Daily Minute Master Series – June 28, 2019
Social Media
YouTube Rolls Out New Tools to Enable Customization of Video Recommendations
This week, the platform has announced some new changes which will put more power into the hands of users in regards to the videos which are recommended to them. First up, YouTube’s adding new topic tags within recommendations listings which will help users find more specific recommendations based on their chosen area of interest – as opposed to the system assuming the next likely topics itself. That could help stop users clicking into more concerning segues off certain topics, and keep them aligned to the topics they’re most interested in. YouTube’s also giving users more control over their personal recommendations by enabling them to remove selected channels from their recommendations. And lastly, YouTube is also adding a new information marker on videos it recommends for you based on what “other viewers with similar interests have liked and watched in the past”. It’s difficult to predict the potential impact of these additions – and whether, in fact, they’ll be able to stop users sliding down the aforementioned rabbit holes that lead them to more concerning content.
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Instagram is Rolling Out New Ad Units in its Explore Tab
Instagram has announced that it’s adding a new ad unit to its Explore feed. Kind of. It’s not like you’re going to start seeing ads popping up all over your Explore feed directly. But indirectly, within specific, chosen listings, there’s a new place that Instagram can now show you ad content. Instagram says this is an opportunity for advertisers to “be part of what’s culturally relevant and trending, while reaching new audiences who are looking to discover something new”. Advertisers will be able to extend their on-platform ad campaigns to Explore by using automatic placements and opting into the new ‘Explore’ option.
Given that more than half of Instagram’s billion monthly active users visit Explore each month, there’s definitely opportunity there, and it may be another way to generate additional exposure, and reach people likely to be interested in your products.
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Twitter’s Implementing New Warning Labels on Controversial Tweets from High-Profile Users
After outlining its potential plans to add warning labels to controversial tweets from high profile users back in March, Twitter has this week announced that these new labels are now going live, which will provide more clarity as to why and when Twitter has chosen not to remove a tweet that violates its rules. The new warning will state that, despite the tweet violating Twitter’s rules, the company has chosen not to remove it, with a tap-through ‘View’ option to see the actual tweet. That will address the user concerns around the spread of anti-social, and concerning messages on the platform, while still enabling Twitter to share the original content, and host the subsequent discussion. It seems like a good compromise – the controversial tweets of high-profile users have become an uncomfortable battleground for Twitter in recent months.
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Marketing
Google aims to make it easier for SMBs to start using its products
Google announced a new website Thursday with resources aimed at helping small businesses get started with Google products. Google for Small Business, includes “personalized plans” with recommendations of Google products based on a company’s answers to several prompt questions such as whether the business is online, offline a hybrid and its selected goal to either stand out online, reach more customers or work more efficiently. The recommendations include a mix of free and paid solutions, such as setting up a Google My Business profile, trialing G Suite and creating a YouTube channel. Cracking the small business sector well and at scale has been a challenge for Google. The products can feel confusing to business owners and staff just getting started. Kim Spalding, global product director for Small Business Ads at Google, and former small business owner herself, was brought on a couple of years ago to help reframe the company’s approach to working with SMBs.
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