Category: Uncategorized

Written by Brittany Prats

Edited by Allison Herrera⁣

We literally always say  you have to go digital. The time is now. No more excuses. But, hey, if you don’t want to take our word for it, that’s fine. Before you close any doors, though, check out this evidence proving it’s time to go digital!

Did you know that Digital Ad Revenue had the largest increase last year since 2006?! That’s a 35% increase in Digital Ad Revenue in one year, but we can’t say we’re super surprised by this. Coming off of a pandemic that lasted well over a year, it was almost impossible for a brand to not turn to digital marketing. Everyone was constantly online, which quite honestly resulted in digital marketing really as businesses only option in terms of advertising.

Just to further put this number into perspective, an increase in Digital Ad Revenue of 35% equals just about $189 BILLION. Previously, from 2020 to 2021, the growth rate of Digital Ad Revenue was only 12%. There are millions of reasons that this may have been the case, but let’s break down the main one.

There was an enormous increase in the amount of businesses, which in turn means more of a need for marketing and advertising. In fact, a record of 5.4 million new business applications were filed. Because of the immense amount of new businesses, the only way that they could really promote their new business or find new customers was by going digital, whether that be through social media, video, or even audio.

Online shopping is another contributor to this spike in Digital Ad Revenue. People practically accomplished all of their shopping online last year as well, which makes a significant difference in Digital Ad Revenue. Online shopping is a big portion of our everyday lives, and it’s clearly not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, online shopping is constantly developing as digital outlets continue growing. Think about it. Twenty years ago, we would wait for the mailman/mailwoman to deliver the latest store catalogs. Ten years ago, we moved online, where we would “window shop” on online websites and could even order products. Five years ago, we would browse social media and message stores comments, questions or concerns about products. But today, we can now order products through digital apps, such as Instagram, with a few simple clicks after being hooked from algorithms and Digital Advertising.

Now, your next question is probably how do you calculate ad revenue? Well, there’s no one-size-fits all calculation for ad revenue, since difference platforms/outlets can charge advertisers based on a few different metrics, including:

• Cost-per-thousand-impressions
• Cost-per-click
• Cost-per-acquisition

Cost-per-thousand-impressions or cost-per-mille (CPM) measures how much you earn each time an ad earns 1,000 views.

• Formula: Total impressions / 1,000 X CPM = Revenue
• For example, if you charge advertisers a $10 CPM and you have 200,000 monthly website visitors, you might expect to earn $2,000 per month if each of those visitors view an ad once
• Here’s how that works: 200,000 impressions / 1,000 X $10 CPM = $2,000

Cost-per-click (CPC) measures how much you earn each time someone clicks on an ad.

• Formula: Total impressions / 1,000 X CPM = Revenue
• For example, if you charge advertisers a $10 CPM and you have 200,000 monthly website visitors, you might expect to earn $2,000 per month if each of those visitors view an ad once
• Here’s how that works: 200,000 impressions / 1,000 X $10 CPM = $2,000

Cost-per-acquisition (CPA) measures how much you earn each time someone converts after viewing your ad. This conversion is similar to CPC, but it typically comes in the form of an email sign-up, app download, or purchase.

• Formula: Total acquisitions X CPA = Revenue
• For example, if you charge a $2 CPA and 1,000 of your readers convert, you earn $2,000
• Here’s how that works: 1,000 conversions X $2 = $2,000

Now that you understand how these numbers are calculated, you can see how Digital Ad Revenue has skyrocketed; however, just because ad revenue has increased, that doesn’t mean it will do that for every brand. You have to practice effective advertising in order for your means to make a difference. With digital advertising quickly evolving everyday, it can get incredibly hard to keep up with all of the new trends, channels, and options you have.

So why do it alone?! If you want real results based on specifically you and your goals, then hire someone who actually specializes in digital marketing. Oh wait, that sounds familiar, huh? Hire Uptown Girl Media, where we believe everyone deserves a piece of the pie…and we’re willing to get you there however we have to!

Written by Brittany Prats

Edited by Allison Herrera⁣

We hear it all the time: “I can do my business’s marketing on my own, it can’t be that hard.” Sure, maybe you can – but if you really want to grow your business like never before, then you need to hire a professional (**cough cough** us **cough cough**).

