HC+T Briefing: Facebook, the Competition Killer

 
From: "HC+T Update" <shel@holtz.com>
Subject: HC+T Briefing: Facebook, the Competition Killer
Date: March 31st 2017

On the Calendar

  • I will present my full-day workshop on how to take advantage of the latest developments across the top social networks in New York on May 4. Registration details are forthcoming.
  • For something like the 20th consecutive year, I have been selected as a speaker at the IABC World Conference, taking place in early June in Washington, D.C. Unlike all of my previous talks -- which have focused on a fast-emerging technology that will affect communicators, my 2017 talk will introduce a new model for internal communications.
  • On September 17, I'll give a talk at the Association of Women Communicators national conference in Dallas.
  • I'm giving multiple presentations at the Professional Speechwriter's Association on how speechwriters can use social and digital media. It's set for Washington, D.C. on October 16.

March 31, 2017
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Lots to catch up on after skipping last week's Wrap due to travel. I'll try to keep everything brief so I can cover a lot without going overboard on length. You're welcome to follow my link blog, which is where I collect the stories from which I choose the contents of the HC+T Briefing.

News

Twitter removes @replies from character limit -- The usernames of the people to whom you reply no longer count as part of the 140-character limit. The individual or people to whom you are replying now appear above the tweet text rather than within it. Adding or tagging other people still requires you to add their username and it still counts against the limit. The takeaway: Twitter should have done this years ago. Anything that makes it easier to knock out a reply will encourage more engagement. Read more

Facebook launches donation pages -- A clear assault on GoFundMe, the new Facebook feature allows users to create donation pages they can use to raise money for surgeries, education, and emergencies. The takeaway: This spells trouble for GoFundMe. Facebook already has the user base for this feature to spread quickly. Read more

Anybody can share branded content on Facebook -- With a lot of people administering unverified Facebook pages who would like to make some money by sharing branded content as influencers, Facebook has expanded the program beyond verified pages and profiles. You'll have to apply, but unverified pages could get access to the tool quickly based on Facebook's assessment of how likely you are to use it. The takeaway: Good news for brands interested in working with micro-influencers who may not have the audience typically required to get verified by Facebook. Read more

Google opens Optimize tools to everyone -- Google's Optimize and Optimize 360 A/B website testing tools have been moved out of beta. An enhancement to Google Analytics, Optimize 360 lets you test multiple versions of your site to see which performs better. Optimize is the free version that lets you run up to three concurrent experiments. No pricing has been announced for the 360 product. The takeaway: There's no excuse now for not running A/B tests on your sites. Read more

Instagrammers are gaming the system to get more views -- In an effort to gain more followers and more views for their posts, Instagram users are forming "pods," secret groups of users who agree to like and comment on each other's posts, hoping the engagement on their posts will feed the Instagram algorithm and expose their work to more people. The takeaway: Marketers need to be aware of this trend, since measurement of influence is based on likes and shares. If your influencer is part of a pod, those liking and sharing probably don't actually give a damn about the product. Read more

LinkedIn adds Trending Storylines -- Taking a page from Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn has introduced a "Trending Storylines" feed where users can scroll through recent news stories and user posts that have been curated based on their individual interests and profession. The takeaway: Yes, it's another instance of one social network copying another, but it makes great sense for the business-focused LinkedIn. The feature was supposed to roll out on March 22 to mobile and desktop uses, but I haven't seen it yet. Have you? Read more

Facebook Stories now on mobile apps -- The appropriation of Snapchat's Stories feature is now complete, with Facebook's mobile apps sporting the same concept. Look at the top of your News Feed and you'll see a horizontal display of friends who have added to their stories using the camera you access at top of your screen to the left of the search box. The camera lets you add Snapchat-like effects to your ephemeral photos that appear in your Story. Facebook had already added Stories to Instagram, which led a lot of Snapchat users to abandon the platform for the easier, more populated Instagram. The takeaway: Clearly, Facebook is a threat to smaller companies when it simply copies their features. The behavior is reminiscent of Microsoft's activities in the 1990s, behavior that landed Microsoft in court. I love Facebook, but begin known as a startup-killer won't serve its reputation well. Read more

YouTube adds filters to address its advertising crisis -- YouTube has introduced filters advertisers can use to help avoid having their ads appear on objectionable content, a situation that has led high-profile advertisers to suspend their YouTube advertising. Some YouTube producers are complaining that their content has been unjustifiably caught up in one (or more) of the five filters, result in lost revenue. The takeaway: This has been a significant crisis for YouTube -- and Google -- as advertisers flee and consider reinvesting in more traditional TV programming. Read more

