The data storage law has been in place since 2014, but LinkedIn is the first major social network to be blocked in Russia. Twitter looks for light, redefines itself once again Twitter is now the number one "news" app in the world. The Social Media Examiner brings real-life examples to get your brand on the right path to building a bot, with a step-by-step guide covering conception to launch. And they are starting to make the platform's ad business look a lot like Facebook's. The new ad tests could prove that engagement on Snapchat can move beyond the app itself, and that would be a good sign for both the platform and advertisers. Music star Ed Sheeran hides his new single in a Snapchat lens Out with the iTunes exclusives, and in with the Snapchat lenses. At least that's Ed Sheeran's approach at teasing his new single, "Shape of You." Snapchat or Instagram: Which is better for your business? Facebook is ready to test something publishers have been hoping for a while, and something the social network has, until now, opted to avoid: mid-roll video ads that insert an advertiser's video in the middle of video rather than at the beginning or end. And in terms of content distribution, LinkedIn will act as the second most popular channel for B2B content marketers after email, followed by Twitter and Facebook.
This week’s ‘Skim highlights: LinkedIn steals headlines in its fight with the Kremlin; Twitter distances itself from… social media; Snapchat builds new, lead-generating ad capabilities; the ultimate LinkedIn cheat sheet for maximizing views; social’s role in hot B2B trends; the latest on whether your YouTube ad investment is paying off; Mark Zuckerberg’s potential dive into politics; and much more…
1. Russia removed LinkedIn from its app stores, and Apple and Google complied
Users in Russia can no longer download LinkedIn on their smartphones, following a demand by the Russian government that Apple and Google remove the app from their app stores. LinkedIn has been accused of violating the nation’s data storage law, which requires any company collecting data on Russian citizens store that data within the country’s borders.
LinkedIn says its 6 million registered Russian users are the real losers, now left unable to grow their businesses using the platform. The data storage law has been in place since 2014, but LinkedIn is the first major social network to be blocked in Russia. Critics say the move is an attack on social networks by a government that’s grown increasingly hostile to Internet freedoms.
2. Twitter looks for light, redefines itself once again
Twitter is now the number one “news” app in the world. Ever since the ex-social network recategorized itself in app stores across all platforms, it’s shot up in rankings as the company continues to reposition not as a place for people to stalk photos of friends but as one to see what’s happening.
At CES 2017, Twitter’s CMO said people were confused about what to do on the platform, and always felt pressure to tweet and constantly update. Now, the company says, those preoccupations of the past are not necessary.
But the app’s reinvention and neutral stance has come at a price: stories of rampant cyberbullying and the platform’s significant role in communication from the now President-Elect shaped opinions about it.
For better or for worse, Twitter will be there for all the news that fits into 140-characters in 2017.
3. How and why your brand should create a Facebook bot
Thought about putting the tools of Facebook Messenger to better use for your brand in this new year? Chatbots can be a great way to help answer your customers’ frequently asked questions and free up more time to for your team to identify higher quality leads.
The social network now lets brands install chatbots on their business pages, which means it’s easier than ever for a company to save time and respond to frivolous requests by constructing a set of menus or keywords that guide users.
The Social Media Examiner brings real-life examples to get your brand on the right path to building a bot, with a step-by-step guide covering conception to launch.
Snap Ads that are inserted between Stories or on Snapchat’s Discover content just got a whole lot smarter. And they are starting to make the platform’s ad business look a lot like Facebook’s. By deep-linking, the new ad types allow advertisers to link users out of the Snapchat and straight into their own apps if users also have the advertiser’s app downloaded.
A new auto-fill feature also lets advertisers easily collect information from users who choose to provide it; for example, a food delivery company can prompt users to sign up for its service by letting Snapchat give the company the contact information the user had previously opted to share.
The new ad tests could prove that engagement on Snapchat can move beyond the app itself, and that would be a good sign for both the platform and advertisers.
5. Facebook Live videos might not be so truthful, and that’s a problem
TechCrunch argues that it’s time for the social giant to crack down on Facebook Live abuse, noting several alarming examples of both social-only pages and big-name publishing partners using the platform for non-live events.
They’re doing so to take advantage of automatic…
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