The second half of 2019 has begun and we can already see many platforms change immensely from when they started at the beginning of the year. From Twitter’s new DM search option, WhatsApp and Instagram being renamed, to Google’s new image search feature and LinkedIn’s new Insights hub, we saw a lot of changes in the last month. Let’s take a look at the complete list of updates in the month of August.
#1 Twitter is Testing the Ability to Drag to Re-Order Attached Tweet Images
Twitter is working on a new option which would enable you to re-order multiple attached tweet images via a simple ‘drag and drop’ process. The functionality would make it easier to compose your tweets as you would like, as opposed to having to upload your images in the exact right order to correlate with their presentation.
#2 LinkedIn Provides New Tips on Choosing Ad Campaign Objectives
Similar to Facebook’s ad process, the approach guides advertiser decisions by first enabling them to choose the top-level objective for their campaign. Then, by knowing what you’re trying to accomplish, LinkedIn’s system points to the key ad formats and features which best support that outcome.
#3 Pinterest Adds New Personalized Recommendations, New Related Product Listings on Pins
Pinterest continues its shift away from social media, and towards eCommerce, with the addition of two new product showcase tools which aim to prompt user purchases based on their on-platform behaviors.
The first is a new ‘Picked for You’ Pin collection which will appear at the top of your home feed.
Pinterest is also adding an updated shopping section below Pins from certain businesses, which will showcase expanded brand catalogues based on the items you’ve shown an interest in.
#4 Facebook Adds Instagram Scheduling to Creator Studio
If you head over to Facebook’s Creator Studio app, you’re likely to see a notification like this at the top of your dashboard.
1. If you want to schedule your Instagram posts, you need to have an Instagram business account linked to your Creator Studio dashboard.
2. Once you do, head to that profile and select ‘Create Post’ at the top left of the screen, which will enable you to choose whether you want to post to your ‘Instagram Feed’ or IGTV’.
3. In the feed post option, you can upload your image and add in your caption, along with emojis, location tags, etc. You can also edit your image content within the Creator Studio workflow.
4. You can add multiple images here, which is an element that many third-party tools are unable to facilitate.
#5 Google tests carousel local pack with ads included
Google has been testing a new design for the “local pack,” the local results box in the search results. This new design shows the local results in a scrollable carousel format and now also includes an ad spot at the top.
#6 Twitter is Testing a New DM Search Option Among Various Other Tweaks
Twitter is currently testing out a new option which would enable users to search through their DMs by message content, similar to how we look for content on WhatsApp groups. This will be helpful when you’re looking for something that someone has sent to you.
#7 WhatsApp Is Said To Be Working On Boomerang-Like Video Feature
Facebook-owned WhatsApp is now working to bring Instagram’s popular Boomerang feature for iOS devices. The feature would be similar and would allow users to loop a part of any video that is less than seven seconds in length.
It was, however, not clear when the feature would roll out for users.
#8 WhatsApp And Instagram To Be Renamed As Part Of Facebook Re-Brand
Pinterest continues its shift away from social media, and towards eCommerce, with the addition of two new product showcase tools which aim to prompt user purchases based on their on-platform behaviors.
The two apps are to be known as “WhatsApp from Facebook” and “Instagram from Facebook”.
The move is part of a broader change towards linking the three apps together and bringing them under the Facebook banner, according to The Information, which first reported the change.
#9 Facebook Adds New Slideshow Option to Facebook Stories to Boost Usage
In its latest attempt to get more people using Facebook Stories, Facebook has introduced a new Stories option, which will enable users to add a still image slideshow to their Story. the new option, as you can see, provides a simplified way to add a stream of images, which will play out through your Story frames. Of course, you can do this already, by selecting each image one by one for each frame, but the option will be more action-friendly, which could prompt more people to try it out.
#10 Google Updates Google Images to Make it Easier to Shop via Search
Google has sought to re-focus its efforts on negating search and discovery competition from social platforms.
The option will help users better locate similar image matches by providing a direct comparison alongside and also, specifically focused on facilitating shopping. To help make shopping decisions easier, when you select an image of a product, you’ll now see details such as the brand, price, availability and reviews. We’ve also added captions to the related images shown under the image you’ve selected so you know where you’re going before you click.
#11 Google Will Now Highlight Individual Podcast Links Within Search Results
Google has sought to re-focus its efforts on negating search and discovery competition from social platforms.