Chase slashes advertising venues, sees no change in results -- Dismayed by the YouTube crisis and other issues with the automated ad-buying situation, JPMorgan Chase reduced the number of sites where it advertises from 400,000 to just 5,000 (where it exercises more control) and saw "little change in the cost of impressions or the visibility of its ads," according to The New York Times. The takeaway: As the article notes, if other companies emulate Chase's experiment and get the same results, a lot of small sites could lose out on advertising dollars, reducing the amount of content available online. The ad platforms need to hurry up and clean up their mess. Read more

Profile pages could transform Reddit -- Reddit is introducing profile pages that link to your username, include a feed of your posts, and feature the avatar you choose. No follower counts will be visible and you'll be able to moderate discussions on your posts. The goal is to make Reddit more community-like rather than just a destination for discussion. The takeaway: Reddit has been quicksand for companies. More than any other network, brands need to immerse themselves in Reddit to get participation right. This move could wind up making Reddit a more friendly environment for business engagement. Read more

Research

Consumers trust what they see on social media based on who shared it -- Who published the news (The New York Times, for example) isn't as important as who shared it when it comes to how people assess the trustworthiness of news. That's the finding from an American Press Institute study, which also found that the "identity of the sharer even has an impact on consumers' impressions of the news brand." The takeaway: For publishers, getting readers to share content and become ambassadors is vital. The same goes for companies wanting their earned media coverage to reach more people. Read more

Some consumers think a YouTube ad is an endorsement by the brand -- If brands thought they were just being cautious suspending their YouTube advertising in the wake of revelations that their ads were paired with offensive videos, new data justifies their concerns. Nearly 49% of YouTube viewers have seen offensive content on the site (though most say they don't see it very often), nearly 72% remember seeing ads with that offensive content, 46% say they feel worse about the brand whose ads appear with the offensive content, and 36% think the advertiser is endorsing the offensive content by virtue of having its ad associated with it. The takeaway: If I were advertising on YouTube, I would be among those suspending my ads until Google could assure me the problem was fixed. Read more

Advertising surpassing media as trusted information -- Edelman's 2017 Trust Barometer has made it clear that trust in media is crashing to new lows. In the meantime, advertising (not measured by the annual Edelman study) is gaining trust in a big way, with 61% of people who view ads saying they trust what they read, see, or hear, an 11-point gain from March 2014. On the Net, 72% trust the ads they encounter, up from 56% in 2014. The takeaway: This is fascinating data in light of declining trust in the four categories Edelman follows (government, media, business, and NGOs). How might you use advertising to start rebuilding the trust your business has lost? Read more

The state of social media demographics -- HubSpot is out with its annual review of who's using what, contained neatly in one infographic. Twenty-eight percent of social media users -- the largest segment -- tap into only one social media platform, while 24% are on two sites and 16% are on three. This useful review also covers how much time people spend on each key platform, what demographic groups they belong to, gender split, and number of unique monthly users. In case you're wondering, Facebook is still the runaway champ with 1.9 billion unique monthly users, 75% of whom spend 20 minutes or more on the social network every day. The takeaway: Bookmark this page. You will find multiple reasons to refer back to it. By the way, the numbers for Twitter are dismal across the board. For instance, 53% of Twitter users never post anything and most users only spend 2.7 minutes per day on the app.Read more

Trends

Influencer marketing comes to medicine -- Wego Health has introduced a web-based platform to connect pharmaceutical firms, medical device manufacturers, hospitals, and insurers with influencers whose audiences follow their posts about related issues. AminoHealth, for example, sponsored a Facebook Live session with Barby Ingle, who has amassed a Twitter following of 26,000 interested in "her guidance in dealing with insurance, living with chronic pain, and, perhaps most importantly, maintaining hope." The takeaway: There is no understating the role of influencers. If healthcare companies can establish a connection with authentic voices like Ingle, their messages will be viewed as far more credible and authentic. Read more

Investor-influencers start making an impact -- Consumers are getting wise to high-profile celebrities endorsing products for money without necessarily being sincere about their affinity for the product they're pitching. That has led to some brands looking for investment from influencers, who then become more credible in their support for the brands they promote among their followers. The takeaway: I wonder if the "paid" or "promotion" disclosure tags are adequate for posts from influencers who own a stake in the company they're pitching. Read more

Brands are analyzing GIF data -- Data that reveals how people use GIFs as communication tools are enabling marketers to create and position GIFs so people are more likely to use them. That's important given the decline in the number of people who sit through TV commercials. For example, knowing that 2.1 million coffee drinkers search "good morning" before sharing a Starbucks GIF helps the company know the kinds of GIFs to create and how to ensure they are discoverable. The takeaway: Too many companies shrug off GIFs as a way to get a message out or be more visible. That's a mistake in our increasingly visual communications environment. Better to give it a try and use the tools available to measure your success. Read more

