Instagram and Twitter have announced some important changes that will mean new opportunities for users of the channels and business accounts.
The power of social media is undeniable in the world of communications and an integral part of any wider PR and marketing strategy, so staying up to date with new developments and constantly changing consumer habits, is a good idea when considering what is worthwhile for your business.
As PR experts, staying abreast of changes in the social media landscape is what we do, to help our clients harness any opportunities available that can benefit their brands.
We’ve listed new Instagram and Twitter updates that we feel are worth knowing about, many of which are functions in the early stages of testing, so we can help clients and businesses stay ahead of the curve.
Twitter updates
Twitter Spaces – currently in the beta testing phase, Twitter Spaces is being compared to the virtual audio-only members chat app ‘Clubhouse’ and allows users of the channel to participate in audio chats.
Super Follow – this feature is expected to be announced this summer, and will allow Twitter users with a larger following, the option to charge a monthly subscription for followers who may want to access extra exclusive content, that other followers wouldn’t be able to see.
Revue – is a new feature that allows Twitter users to publish both free and paid-for newsletters to their existing audience. It has been compared to the US-based membership platform ‘Patreon’, which provides business tools for content creators who want to run a subscription service, allowing them to make a monthly income, providing rewards and perks to subscribers.
Instagram updates
Instagram Live Rooms – one year after Instagram Live was launched, the channel has unveiled an extended Live function that allows up to four participants to go live whilst sharing a screen, in a rebranded format known as Instagram Rooms.
This new function will support fundraisers, Live shopping and badges, and follows the introduction of the audio-only members chat app ‘Clubhouse’, and Twitter Spaces.
New affiliate feature for creators – still in early development, once rolled out this new feature would allow creators to share products and create affiliate content while earning commissions. This follows new developments within channels including Snapchat and TikTok, that are focusing on expanding revenue streams for creators. Instagram head Adam Mosseri unveiled that the channel needed to offer a suite of services in terms of monetising options, if they want to be the No.1 place for creators – watch this space!
Nudity policy will now allow health-related content – Instagram’s nudity policy has been updated to allow ‘photos in the context of breastfeeding, birth-giving and after-birth moments, health-related situations (for example; post-mastectomy, breast cancer awareness or gender confirmation surgery) or an act of protest are allowed.’
Hiding of ‘like’ counts – Instagram is currently testing an option that, if implemented, would allow users of the channel to hide like counts on their posts. Following a bug in early March that allowed users to hide counts on posts, Instagram head Adam Mosseri explained that the channel was trying to ‘depressurise’ the user experience, and said that in the future users may be given the option on a post-by-post basis, to hide likes. An official announcement about the feature is expected in the coming months.
For social media support and advice, and to find out more about the best strategies and social media tools for your business, contact the Jennie Holland PR team for a chat.