The option will help users better locate similar image matches by providing a direct comparison alongside and also, specifically focused on facilitating shopping. To help make shopping decisions easier, when you select an image of a product, you’ll now see details such as the brand, price, availability and reviews. We’ve also added captions to the related images shown under the image you’ve selected so you know where you’re going before you click.
#12 LinkedIn Expands Content Curation and Sharing Options in Sales Navigator
LinkedIn continues to add more ways to utilize its data insights, this time through a new integration between its Sales Navigator platform and its employee advocacy system ‘Elevate’.
According to LinkedIn, more than a third of the businesses which use its Elevate platform share content via Sales Navigator. In order to improve this process, and save users switching between the two, Sales Navigator users will now get alerts from Elevate within their Navigator dashboard, where they’ll also be able to action them directly.
#13 LinkedIn Adds New Audience Insights Through Third-Party Partnerships
Earlier this year, LinkedIn added the capacity for Company Pages to list specific hashtags of interest within their page info, further defining key areas of interest. And now, LinkedIn is looking to take those insights to the next stage by rolling out a new element in its API program which will enable third-party partners to highlight key topics of focus to improve your LinkedIn campaigns.
#14 Facebook is Removing its Group Chats Feature to Limit Spammers
Facebook has announced that it’s removing the group chat functionality that it launched in October last year, which was designed to facilitate more intimate discussion between group members, separate from post comments.
#15 Facebook is Looking to Prompt More Sharing to Your Personal and Page Stories
Facebook is trying out a new Stories update prompt which displays a split Stories panel, and prompts users to share to their personal and/or business Page Stories.
#16 Google My Business Adds Bulk Reviews For Multiple Listings
Google said you can now manage reviews in bulk for multiple listings. Google wrote “businesses can view reviews for multiple listings at once. With bulk reviews, you’ll be able to view, reply to, and flag reviews for multiple listings from one place.”
#17 Google Considers Notifying Webmasters For Featured Snippet Penalties
Sometimes Google may remove a featured snippet from showing in the search results because it doesn’t comply with its internal policies or guidelines. Google currently does not notify webmasters when such removal happens, but Danny Sullivan from Google said the company is considering doing so.
#18 Google Rolls Out ‘Maximize Conversion Value Smart Bidding Strategy
The newest smart bidding strategy in Google Ads’ lineup, maximize conversion value, is now available in all Search campaigns.
#19 Facebook Introduces More Page Badges to Encourage Engagement
Facebook has been slowly adding badges into Page interactions, and expanding the signifiers available in order to highlight more prolific and engaged Page fans. Now there are a few more interesting ones to watch out for.
#20 Facebook Launches 3D Photos to Android Devices
Facebook has this week officially announced that its 3D photos option will be made available on Android devices, and an expanded set of iOS smartphones. These will add depth to still images by using the dual camera capacity of most modern smartphones, provide another creative option for your Facebook posts.
#21 YouTube Will Remove its In-App Messaging Option Next Month
YouTube has now announced that it will remove the functionality next month, in order to put more emphasis on public sharing via comments, posts, and YouTube stories
#22 LinkedIn Launches New Insights Hub to Provide Additional Audience Insights
LinkedIn has launched a new element of its ‘Success Hub’ marketing data and insights platform, which aims to provide additional information on specific audiences and verticals, in order to help better inform marketing decisions and understanding.
#23 Twitter Launches 6-Second Video Ad Bidding
Twitter is launching a new video ad option in the form of 6-second video ad bidding, which will see advertisers only charged if and when their video ad is in view for six seconds. Video advertisers will still publish their on-platform video ads as normal, but this new option will enable them to choose to only be charged when their video is viewed for 6 seconds.
#24 Facebook Brings It’s Clear History’ Tool, Starting in Ireland, South Korea and Spain
Facebook has finally announced the initial rollout of its promised ‘clear history’ tool, which will enable users to see the websites and apps which send Facebook information when they use them, remove that information from their account, and turn off Facebook’s ability to store the same going forward.
#25 Google Tests Featured Snippets Anchors & Highlights On Desktop
Google has a feature on mobile, where if a featured snippet leads to an AMP page, Google can take the searcher after they click on the snippet to your AMP page, anchor them down to the section of the content the searcher wants to see and highlight that content in yellow. Well, Google is now testing that on desktop.
#26 Facebook is Removing Its Group Chat feature to Limit Spammers
Facebook has announced that it’s removing the group chat functionality that it launched in October last year, which was designed to facilitate more intimate discussion between group members, separate from post comments.
#27 Twitter is Testing a New Content Filtering System for the Message Request