What even is a marketing agency anyway?!

Well, it’s pretty simple actually. A marketing agency is a team of people who help brands grow in whatever their goal is through the execution of a campaign or strategy. Whether that’s through social media, out of home, commercials, or even just website development, the options are limitless. Marketing agencies focus on telling your brand’s story in a creative & strategic manner.

I don’t know. I still think I could do it on my own. So, why is it worth it?!

We get it – it seems really easy, so why wouldn’t you just do it all on your own? Let’s break down a few advantages of why hiring a professional can make a serious difference in upping your marketing game.

1.  Professionals are Objective.

Obviously, you’re going to think your business is the best in the field & that your methods of marketing are top notch, but that’s not always the best perspective when promoting your business. The way you promote your business may not be the most effective approach; so, with an objective eye, professionals analyze everything, see where your competitors are doing well, & figure out the best move for your goals, along with creating content that is specifically strategized for your brand, focused on customer engagement/experience, & cannot be replicated or re-produced.

2. Access to Professional Resources & Knowledge

The professionals will have access to data, stats, software, & other materials that the average person simply doesn’t. Just like how you have resources that help you in your field but aren’t necessarily available to everyone, it’s the same way for marketers! We also stay up to date on ever-changing knowledge pertaining to marketing, whether it’s Instagram’s algorithm or website design trends. As digital continues updating, we continue learning.

3. Tracking Results.

Yeah, yeah, yeah we know – Instagram Insights are a great thing…but, those statistics are sometimes vague & lacking in areas that make all the difference. Do you really know what those numbers mean? And did you know that there are so many other important statistics from your campaign that Instagram can’t analyze by itself? Through hiring a professional, you’ll have access to all of the data & statistics that really matter for your goals in your campaign. Plus, we’ll go over each report we create for you – helping you understand each statistic & analyzation a little bit better.

4. Saving you Time & Money.

Time is money, baby, & you don’t have time to waste. Hiring a professional will help you get back to the fun parts of being a business owner, & more importantly letting you focus on the things you know best. What takes you maybe four hours to create may take us only fifteen minutes. Since we know the tips & tricks of the marketing industry, using a professional can actually save you money in the long run, as we can better target your audience & implement strategies focused on goals. We’re constant learners & on top of the trends/changes in the digital world, which takes a large chunk of time on a day to day basis. Let us take that burden off of your shoulders.

5. Experience!!

This one is a little obvious, but it might be the most important. Just as you’re an expert in your field of work, professional marketers are experts in their field. They know all there is to know about what will make your brand grow & how to do so. Everyone has their own strengths, & ours just happens to be marketing! We always keep up with the latest trends ensuring that your campaigns will be accurate, effective, & produce positive results throughout the duration it is used. Experience is something you really need when it comes to marketing if you want to effectively get your business off of the ground.

Okay, cool, but what about Uptown Girl Media?!

We do all of that & so much more, but with a twist! Our goal as a business is providing a unique visual experience that no one else can reproduce, by curating individualized visions that are strategically personalized for you & your brand. We specialize in highlighting memories & experiences consumers will value through a creative & unique outlet.

We want you to leave the hard work to us, & enjoy the fun parts of being a business owner! We believe that we can grow any brand to reach its specific goals. This not only expands your brand, but it builds your credentials & enhances your professional presence.

Regardless of who you choose to hire for your marketing needs, just always remember that you need to do your research, ask questions, & get a second opinion before you hire them. Don’t waste your time or your money if you know you’re not the right fit. At Uptown Girl Media, we think of working with clients as a mutual selection process.

We want to work directly with you, & we want our goals & values to align. We won’t let you waste your time, & we most certainly won’t let you waste your money. Give us a call, babe, & let’s see if we’re a fit.

As Biggie Smalls once said, “never let ‘em know your next move”. Well, Instagram certainly follows this ideal. Update after update. New feature after new feature. It’s harder keeping up with Instagram than the Kardashians, but you know what…every update & feature has truly enhanced users’ experiences on Instagram. The social media giant is cooking up their newest update – Instagram story likes.

