual Social Media Conferences
Social Media Camp Summits
Social Media for Not for Profits Summit - Sept. 22, 2021
Strategic Content Planning Summit - Nov. 17, 2021
Social Media Strategies Summit
Social Media Strategies Summit for Corporate - June 8-11, 2021
Social Media Strategies Summit for Higher Education - Oct. 18-21, 2021
Social Media Strategies Summit for Public Agencies and Government - Dec. 8-9, 2021
Social Media Examiner
Social Media Marketing World - Mar. 14-16, 2022
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