Right on schedule
Just Another Day in Social Media. 🤷♀️
Social media is dead. At least, according to this article from Vice. I agree that some of the platforms (like TikTok) are starting to skew towards more of a consumption model than a community model. But I think it's a bit early to say anything is dead. Social media is still relatively new (Facebook is only 18 years old), and the model is constantly evolving.
And speaking of social media evolution, next week's newsletter will focus on 2023 Social Media Trends to Watch. If you have any questions about specific trends or platforms, feel free to email me at hello@thesocialplatypus.com. 👋 I'll do my best to answer, or find a resource that will.
Here are today's top stories:
Instagram (finally!) gives us an in-app scheduler
Meta gets e-commerce wrong
WTF is happening with Twitter verification?
And Pinterest wants to help you find the perfect holiday gift
Instagram's Early Holiday Gift
With everything going on at Twitter, I think we all needed some good news. And it arrived just in time! Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced last week that the company is going to be rolling out an in-app scheduler (finally!). Let's get into it...
How Does It Work?
The in-app scheduler will allow users to schedule a picture, carousel, or Reel up to 75 days in advance.
Here's how it works:
Create your content that way you always do
But before you click share, go to "Advanced Settings"
Toggle the "Schedule this post" option
Select your preferred date and time
Go back to your post, and click "Schedule"
Who Can Use It
The scheduler is only available to Professional accounts. There are two types of Professional accounts: Creator and Business. If you don't have a Professional account and you would like to switch, click on the three lines in the top right-hand corner of your profile. Select "Settings." Scroll down to "Account." And tap "Switch to a Professional Account."
And if you're wondering which one to pick, in general, business accounts are for organizations, and creator accounts are for individuals. You can learn more in this Hootsuite backgrounder: Everything You Need to Know About Instagram Creator Accounts.
Fingers Crossed
This isn't the only way to schedule Instagram content. There are third-party tools, such as Hootsuite and Later, that can help with that. But perhaps the most popular way is through Facebook Creator Studio. I've also heard good things about scheduling through Canva.
The one thing about all of the tools listed above is that in order to schedule posts on Instagram, you have to connect your Facebook Page first. But what if you don't have a Facebook Page? Or what if you don't want to get one? It looks like the new in-app scheduler may solve that. 🤞 I really hope so. Aside from convenience, I think it's important to keep these platforms separate so we aren't forced to use Facebook just so we can unlock all of the features on Instagram.
A Few Notes on Scheduling
If you aren't already scheduling your content, you should consider it. There are a few benefits. It allows you to maintain a consistent posting schedule, which is important for channel growth and engagement. It takes the pressure off of you having to remember to post. Essentially, the account remains active, and then you can add more spontaneous and personal content throughout the week, and engage with your community. And it allows you to plan ahead, which is great from an efficiency perspective.
But there are a few things you also need to consider:
1. Don't post it and forget it: The goal of social media is engagement. So, make sure log in at some point during the day and respond to comments and questions. Don't just let your posts go out and never check in to see what's happening.
2. Keep track of what's scheduled: Things happen in the news that can intersect with your posts. For example, if there is a major disaster, you certainly don't want a post going out talking about what an amazing day it is. Your tone will be off. This is slightly less of an issue with Instagram than a platform like Twitter, but it's still important to remember.
3. Manage flow: If you have multiple people posting content, you'll want to use some type of system to ensure the posts are paced to go out on different days/times. I often use a scheduler, like Hootsuite, when working with a team. But with an in-app scheduler like the one being rolled out at Instagram, it might be harder to manage. In that case, a quick meeting with the team to confirm content type, timing, etc., can also work.
Happy scheduling!
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SOCIAL SNACKS
Meta Gets E-Commerce Wrong
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg issued an open letter to his employees last week as the company laid off 11,000 workers. He said that at the start of COVID, e-commerce "led to outsized revenue growth." And while many predicted it would continue, "this did not play out the way I expected." The same thing happened at e-commerce giant Shopify, which also got e-commerce expectations wrong. And it seems like layoffs at tech companies in general are becoming the norm. My heart goes out to all of these workers, and I hope they land somewhere new soon.
WTF Is Going On With Twitter Verification?
Shortly after Elon Musk launched his $7.99 verification checkmark, a few users quickly snapped up accounts that were made to look legit, but were anything but. One post from a fake Eli Lilly account promising free insulin caused the share price for the pharmaceutical company to dive. And it wasn't the only targeted brand or celebrity. Here are some highlights, courtesy of Mashable: The fake verified posts got way worse for Twitter. Twitter paused the feature, but on Nov. 12th, Musk replied to a tweet asking about when it's coming back. He said it would "Probably end of next week," according to Reuters. 😳
ICYMI
🔴 Pinterest launches its collage-making app Shuffles to the general public [TechCrunch]
🔴 YouTube taps top content Creators to help you shop for the holidays [YouTube Blog]
🔴 TikTok is testing its long-awaited in-app shopping feature [The Verge]
Twitter Installs Climb 21%
I guess we all like to watch an accident happen, because Twitter installs climbed 21% from Oct. 27 to Nov. 7, according to mobile-app analytics firm SensorTower. But that's not the whole story. Installs of Mastodon — a Twitter alternative — climbed 657% in the 12 days following the handover to Elon Musk.
Twitter Acquisition Recap From SensorTower
WIN BEST GIFT GIVER
Pinterest Wants to Help You Find The Perfect Gift
Pinners have been searching for holiday gifts since June, according to Pinterest. So the company dug through the data and compiled a Holiday Gift Guide — and this year it's based on your Zodiac sign.
I'm a Taurus ♉️ and let me just say that anyone who has me for Secret Santa is going to have to spend A LOT, according to this gift guide.
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