4 Min Read May has come to an end and the summer is finally here! Last month was a busy one, with two bank holidays, The King’s Coronation, and a lot of digital marketing updates; we’ve got a lot to unpack. So, let’s jump straight in and look at some of the marketing updates in May that you don’t want to miss…
Google’s AI update
In early May Google announced some BIG changes that are coming to search. AI capabilities are being introduced to help users understand a topic faster and discover new things. In some cases, the AI answer will appear first for a query, including links to blog posts that support research and reimagining the shopping experience. But that’s not all…
The introduction of AI means that search will be about more than just discovery and finding the right web pages. Thanks to the ever-growing technology, Google will be able to answer questions directly and help users in ways it hasn’t been able to before. This means that between the fierce competition and fewer likely clicks wherever the AI widget appears, it is vital to ensure your content is accurate, relevant, and optimised for search so it can still take one of the top spots when keywords are searched.
LinkedIn introduces new topic prompts for creators
Since early this year, LinkedIn has been rolling out its new “Analytics and Tools” dashboard to those with Creator Mode switched on. But the most recent update is the addition of “Conversations Happening Now” including a Post Ideas listing. This suggests prompts for new posts based on your top skills, content you’ve previously shared, and topics relevant to your audience. You can repost with your own thoughts and join the conversation with other like-minded individuals.
The idea of the update is to draw attention to your skills and knowledge, demonstrating your capabilities as an industry leader, and it comes hand in hand with the efforts taking place to encourage more frequent posts on the platform.
Instagram is boosting more types of organic content
Following the renaming of Branded Content Ads to Partnership Ads, Instagram is enabling the promotion of more types of user content. More types of organic content can be boosted such as collaborations, people tags, and product tags. This could potentially support the formation of new partnerships.
It is also a big opportunity to leverage user-generated content, which is a big influencer on consumer behaviour. Its authenticity is powerful and can help in the creation of meaningful connections with customers, particularly since customers consider authentic user-generated content to be the most trustworthy content. With this in mind, Instagram is testing a new process that will allow organisations to feature user photos and videos in their Instagram shop.
Twitter’s new visual display
Visual content is king, so it’s no surprise that social media platforms are keen to give this element a central focus. Looking to enhance the user experience and leverage this content, Twitter is currently testing out a few changes for a new visual display.
- User profiles – the media tab in user profiles could see a new display that enhances the user experience. The tab could see an update that looks more like the Instagram grid to become more engaging and visually appealing, easily locating photos and videos.
- Explore tab – this could also be changing and may see the re-introduction of a full-screen feed. This was previously tested during the back-end of 2021 but was shelved at the time. Video content is far more likely to engage people than text, so it makes sense that Twitter’s focus on video could include the re-introduction of a full-screen feed to boost engagement.
GIFs are entering Instagram’s comments
After only being available when creating Instagram stories and replying to them, GIFs are now available for commenting on both posts and reels – finally!
While it might not seem like a BIG update in the world of social media, it does have the potential to facilitate new creative capacity and more opportunities to engage with customers on the platform. The feature adds a fun element to the way you interact with your audience and participate in conversations, showcasing your brand’s personality.
Keep up to date
Digital marketing is an ever-changing landscape and it can be hard to keep up but that’s where our team of experts comes in. We create effective marketing strategies so you can focus on your business operations. Contact us today at 01244 347 545 or fill out our simple enquiry form for more information.