Will podcasts get more Netflix-like? -- "S-Town" is the new true-crime podcast from the "Serial" team that was just dropped, with all episodes available at once rather than once a week. The takeaway: It wouldn't work for my podcast -- which deals with the latest news and trends -- or any other news-focused show, but for those podcasts that have seasons and are less time-bound, accommodating the increasingly common binging habit may be a good idea. Read more

Brands focus on Muslim inclusivity -- A growing number of brands recognize that the days of standing on the sidelines of divisive issues are over. Microsoft, Chevrolet, Cover Girl, and Hyatt are among brands that have prominently featured Muslims in their most visible marketing. The ads avoid the appearance of being political, instead promoting the principles of diversity and inclusion. The takeaway: It's not all altruism. These brands are responding to statistical evidence that this is exactly what their audiences want. Add to that the fact that the Muslim lifestyle market is estimated to reach $2.6 trillion, and promoting Muslim inclusivity makes economic sense to brands in addition to aligning them on the right side of history. Read more

Video

Facebook opens 360 livestreaming to everyone -- Not only that, but Facebook is also supporting spatial audio for 360 livestreams. Expect to see a lot more 360 videos in your News Feed. The takeaway: Justs as photos and videos became criteria for posts to find their way into News Feeds, the inevitable popularity of 360 livestreams may wind up enticing brands to create them in an effort to expand message reach. Have you tried one yet? Read more

Facebook Live broadcasting from computer now available to anyone -- That's right, all you need is a desktop or laptop with a webcam and you can go live directly into the News Feeds of your followers. The takeaway: On the one hand, this could lead to some great interactions. On the other hand, it could pollute the News Feed. Mine hasn't been infiltrated yet, but I'm keeping a close watch on it. Read more

Brands want Snapchat Discover to host their Snapchat "Shows" -- A growing number of brands are paying Snapchat for the privilege of creating high-quality, episodic content aimed at the teen and early-20s demographic that dominates the app. Marriott, for instance, has produced a four-part influencer-laden series of "Snapisodes" aimed at convincing users to sign up for its loyalty program. If the content catches on, Marriott hopes it'll be added to Snapchat's Discover section, which makes it a lot easier for content to be found. The takeaway: Content discovery remains one of the big challenges for companies establishing a presence on Snapchat, whether it's through paid advertising or an account. Nevertheless, if there's one thing Snapchat still claims as an advantage over Instagram and other apps that have adapted its Stories feature, it's TV-like entertainment-oriented videos. Read more

Dove joins the entertainment fray -- I report regularly here on brands turning to their own self-produced entertainment programming. Companies like Campbell's, Kotex, Royal Caribbean, and Kellogg's are among those creating scripted series or documentaries. Now, Unilever's Dove brand has recruited TV veteran Shonda Rhimes to create films based on consumers' stories. The writer and producer of "Gray's Anatomy" and "Scandal" will create the videos based on submissions from consumers who learn about the opportunity through outreach on social media channels. The takeaway: The notion that "every company is a media company" is taking on new meaning with the explosion of scripted and documentary films and series brands are producing for online consumption. There's potential here beyond marketing, although I'm still waiting for the first PR-focused effort that fits this model. Read more

Ditto Chipotle -- Did you catch the Dove item above? Chipotle is yet another brand that is producing a series -- this one unbranded and designed to teach kids about making good food choices. "RAD Lands" is available on iTunes and will be available to schools thanks to a partnership with Discovery Education. The takeaway: Seriously, you still haven't considered producing a series? Read more

Periscope launches analytics dashboard -- For those looking for better metrics for their live-streaming efforts, Periscope has unveiled a new dashboard to show how viewers are interacting with your live-streamlined content. Twitter has also introduced an Activity tab that will notify you when yu attract new followers or when someone has watched a replay of a Periscope broadcast. Finally, users can watch Periscope videos in a Twitter moment, which means brands can include live video streams in their Moments tweets. The takeaway: Twitter continues to emphasize live video, which could help redefine its value to people who were never able to figure out what they'd use it for. Audience growth is vital to Twitter's future. Read more

Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality

Measurement comes to VR -- I was just asked during the Q&A at a presentation on Virtual Reality in Florida earlier this week about measurement of VR. My answer: There isn't any yet. Now that's not entirely true with HTC introducing a platform that will tell brands when a user has looked at an ad using one of its Vive headsets. The takeaway: I knew measurement methods would emerge. I'm gratified to see HTC take the first step which others (Oculus and Google in particular) will surely follow. Read more

Adobe takes initial steps into VR advertising -- Adobe is "creating standardized banner and video ad formats that can be easily delivered into (Virtual Reality) landscapes," according to AdAge. For example, imagine seeing all the ad screens in Times Square taken over by a single brand. Adobe introduced the VR ad platform at a Vegas conference. The takeaway: The introduction of advertising insertions into VR environments is a sign that the industry is maturing. If not done well, however, it could be a turnoff that slows adoption. Read more

