This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of November 28

Instagram Lets Users Know When Screenshots Are Taken

Following in Snapchat’s footsteps, Instagram has added a feature that lets users know when someone screenshots an image or message they’ve posted.  This feature works with the app’s latest disappearing photo and message capability, which is highlighted below—and it has some users perplexed.  Since users can send messages that, by definition, “disappear,” it’s a bit baffling to some why they’re receiving messages that recipients have subsequently taken screenshots of those messages. 

Instagram Adds Disappearing Photos and Videos While Releasing Live Video

Instagram now allows users to share disappearing photos and videos to groups and individuals, offering an even more creative and visual way for users to connect with their closest friends. Additionally, live video has been added to Instagram Stories, allowing users to connect with friends and followers instantly—at any time in real time. Once a live video has ended, it disappears from a story—a feature that lets users feel more comfortable sharing. While live, friends can get notifications so they can watch, users can pin comments for everyone to view, or comments can be turned off completely. The live-video experience is directed completely by the person recording the video. With this feature, dealerships can get creative and provide customers with real-time information about everyday happenings or consider sharing customer testimonials with followers.  Live video is a great way to grow your audience and get more leads, so grab some attention for your dealership by leveraging the latest updates.

DriveTribe App and Social Platform for Car Lovers

Dubbed as “Facebook for Petrolheads,” DriveTribe—the social media platform and app for car and bike lovers everywhere—just launched for iOS and Android.  Driven by the hosts of Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, this platform is designed to be simple and easy-to-use for anyone who’s interested in car or bike topics.  Described as “Pinterest meets Reddit meets cars and bikes,” it’s yet to be seen how the platform will stand up to public scrutiny, but there’s plenty of optimism.  Dealerships, keep your eyes on the newest social platforms and emerging news outlets, as you’ll be able to share the latest and greatest with your followers when you are on top of what’s happening in the social media world.  And who knows?  You may just run across something that piques your interest and becomes a trusted resource!

Facebook Updates Page Layout for Desktop

The new Facebook page layouts allow users to have a more customizable desktop experience, with customizable sections in the middle column, the ability to add new templates for business types with various new tab options, and the ability to see and share URLs more easily. Still in the test phase, these changes have not yet been released to everyone—but users around the globe should keep their eyes open because updates will soon be available worldwide. Dealerships, appearance is everything, so consider customizing your Page to appeal to your followers and capture attention.  You’ll generate more leads and keep people interested when you create a customized look and feel, and you’ll convey the personality of your dealership.  Take advantage of Facebook’s latest updates to add appealing personalization to your Page!

Facebook Getting Rid of Media Buying Specialty

Facebook Marketing Partners is a program that was designed to recognize excellence in a variety of categories of digital expertise.  Piloted in 2015 with eight different categories, this program has reached a point in which is now needs to be streamlined.  Effective December 31, 2016, Facebook will phase out the Media Buying specialty, which is one of the original eight categories in the 2015 pilot program.  Facebook has determined that, in its place, the Blueprint Certification, recognizing individual buyer competency with both Facebook and Instagram products, more fully meets the needs of agency partners.  Dealerships, be sure to capture attention by targeting specific audiences and directing relevant content toward your audience.  Remember to customize your headlines and utilize your ads to promote a variety of things, like Pages, apps, and events!  You’ll get more traction when you think outside the box and creatively appeal to a variety of consumers.

Tip of the Week – Find Your Niche & Get Good at What You Do

Whether you’ve been on social media for a while or you’re just getting started, it’s important to remember you can’t tackle every platform at once.  You’re working to build a social presence for your dealership and build an audience that recognizes you for your industry expertise—and that means you need to master one area before adding several others to the mix.  It’s much easier to be responsive, offer relevant content, and build a consistent following on a single platform, rather than jumping in and spreading yourself too thin on several platforms.

Think of it this way.  Anytime you want to become an expert in something, it’s important to start small.  If you want to learn how to cook, it’s probably going to turn out better if you tackle a project like eggs before attempting to make coq au vin or complicated soufflés!  Master scrambled eggs, move on to hard-boiled, and then, when you’re ready, tackle the bigger projects.

The same goes for building your social platform.  Give yourself time to become an expert—and give your followers time to recognize your presence and learn to expect your posts.  You’ll build a following and earn trust.  Check out a few quick tips to help you incrementally build your dealership’s social presence:

• Identify the platform.  Decide where you’re going to post and stick to that platform.  If most of your intended audience is on Facebook, then become an expert in the tools Facebook offers to help you reach and grow your audience.

• Make a plan.  Plan your content and the times you’ll post.  When you’re consistent with your posts, followers will expect your content, and they’ll look forward to your contributions.

• Post relevant information.  Get to know your audience by interacting, having online conversations, and listening to what’s important to them.  Then, post content that resonates and reflects what matters to them in the moment.

• Build relationships.  Rather than being solely focused on posting content, be sure you strike a good balance of interacting with your followers.  Be sure to answer questions in a timely manner—and ask frequently about what’s important to them.  You’ll build trust and get plenty of great ideas for future posts!

• Share, share, share.  The content you share doesn’t always have to be original content created by you.  Instead, be open to sharing great content your followers post—and keep your eyes open for valuable information from trusted sources you can share with your audience.  When you contribute helpful advice, guidance, and tips, you’ll build lasting relationships.

• Measure and evaluate.  Don’t be afraid to take a step back and really focus on what’s working—and what’s not.  Change things up and try different ways of doing things.  That’s how you’ll be able to fine-tune your strategy and become great at managing your social presence. 

Take time to get great at one platform before you dive into several different platforms.  You’ll still be able to build a large social following, and you’ll learn even more by truly focusing on all the tools available to you as you reach out to consumers.