Users are now able to “like” an Instagram story privately (meaning only you & whoever posted the content will see that you “hearted” that picture your crush posted on their story). As opposed to the current reactions that are used on Instagram stories where Instagram will send a DM to the user of whatever reaction you clicked on, story likes will simply just be shown on the same feed that shows who viewed your story. This feature was created in hopes of  helping declutter users’ DMs.

I know, I know – you’re probably wondering, “Okay. Cool. But, you’re a marketing company…so, why do you care? This just seems helpful for personal accounts”. Oh no, honey. This new feature is full of benefits that can help a business grow their social media game.

Think of it like this – if you’re liking someone’s story, you most likely have a relationship with that person, or are at least trying to have a relationship with them. Why is it  any different for a brand?

Imagine that your ideal client averages 400-500 views per story. That user who is your ideal client may not follow your IG account, which means your chances of becoming noticed are one in four hundred or one in five hundred. But, have no fear! By “liking” that user’s story, Instagram will bump your account to the top of the viewers list; whereas with the current IG story interactions, your “reaction” ends up in a “requested” messages folder (if an account doesn’t follow your account). This new feature entices users you deem as ideal clients into looking into your profile, since you personify your brand through liking that user’s story & implying you genuinely care about what that user is posting.

Utilizing the new story like feature assists in growing brands. This new feature not only gets brands noticed by potential customers, but it builds relationships & trust with clients – potential, past and/or current. Not really sure if keeping up with Instagram is a priority for you? Give us a call, because staying social is always our number one priority.

Written by Brittany Prats

Edited by Allison Herrera⁣

Picture this: You recently posted a beautiful picture on Instagram promoting your brand. You check the Instagram Insights to see how the post is doing. You look at it, think “cool”, & then close out the app. You have no idea what you just looked at. Sure, they’re big numbers, so you think that’s good…but what does it all really mean?! We’ll break it down for you.

Reach vs. Impressions – what’s the difference?

Well, it’s pretty simple, actually. Reach is the number of unique users who view your post or ad, while impressions are the number of times your post or ad is seen. Think of it like this, if you personally see an ad three times, then that ad made an impression on you three times, but only to you those three times. This means that most of the time the amount of impressions will be much higher than the reach, due to the fact that the ad is more than likely going to be served to that user more than once.

I’ll give another example to make this a little clearer. Say Dior posts a picture displaying their new shade of Lip Oil. This post gets a reach of 1.2 million, but 3.3 million impressions. This means that out of Dior’s 39.7 million followers, only 1.2 million of those users saw the post, but it was seen a total of 3.3 million times. Therefore, a majority of the 1.2 million unique users who saw the new shade of Lip Oil actually saw that post multiple times. Everytime a user is shown a post or ad, it counts as a new impression, regardless of if they have seen it before or not.

Reach and Impressions fall into two categories: Paid and Organic. Organic reach and impressions are when users view your post organically on their feed – the content just happens to show up to them. While paid reach and impressions are when you pay for your content to show up on someone’s feed – think of this as Instagram ads, Facebook ads, or any “boosted” post.

You’re probably thinking, “okay cool, but why does it even matter?”. Well, the answer is pretty easy: brand awareness. The more people who see your post (reach), the more people will recognize and notice your brand. Would you even know of your favorite online boutique if they never reached you? Probably not. The amount of times your post is viewed (impressions) is important, because the more someone sees your post, the more they’ll remember it. Remember that one ad you saw over and over again and now know all the words to? Yeah, they meant to do that. Now you remember the ad, you remember the brand, and you’re more likely to buy from them if you feel like you know them from seeing them so often.

Overall, reach and impressions are extremely important when growing your brand. You want people to see your content; and you want them to see your post more than once, so they remember it. Still having trouble figuring out what it all means or just need those numbers to be a little higher for you? We got you, babe. Give us a call – we can help!