Artificial Intelligence and Chatbots

AI and machine learning poised to revolutionize email marketing -- Email marketing remains the most effective form of digital marketing, which has remained relevant thanks to advances in automation and audience segmentation. AI will play a huge role in improving what are currently manual processes. One lingerie brand has turned its email marketing over to an AI that grew return on ad spending by 50% in the first month. The takeaway: The adoption of AI by marketers is going to be swift with these kinds of case studies becoming more common. If you use email software for newsletters and campaigns, you should be exploring the role AI could play in improving your results. Read more

Point-and-click is coming to AI -- Remember when you needed to learn to code in HTML, back before Dreamweaver and FrontPage, and then WordPress and SquareSpace? That's where AI is right now, with highly trained (and highly paid) data scientists in great demand. That's about to change, as companies like AT&T and IBM begin working on point-and-click tools that will let more people build AI tools without the expertise required now. The takeaway: The easier it gets, the more AI tools we'll see, which will speed adoption in sectors like PR and corporate communications (and elsewhere). Read more

Also Noteworthy...

Employees can get paid for talking to job-seekers -- Purple Squirrel is a new tool that lets job-seekers pay current employees for 30-minute phone consultations about how to get a foot in the door at their company. These employees are not actual company representatives -- they just work there and are happy to take money to talk to those looking for a job. Employees from 500 companies are available to offer advice on resumes and interviewing for their employers. The average fee to talk to one of these advocates: $30. The takeaway: I wonder what HR would say if they knew employees were assessing fees to talk to candidates? Especially if these 30-minute sessions are happening on company time? Read more

The latest from the FIR Podcast Network

  • During my absence for the last two weeks, members of the FIR Podcast Network family picked up the slack on For Immediate Release. Dan York hosted episode 79 with an all-New Hampshire panel that also included Chip Griffin and Jen Phillips. The show covered a call for independent audits of advertising metrics; a question of what metrics we need to care about; companies that are pulling ads from Google / YouTube because of their ads running on top of offensive videos; who determines what is offensive? Will Snapchat survive? What is the role of investigative journalism in the media? And what role did the Oxford Comma play in a Maine court case? Listen
  • Paul Gillin and David Strom -- hosts of FIR B2B -- took the FIR reins for episode 80 with panelists Todd Van Hoosear, a notable social media figure, and journalism professor Barbara Selvin. Among the topics covered: There's good news and bad news for mainstream media right now. Subscriptions to prominent news sources are surging. That's good. Fake news is getting harder to spot. That's bad. Listen
  • Gini, Martin, and Joe are back with another episode of Inside PR. Escape with them. From fake news. From our filter bubble. From annoying videos that play sound as soon as they scroll into view. From Snapchat hype. Listen
  • In the latest Digital India episode, the team shares interesting stories from Business Today's 25th Anniversary issue: Toward a Smarter India. Technologies and Innovations that can transform the country. Listen
  • In episode 105 of The Voice by IABC Ottawa, the chapter's past president Voice host Sherrilynne Starkie sits down with Scott Anderson, Director of Marketing, Communications and External Relations and Cheryl Jensen, CEO of Algonquin College in an "Ask Me Anything" segment. Listen
  • Gaming and video are two different ways of telling stories. Kahoot is a tool that "drives" learning through gameplay and it can be used to enhance engagement around your company with internal or external stakeholders. Kahoot can help even if you are not making videos. Kahoot can help you creating engaged presentations and drive home key takeaways for your next meeting. Get more from Harry Hawk in an episode of YouTubular Conversations. Listen
  • Harry also covers the YouTube advertising crisis on another YouTubular Conversations episode. Listen
  • Episode 95 of Digital India features five technology solutions that help people do their bit, feel participative in the socio-economic growth of their country and city. Listen
  • Join Sherrilynne Starkie in Dallas, Texas as she attends the IABC 2017 Leadership Institute! Ginger D. Homan, Treasurer of IABC, presents ideas for the organizations’ mission, vision, purpose and values statements in episode 106 of The Voice by IABC Ottawa. Listen

A special offer JUST for HC+T Briefing readers

You can have 10 hours of consulting time -- all at once, hour by hour, with no expiration, for a $1,500 fee. This is the last notice of this offer; just reference this issue of the Briefing to take advantage of it. Email or call and let me know you saw the offer in the Briefing. (That's a more than 50% reduction off my standard hourly consulting fee.)
HC+T provides a full range of services for large organizations, from speaking and training to communication audits and strategic plan development.

Visit us at Holtz.com.


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