Social Made Simple - re-gramming, video pins and this week’s biggest social media headlines

Stuck trying to navigate the social maze? Don’t stress - we’ve rounded up the biggest social media headlines of the week (so you don’t have to!). Plus, alongside each one, we’ve shared our advice, helping you identify how to use the development to benefit your business.?

Instagram’s latest updates and what we can expect to see in the near future

This week, major proposed changes to Instagram’s UI are coming to the spotlight.?These features, which are being tested behind the scenes, come as the latest initiative in the platform’s ongoing push to prioritise video content.?A lot of work is being done, by the brains behind IG, to maximise the results that reels generate.?Firstly, the reels tab is being enhanced across the board. The Reels content channel is being streamlined and consolidated so that it is easier for users to both see video content that they are interested in, and create their own Reels.?This primarily includes a new reels menu, with one ‘Manage’ button containing the edit, archive, add to profile grid and turn off commenting tools. There are also plans to add ‘Remix’ and ‘Insights’ sections, to give creatives inspiration, and help them ensure their videos reach the largest possible audience.?Secondly (as part of this development), tests are underway to introduce a new scrolling function, but this time, incorporated in the Reels tab. This would allow users to keep scrolling through video content, and the user’s video stream would be generated by the posted reels from the accounts they follow.?

Re-gramming and giving credit where it’s due

In Instagram’s most recent development plans, tests are being conducted to create a standardised solution to ‘re-grams’.?If tests are successful, this will operate in much the same way as Twitter, where users can simply make a few taps, and reshare another user’s content. This features the other user’s account on their profile, while still giving the creator full credit.?At the moment, ‘grammers have to do this by saving, copying and pasting, then re-uploading content manually. The main issue with this is (beyond being super laborious) that people don’t always give credit where they should.?So, this new feature presents an easy opportunity for engaging with other users and allowing popular posts to be shared en masse.? It brings two-fold benefits, as the original creator has their name put in front of a wider audience. Instagram plans to in-build automatic tagging to the original creators, when a post is re-grammed.

In turn, this will encourage brands to demonstrate initiative and creativity in their content - as, if successful, it promises to really go big.?Alongside this, the development is particularly welcome right now. Many marketers have felt the weight of recent IG updates, as the platform really knuckles down about its content regulation, and who it puts to the top of its algorithm. So, this is actually a really good thing for brands.?Not only does it protect them against copy-cats nicking their content, but it also enables them to organically engage with and re-share relevant content, without fear of being penalised.

WhatsApp for businesses - what are the benefits?

There are few people in Europe who don’t know the joys of a family WhatsApp group. And, many of us also use the platform for quick, convenient chats with our colleagues. But, how many of us have considered investing in WhatsApp for business? We’re familiar with how it works for personal use, but how can it enhance your business communication? And, most importantly, what does it give you for your money? Well, WhatsApp clearly believes in a big future for business integration, as it has announced plans to launch a new subscription service for business.?This, named WhatsApp Premium, will give iOS, Android and Desktop users access to business accounts, complete with specialist features.?The primary features of WhatsApp Premium (so far) are the opportunity to link together 10 different devices, and create a customised WhatsApp chat URL, to feature their company name.?In a new age of customer service and remote working, this could well be the future of business telecommunications.?

The potential for video pins - the latest way to boost your social media’s ROI

Many of us (both marketers and individual users alike) tend to associate Pinterest with smoothie recipes for yoga mums, and inspiration for trendy house plants. But, in reality, this marketing tool is ever-changing, and it promises big businesses for brands - if they know how to use it right.?In fact, Pinterest has been (unexpectedly) set as one of the best platforms for posting branded videos.?

According to recent research, created jointly with GroupM, Pinterest video adverts generate a 3 times higher viewability than their rival social platforms. What’s more, they also achieve a 2 times higher completion rate. As a result, more than 4 out of 5 weekly Pinners have bought from a brand, after seeing their branded content. One of the main factors driving this success is the way that we view Pinterest as inherently ‘trustworthy’, having been named Insider Intelligence’s second-most trusted platform.?And, at a time when the internet is being swarmed with social media videos, it’s never been more tricky to stand out from the crowd. With any luck, Pinterest might just be the addition that your marketing campaign needs.

Smooth Scrolling @ Simply Social.