Written by Allison Herrera⁣

Your client is essential, as it’s who purchases your products/services &, essentially, keeps your company in business. Our job is catering to your client, because they deserve valuable content…but, have you ever thought about centering content based around them? Here are four (4) reasons why:

People trust consumers over companies

Peers, influencers & even celebrities often voice their opinions on products/services; which, in turn, generates more potential clients. This works because your peers, influencers & celebrities build a loyal following with like-minded people, who trust them & their opinions on products promoted. Followers feel that the brands are reputable, as opinions are coming from an end user instead of the brand’s designer or developer. Peers, influencers & celebrities even present the product or service from they point of view, & how it relates to their day-to-day lives.

Long-term SEO value in customer-focused marketing

Many companies toot their own horn on their “About Page”, but not many brands have a “Customer Reviews” page. This allows customers to speak on behalf of your brand, which leads to more user-generated content & more engaged online followers. Adding reviews on your website can also positively impact your SEO – especially in terms of certain keywords. When you engage with customers via social media, you also show up in the SERP. These positive interactions should translate on your website for SEO purposes.

Word-of-mouth marketing

Kantar found in a 2020 study that 93% of people trust their family & friends as reliable sources when choosing a brand or service. Quality products & outstanding customer service are two factors in leading consumer decisions; which in turn, boosts recommendations of services/products to friends & family. This is how brands can achieve customer stories & emotive marketing, which share the impact of a company.

Big brands use this strategy…& it works

Brands like Tesla, Nike, & Airbnb have seen great success from shifting their marketing to a customer-focused strategy.

• Tesla’s marketing strategy is practically non-existent compared to its competitors, as its strategy is essentially word-of-mouth. Tesla even began a referral program rewarding customers for referring Tesla to friends & family, which has been highly successful. That referral program led to one Tesla customer referred over 180 people to purchase a Tesla. That same one customer also brought in $16 million, with Tesla spending $0 in terms of advertising.
• Nike is also another great example of focusing on its clientele. Nike ditches product descriptions &, instead, focuses on the wearer & his/her experiences wearing Nike – the kid who finally hits her half-court shot or learns to run for the first time. Of course millions of athletes sport Nike’s brand, but the company uses their “Average Joe” clients who believe in the Nike brand. In turn, Nike represents these regular people in their marketing strategies.
• Airbnb recently increased its focus on brand marketing, which resulted in them cutting their performance marketing spend by over 25% percent. Airbnb reports that they are experiencing its strongest earnings ever in Q3 2021, after launching its first global brand campaign, “Made Possible by Hosts”, in Q1 2021. This campaign centers around its customers & through their eyes as travelers, whether it’s an average family vacation, solo trip, or adventure.

 

Your customers should consistently & constantly stand as the focal point of your marketing strategy. After all, your brand would not succeed without their support. Are you unsure of how to begin utilizing your clients? Contact us today – we can help!

Written by Brittany Prats

Edited by Allison Herrera⁣

Imagine you’re out on a Friday night and you see a really cute person across the room – how are you going to get their attention? Flip your hair? Shoot ‘em a wink? No. We hate to break it to you, but that’s not going to get you that Valentine’s box of chocolates. Sorry, but it’s true.

You know what will catch their attention & make them remember you? A pickup line. Whether it be cheesy, smooth, or even a little direct – we guarantee you they’ll remember it. Listen, we know what you’re thinking, “Why is a marketing company giving me dating advice?” We’re not. We’re giving you email marketing advice.

That’s right. Think of emails as if you’re picking that cutie up at the bar. Don’t you want to get your recipient’s attention? Well, in email marketing, what’s the point of sending emails if your followers aren’t  even going to open it? Here’s where those pickup lines come in.

When you’re getting ready to send an email, whether it’s to promote a new sale, new products, or just to get people in the door – you need your audience to OPEN THAT EMAIL. If you want to get your message across, you gotta get creative. Over 105 billion emails are sent every day, so how will you get your audience to open your email? Here’s seven types of subject lines to use for your email marketing strategy that we know will entice that cutie into reading your email 😉

Simple (but to the point) Subject Lines

Minimalism is never a bad thing. Sometimes all your customer wants is something quick and to the point. If creativity isn’t your strong suit, that’s okay – these types of subject lines are for you. You could even just use one, simple word – something as easy as “Sale” or “Freebie”. In fact, many of your customers will appreciate a quick notification that tells them what they need to know without having to dig and figure out context clues.

