Snapchat Becomes Snap Inc., Twitter Moments Available for Everyone, & More!

This Week in Social Media

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News for the Week of October 3

Twitter Moments Now Available to All Users

Twitter’s latest enhancement, Twitter Moments, is now available to all users, allowing them to connect their favorite Tweets. Previously open only to influencers and brands, this functionality is now available to all desktop users who want to create and share impactful stories by linking Tweets together. Simply click on the Moments tab and select Create a New Moment. Users will first be prompted to create a cover for their Moments, which they can do by selecting uploaded images or videos or selecting Tweets they’ve uploaded to Moments. After adding the cover, users can select Tweets to add to their Moments by selecting Tweets they’ve liked, searching for Tweets, searching for specific accounts, or linking to specific Tweet URLs. When everything’s selected for a specific Moment, users simply click Publish for viewers to their Moments, or select Finish Later to save and continue adding Tweets in the future. Dealerships, consider creating Moments to share with your consumer audiences. Storytelling is a very effective way to market your products and services, as well as convey to customers the personality of your business. By sharing Twitter Moments, you can craft exactly the stories you want to tell and attract more shoppers to your lot.

Snapchat Becomes Snap Inc. & Offers New Spectacles

In a noticeable remarketing effort, Snapchat has renamed its company Snap Inc., in addition to entering the marketplace with its first hardware product, Spectacles. Spectacles have been in development for a few years and are billed by Snap Inc. as a completely new type of camera. Sunglasses with an integrated video camera, Spectacles now make it easier than ever for users to create Memories. The glasses connect directly to Snapchat via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and allow users to transfer Memories directly to the app in Snap Inc.’s circular video format. The new circular video format offers a human visual perspective of a 115-degree field of view and plays full screen on any device, in any orientation. Spectacles aren’t available quite yet, but Snap Inc. expects them to be up for grabs soon. Dealerships, while you may not be able to visualize all your employees wearing Spectacles in the near future, it’s still important to focus on capturing Memories throughout your dealership to share with consumers. Enlist your team to help you when it comes to sharing the best of your brand stories and staying in touch with customers via social. The more you interact and connect on the platforms your consumers are using, the more relevant you’ll be.

Facebook Updates Canvas

The Canvas ad experience is getting even easier for business, thanks to the latest updates. To help marketers utilize Canvas even more extensively and boost brand awareness, the Canvas team has added more immersive features, such as 360-degree videos and links to other Canvas experiences. Facebook is also providing users with Canvas templates to help them simplify the process and create more effective ads. By adding 360-degree videos, Facebook is helping advertisers get more mobile consumers to interact and engage with their ads, creating a more memorable and meaningful experience. Advertisers can now offer consumers multi-page experiences when they link Canvases, allowing them to give shoppers a more in-depth brand story. Templates will soon be available, making the creation process even easier and helping marketers build ads with best practices in mind. Dealerships, keep in mind the many avenues you have for reaching your consumers. Canvas loads almost instantly and offers several features that make the viewing experience engaging for shoppers, as well as easy to use for you. However you decide to reach out to consumers, remember Facebook remains at the forefront when it comes to sheer numbers of users—and that means it’s the place you’re likely to reach the most people.

Periscope Introduces VIP Program

Periscope is rolling out a new VIP Program to recognize top broadcasters who’ve been integral in helping shape the Periscope community. The VIP Program is a tiered program that comes with a variety of perks. It’s currently open for applications for those who meet the minimum requirements, which include 10,000+ Periscope followers, an average of 200+ live viewers per broadcast, broadcast at least twice per week, and produce broadcasts that meet the Community Guidelines. If you’re a social whiz on another platform, Periscope may still want you in the VIP Program; they’ll help you kick start your Periscope profile if you have 10,000+ average views per video on another platform and 20,000+ followers. The VIP Program includes benefits such as care packages, prioritization in search results, prioritized support, and more. Dealerships, it’s time to get your Periscope game on point! Every day, more consumers are turning to video to get information, entertainment, and share insights. When you communicate with your customers in real-time, on the platforms they prefer, you’ll be more accessible, and you’ll build stronger relationships.

Meerkat Is Now Houseparty

For those of you who may be wondering what happened to Meerkat, wonder no more! Meerkat has reinvented itself, and it lives on as the group chat app, Houseparty. While some skeptics are wondering why the company might go to market with an app that’s so similar to what Skype and Google are already offering, it’s important to note Houseparty is already bigger than Meerkat ever was—so something is working. A relatively simple app, users create a group chat link and invite others using SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, or other social networks. If friends are on the app, they can join instantly. Now available on Google Play and in the App Store, users can check it out for themselves to see if Houseparty can actually save the day for the company that used to be Meerkat. Dealerships, the story of the day is real-time connectivity and communication—both between you and your employees and you and your customers. When you are able to effectively and efficiently communicate and share information, you’ll be able to provide the best service around. Customers will be happy with you, they’ll spread the word, and your employees will be more engaged and eager to contribute to a positive and productive team environment. Find the tools that work for you, but keep modern, innovative communication technology in your sites!

Periscope Introduces Curated Broadcast Channels

With Periscope’s curated broadcast channels on Periscope.tv, it’s even easier to discover live videos. Curated channels will be driven by hashtags, enabling users to search for specific content that’s updated in real time. With a list of suggested topics, Featured Channels, as well as a dedicated From the Editors section offering breaking news, there’s plenty of curated content for browsing. For more specific topics, users can simply type keywords in the search bar at the top of the Periscope.tv page. Dealerships, continue to deliver real-time updates to your consumers to keep them interested and tuning in to you. If you’re looking for content, consider showing some of the flashy features of your newest vehicles and entice followers to come in for a test drive!

Tip of the Week – Check Out Your Competitors

You’ve heard the saying, “Keep your friends close; keep your enemies closer.” It’s not that your competitors are necessarily your enemies, but it IS smart to keep your eye on what the competition is doing for several reasons:

·      You can see what’s NOT working. This is important, because when they do the trial-and-error work, it can save you a lot of grief.

·      You can see what consumers LOVE. On the flip side, when your competitors run across something that really resonates with shoppers, you’ll know. They’ve done the research for you!

·      You can socially listen to more consumers. Social listening is key, so take this opportunity to check out what your competitors’ followers are saying. You can glean helpful insights as you plan your own business strategies.

·      You can generate leads. Especially when customers are unhappy, it’s a good time to tactfully reach out and offer solutions that can help them before someone else does.

You can learn quite a bit by conducting a competitive analysis. Alongside social media platforms, pay attention to websites, profiles, ad campaigns, and anything else you can find. All of these offer insights regarding where your competition is gaining traction, what’s working for them, and how they’re impacting local consumers. You’ll discover new and different ways to react quickly to marketplace changes, and you’ll be able to position your dealership for success in a highly competitive marketplace. It’s not just smart to keep your eyes on the competition; it’s essential.