Social Media

Instagram’s Working on a Disappearing Messages Option

This comes as little surprise, given that WhatsApp is developing the same thing, but this week, Instagram has confirmed that it’s also working on a new disappearing messages option within its Direct tools. Spotted by reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong, the new option, at least at this stage, would see all of your messages disappear from the chat window after you’d read them and navigated to another section of the app. In this iteration, there doesn’t appear to be any time limit controls within Insta’s auto-delete settings, but that’s probably the next stage, because as noted, Facebook-owned WhatsApp is also looking to add the same functionality, though with added control elements for your disappearing communications.

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Facebook Puts COVID-19 Information on Top of Users’ News Feeds

Facebook is placing a coronavirus information center on top of all users’ news feeds with articles from vetted sources. This is being done to help ensure users are staying informed with the latest news from trusted authorities. “Today we’re announcing the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center, featured at the top of News Feed, to provide a central place for people to get the latest news and information as well as resources and tips to stay healthy and support their family and community.” Facebook’s new coronavirus information center displays real-time updates from national health authorities and global organizations such as the World Health Organization.Articles and videos with helpful tips about preventing the spread of COVID-19 will also be featured in the information center.

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Marketing

How to Use Imagery to Achieve Success in Google Discover

Google Discover has been visible on the homepage of Search since September 2018.  It’s also available in the Google App, on Android and when you swipe right on the home screen of some devices. Reporting of Discover traffic only became available within the Google Search Console 6 months after launch. Making the traffic source still feel in its infancy. I’m a consultant and get to work on some pretty exciting projects from time-to-time. Many of which have a component that involves strategizing around Google Discover. For some clients I work with, the sheer volume of Discover vs. Web Search traffic is startling. It’s not unheard of (dependent on the industry) to have 80% of traffic being Discover with only 20% being from Web Search. We’ve also learned that there is a connection between Core Updates and Discover. The algorithm which powers Search proving to have more similarities than what was once thought. For this reason, Google has said not to rely on Discover as a traffic source. Your content could be consistently getting added to the feed, then it could go away overnight…

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COVID-19 Checklist for Businesses: How to Manage Your Online Presence and Keep Customers Updated in a Time of Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic means that pretty much nothing is business as usual. Customers are concerned about how businesses are adapting to the situation — wondering if you’re open, have product available, if those products are safe, etc. There are several steps you should be taking now to ensure your customers can get answers when they’re searching online. For local businesses, often it’s a directory listing, not your website if you have one, that’s the first thing your customers will see in Search. Be sure to update your Google My Business listings to highlight how your business operations have changed during this time. “Businesses need to work on modifying their store hours on their key profiles (like GMB [Google My Business] and Yelp) as well as their messaging regarding what they’re doing about COVID-19 via Posts or descriptions in their GMB profile,” Dan Leibson, VP of search for Local SEO Guide, told Search Engine Land.

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