Funny Subject Lines

Everyone loves a good joke, even if it’s the cheesiest thing they’ve ever heard. Your readers aren’t going to want to open an email whose subject line is super serious. They want to open an email by a brand who clearly has a voice and sounds human. Putting a joke in the subject line of your email can entice your reader and make them feel as if they are able to better connect to your brand. If your subject line is really funny, then chances are the user will share how funny your brand is (i.e. giving your brand more awareness).

Shocking Subject Lines

Be risky. We know…it’s sometimes scary taking that jump. But what’s important is that taking risks can actually bring in major rewards. Shock your reader. Maybe even insult them. But, take this advice carefully. We don’t actually want to offend anyone – we just want to stop them in their tracks. Think about when you read something that calls you out, but it doesn’t really call you out. It makes you stop and go ,“Wait, what??” Yeah, that’s what you want to do. For example, if we were to send out an email about this blog post with the subject line “Hey, your email marketing sucks. Let us help you.” We’re insulting you, but only a little. You have to thread that line of controversy. Think cheeky and sarcastic, with some hint of truth.

Incorporating Numbers & Lists into Subject Lines

Also, you only have so much space in a subject line, so why would you make it lengthier than it has to be? Your mind is automatically going to shift towards a shorter subject line, and using numbers is a great way to cut that subject line down. Your subject line has to stand out from the dozens of other emails in their inbox, and our brains are naturally drawn to digits.  If every other email is just a long line of text, don’t you think that one email with digits in it will make the reader stop? Guess what, it will. 

Personalized Subject Lines

Stop for a minute. We ARE NOT talking about putting the user’s name in the subject line. Sure, that’s great – but everyone does it. Don’t you want to stand out? Yeah, that’s what we thought. When we talk about personalization, we mean personal. Not just a name or what they ordered, but what they enjoy and where they live. Don’t be creepy about it; but if you know they’re in New Orleans, say something like, “Good Morning, New Orleans.” If you know they almost bought something on your site, say something like, “Please don’t forget about me.” Gain their attention, then retain it. Make the reader feel like you know them.

Using Punctuation in Subject Lines

Make your reader question what’s going on. Be direct. If you’re asking them why they’re not taking advantage of the big sale going on, they’ll more than likely question themselves. On the other hand, make them feel rushed. Focus on time constraints by using proper punctuation. Using exclamation points can make your audience feel excited or as if they need to act immediately, because you want your reader to feel that  they’re missing out on something. Get creative, have fun, and make your reader question why they haven’t done what you want them to do.

Mysterious Subject Lines

People love a little mystery in their lives. Keep them guessing. If you intrigue them enough, they’ll open the email. Think about if you’ve ever seen an email with the subject line “You’re missing out…” It made you wonder what you were missing out on, huh? You opened that email, didn’t you? If YOU did that on your company’s email – just imagine the opens you would receive. Make your reader think a little bit. They’ll want to know more…trust us.

Let’s be honest – if you’re really trying to pick up that person at a bar, you’re not going to be boring. Sorry, but “boring’ will not secure you a fancy dinner at Commander’s or roses at your front door. But, do you know what will? Being fun, creative, direct, and maybe even a little risky. When you’re writing an email subject line, don’t make it harder than it has to be. Just keep it simple, no one is going to read a paragraph of a subject line.

Act like you’re trying to get a date with Zac Efron and you’ll be golden, babe! You know us – we won’t ever leave you stranded. If you’re still feeling like you just can’t get the hang of it, contact us, we can always help.

• « Instagram’s Three Feeds

Written by Allison Herrera

Instagram’s objective is keeping users *cough* you *cough* on the app & consuming content for as long as possible…so, the app is undergoing the biggest change for its feed! Adam Mosseri (the head of Instagram) released information that the app will soon have three different home feeds which users can toggle between. Keep reading & learn about the three variations.

