Platform 5: This week’s most important social media changes
This week’s most important social media changes including a look at Facebook Product Ads
We dive into the changes and explain what they mean
This week’s big change came from announcements around new Facebook Product Ads which brands are already taking advantage of. Pinterest are making significant changes to keep users on site, announcing the stripping of affiliate links to support a rumoured ‘Buy’ button. LinkedIn makes developer program changes, and Google Helpouts are discontinued.
1. Introduction of new Facebook product ads
Facebook announced new product ads with their main point of difference being that they dynamically adapt to users’ activity and interests. Instead of designing a campaign and targeting a specific audience, advertisers can now upload their product catalogue and “let Facebook automatically deliver the most relevant products to people,” according to the Facebook blog. The new ads are currently being rolled out across Power Editor.
Read more about Facebook new Product ads.
2. Pinterest stripping affiliate links to pave way for rumoured ‘Buy’ button
Pinterest have begun banning links containing affiliate info, redirects, or pin trackers. Users who are guilty of sharing redirects will not be deleted, but will be stripped of any kind of tracking information. The platform change keeping pinners on site is fuelling rumours that Pinterest is working on a ‘Buy’ button to be released within 3 – 6 months. This will have an extreme impact for e-commerce brands on the platform. The buy button would allow users to purchase products without leaving the website or app.
Read more about Pinterest stripping affiliate links or Pinterest’s plans to launch a Buy button.
3. Facebook new advertising targets ‘influencers’
Facebook have patented technology allowing them to identify ‘influential’ users who can be specifically targeted by advertisers for a higher rate. Facebook will measure a users’ influence based not only on their amount of followers, but also how frequently their followers re-share content.
Read more about Facebook identifying ‘influencers.’
4. LinkedIn changes Developer Program
LinkedIn is changing the way they approach application programming interfaces (APIs) by distancing themselves from open APIs to ‘closed’ APIs. This will require developers to work closer with the company. LinkedIn has currently offered 10 open APIs to developers, but by May 12, will work with 4.
Read more about LinkedIn Developer Program changes.
5. Google Helpouts to discontinue
Google Helpouts – a lesser known version of a Google Hangout with a specific technical focus – will be discontinued on April 20 due to slow growth. Users can download their Helpout history before the platform is removed.
Read more about the Helpouts announcement.
Check back in next week for more Platform Five updates. Head over to the Thinking Section for all our previous recaps.