Home

The “Home” feed is the way your Instagram feed currently appears based on what the app’s AI system believes you want to see, which shows that the app is beginning to take on more & more of TikTok’s traits by the day. IG’s new & improved “Home” feed will greatly resemble TikTok’s “For You Page” (aka their feed) mixed in with the algorithm IG introduced in 2016, which is filtered by engagement between you & the accounts on the feed. This feed makes discovering new accounts easy, based on your your current engagement.

Favorite

The “Favorite” feed is a way for you to stay on top of content from accounts you don’t want to miss out on. You can add people to your favorites list & IG will ensure you will see their posts, since this feed isn’t oversaturated & curated based on your selective list. This is a good opportunity for you to use it as a close friends list or create a list based on specific hobbies or industries. Perhaps you don’t want to miss out on your BFF’s content, or maybe you don’t want your favorite chef’s IG recipe videos lost in the sauce (no pun intended).

Following

The “Following” feed is definitely a blast from the past, as it focuses on chronological order. Who else is feeling the 2010 vibes?! Posts in this feed are shown in the order in which they are posted – regardless of whether or not you recently engaged with them. That goes against the current algorithm, which is pumped up by engagement. This is a dream for people who are tired of seeing posts on their feed from five days ago.

With the goal of engagement in mind, these three different feeds ensure just that – showing what the app thinks you want to see (“Home” feed), showing what users decide they want to see (“Favorite” feed), & showing real-time content that isn’t buried from days prior (“Following” feed). By incorporating all three of these feed options, there is no way users will miss a thing & will experience a boost in comments/likes/shares on content posted!

Written by Allison Herrera

Here at Uptown Girl Media, we love a good QR code!

Paired with a creative strategy, QR codes are an easy tool for people to quickly access your goods or services, which helps grow your business/brand. In simple terms, QR codes are a simple mechanism that engages potential clients & customers. Below are 17 ways you can utilize QR codes to maximize growth for your business/brand.

1. Business Cards
2. Cashless Payments
3. Clothing/Merchandise
4. Contact Information
5. Event Posters
6. Galleries & Museums
7. “Hello, My Name Is…” Tags
8. In-Store Posters with Coupons
9. Instruction Manuals
10. Outdoor Billboards
11. Product Packaging
12. Promotions During Live Events
13. Public Wifi Network Access
14. Restaurant Menus
15. Social Media Pages
16. Upcoming Events or Webinars
17. Websites

so much more! Of course, the above are all great ideas (scroll down & see picture examples), but they provide no strategy. Contact us today – we can help! With our state of the art data & statistic reports, we can also track QR codes we custom create for clients by showcasing the total number of scans, the number of scans over specific periods of time, scans by top cities, & so much more. A QR code created by Uptown Girl Media is also personalized in terms of design. Contact us today, & we will maximize your digital marketing campaign!

____

Business Cards

Cashless Payments

Restaurant Menus

Social Media Pages

Written by Allison Herrera

Keywords aren’t dead. In fact, they’re Instagram’s newest functionality! Although we all push hashtags on social media, you may want to begin implementing keywords on Instagram. Here are the differences between hashtags & keywords…

Hashtags

• You choose to manually sort & organize content
• Users can follow hashtags, just as they follow accounts
• Can be used on stories, posts & reels
• Can be general or specific

Keywords

• Instagram catalogues your content
• Helps Instagram act as a search engine
• Only works on posts
• Limited categories (as of right now)

Although Instagram isn’t releasing much information on keywords, they’re transforming the app into more of a search engine & are similar to SEO, as they are based on captions & images. For instance, when you search something on Instagram, the app now suggests “keywords” based on your interests! If you’re interested in learning more about keywords and/or hashtags, shoot us an email at contact@uptowngirl.media. We’d love to chat with you!

Written by Allison Herrera & Brittany Prats

Say “hello” to Meta. Facebook rebranded as Meta last month, & we are LOVING the changes that are coming along with the new name. Along with a move to virtual reality under Meta, here are five (5)  Facebook & Instagram updates you should look out for.

1) Facial Recognition is no more!

• While the jury is still out about whether we’re happy or sad to see it go, this update is definitely going to be an adjustment for everyone.
• For obvious safety & privacy reasons, many were concerned about where this data was going and how it was being used. Meta’s VP of Artificial Intelligence made it clear that they wanted to assess the positives & negatives of facial recognition, after noticing the intense concern from their users.
• Meta is never going to stop evolving, so to say that facial recognition is gone for good is quite unlikely. Meta even stated that while they are in the process of saying goodbye to facial recognition, they are still looking into how to enhance the feature and, hopefully, reintroduce it once AI is in a better state to display transparency and offer complete privacy to their users.

 

2) Facebook Group fans, where you at?! Don’t worry, Facebook Groups aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, in fact, Facebook has made them more of a priority for their users! With the new update, they launched customizable features to make groups as user friendly and tailored as possible.

• Feeling like you want to change up the look of your group? Well, now you can! Facebook has graciously granted us with the ability to not only change fonts, colors, and backgrounds; but we can now create our own reaction emojis tailored to the group’s purpose. Instead of a like button, maybe it’s a gingerbread man or a dog… the possibilities are really endless!
• Facebook also wants to increase the engagement aspect of groups, so you can now send an automated, yet customized, welcome message to all new members!
• The update also allows admins to pin an important announcement to the top of the page, so that all users will immediately see it when they enter the group.

3) Tired of saying “link in bio” on all of your Instagram stories… us too. Well, guess what? Meta has made it a million times easier on us, you can now add a link directly into your Instagram Story! While this feature was previously available to users with higher followings, now every single user is able to put a link in their story whether they have 10 million followers or 10 followers.

4) Remember that carousel post from senior prom? The one where you wish you could just delete that ONE picture of you and your ex? Yeah, we know that feeling a little too well. Thankfully, Meta has once again come to our rescue! With the new update, you can go into a previously posted carousel and delete any pictures you wish.

5) Instagram Lives can sometimes feel impersonable. In order to make IG Lives more interactive for both the user and the creator, Meta introduced badges.

• Badges are basically a little icon next to a user’s name when they comment on an Instagram Live indicating that the user supported the creator through purchasing a $.99, $1.99 or $4.99 heart.
• This is a great way for creators to make some extra money, as well as an inexpensive way for users to show their support for their favorite creators.

The fun doesn’t end there…more Meta updates are coming.

We already know that Meta is prioritizing Facebook groups, but what if I told you they could make them more organized & specific to your needs? They’re currently looking into allowing admins to create a subgroup within their overarching group. For example, if you’re in a group for a specific organization, the admin can create subgroups within that group for things like upcoming events, merchandise, member spotlights, announcements, etc. – all without having to create a million different groups for each topic. Within the topic of subgroups soon being introduced, Meta is also developing paid subgroups, where users can subscribe to a subgroup in order to receive exclusive content.

Along with these updates, there are also potential features in development, which can potentially change the game as far as enhancing the user’s experience. It seems that with the new updates, Meta is more focused on the user and creating an enjoyable, but extremely tailored experience for them. A few of the features we heard about through the grapevine include:

1. Awards can soon be added to a post in order to make it more clear what the tone of the post will be. Words like “Insightful”, “Interesting”, and “Fun” can be awarded to creators, so users will be more likely to stop and read the whole post if it’s something that they came to Facebook in search of.
2. Community Chats can potentially be used to bring users together in real-time. No more waiting for them to respond or wondering if they ever will. A community chat will allow the users to talk whenever and wherever, with people who share their same interests.
3. Facebook Events can be really fun and helpful for the user; but from an Admin’s standpoint, it’s tedious. Meta is in the works of introducing a feature where you can make an event recurring – meaning you won’t have to put in all of the same information every single month for that monthly meeting that always happens at the same time, in the same place, and with the same people. This will make it way easier for planning events and can better regulate when recurring events are happening.

 

This might seem like a lot of information (and it definitely is), but Meta is trying to make Facebook and Instagram as user-friendly and interactive as possible – whether that be through groups or getting rid of the age-old “link in bio” dilemma.

Too much to take in? Not a fan of change? Uptown Girl Media has your back! We’re super excited about these changes & how they can enhance digital marketing, so we’d be more than happy to help you update your marketing. Contact us today!