2017 Immediate Future

Archive: 2022

Express yourselves! Say more with Twitter’s latest tweak We can all agree that saying everything we need to within the character limit on Twitter can become quite tedious and at times extremely frustrating! Yet somehow, being the super-species we are, we have adapted and now excelled at this.

A week ago, the IF office took part in Red Nose Day, raising money to help children in the UK and Africa. It mostly consisted of eating chocolate cake and playing Wii – hard life! (by the way, if you’re a little late but still want to take…

Pinterest is now letting brands promote apps on their walls via the platform’s self-serve platform and API partners. The update means iOS users can now download apps to their mobiles within Pinterest, without being redirected to the app store. Although it is fairly new, the feature has already…

Facebook Live Location has been introduced this week, Facebook’s new location tracking feature. Facebook has had security and privacy issues in the past with people being unaware of their location services being on, particularly with the ‘Nearby Friends’ function that launched in 2014. Facebook Live Location offers a similar…

Regular blog readers and viewers of our #60SecondSocial Twitter videos, will know we’re fans of live streaming; and understandably so, when you consider Facebook are giving boosts to Facebook Live broadcasts. Usually, Organic Facebook content reaches less than 1% of your audience, but the ‘is live’ and ‘was…

The prime suspect in #60SecondSocial this week is LinkedIn. The Sales Navigator has been beefed up with an enterprise plan, CRM syncing, and PointDrive integration, tapping into its user base of more than 465 million professionals. We haven’t forgotten about Instagram, who introduced two-factor authentication & Facebook who have designed yet another ad…

The art of storytelling has now become the norm on social media, with the everyday person sharing visually stunning photos and videos in an innovative way. Snapchat was the first to kick off the trend with its new stories feature and Facebook enabled users to interact with…

No one wants to feel like they’re missing out, right?… So, there are virtually no reasons not to implement social media into your marketing strategy, and since it is so cost-effective, there is hardly anything to lose. It’s most likely that your competition is already on social media,…

Did you know that social media data can predict the weather? According to a study from Warwick Research, social photos and key words in posts can be used to predict extreme weather. Using these social sensors, alongside meteorological information, the social chatter improves forecasting with…

Everyone loves a good joke, that’s not a secret. But humour can seem risky when it comes to brand image – especially when it’s yours. Sure, on more than one occasion, a company has pushed it a little too far and got misunderstood by its audience (doing it…

According to Statista, there are 3.17 billion people online of which, 2.3 billion are active social media users. Yes, you read that right. That figure alone can trigger businesses to invest in social media, with the aim of reaching their target markets. Businesses want…

There’s been a lot of talk about Snapchat lately – particularly about how much they’re being copied. We’ve all seen the updates, such as stickers and disappearing content, popping up on other networks – which have led to speculation about how Snapchat will compete. But, Snapchat have also…

This week we borrow a line from Frankie Goes To Hollywood: When two tribes go to war… Live streaming being the war and Facebook, and Twitter being the tribes. It’s likely this battle will run and run. The good news for brands, consumers and users…

You’ve probably heard that word-of-mouth has been identified as one of the most valuable and effective forms of marketing, influencing up to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions. In digital marketing, this goes well beyond recommendations from peers. These days, influencers are the key to word-of-mouth marketing.

Facebook has been testing yet another story feature for its mobile proposition in selected countries, and it is currently opening it up to a few more. This could be an indication that the feature will soon be launched globally, but there hasn’t yet been an…

A new app with the invite code ‘pizza’, say no more, we’re sold! YouTube has always been the old faithful, reliable friend that never lets us down and keeps us laughing into the early hours. Strange and random, yet those YouTube videos always give us something to talk…

On its mission to take over every aspect of our daily lives, Facebook has been bringing a lot of new features recently – hasn’t stopped trying to take on other social platforms (Snapchat, Tinder…) Now it seems it is going after TripAdvisor (or Google Trips, it depends on…

Live-streaming video is set to become this year’s big thing in social, and some brands are already embracing it to great success. Follow our top tips and you could be joining them: Make the video your audience want Like any piece of content, your…

Social evolves at breakneck speed; channel changes occur daily; and development roadmaps are sometimes hidden from us. It has become harder than ever for marketers to stay abreast of what they need to know. To be able to push the boundaries of campaigns and deliver…

If you are you one of the companies that isn’t utilising your social media channels, or maybe hasn’t even started using social media yet, then here are some great reasons why you need to do so. Many companies today are using social media by posting updates to…

By now, you must have heard of Prisma, the app that lets you turn any picture into instant art. If you haven’t, here’s a few reasons why should find out: It was named best app in both the Apple and the Google play stores It’s time for you…

Social is moving to take over TV. This has been the case for a while and as we have recently explored Facebook is ramping up to take on YouTube for the social video top spot. In mid-February Facebook announced the launch of the Facebook…

Facebook has just quietly rolled out its latest development in the fight against one of its biggest issues – the distribution of fake news. While the term has rapidly become adopted into pop culture (I visited my sister this weekend, and when I found my clothes in her…

The expertise, guidance and knowledge that CEO’s have to offer is invaluable! Tap into your CEO’s brain by putting them forward as ‘thought leaders’ on social media. Raising awareness for your business, attracting new potential customers and creating a community is the start of a long list of…

The paid advertising landscape is changing and this time it’s all about video. Two big announcements have rocked the video world… Facebook is introducing mid-roll video ads Youtube is scrapping 30 sec pre-roll video ads in favour of 6 sec – 20 sec. It’s clear to see that…

Had you even remembered WhatsApp had a ‘status’ feature? It’s that original line that states ‘Hi there, I’m using WhatsApp’ underneath your profile that probably hasn’t been changed, or in my case, noticed, since you downloaded WhatsApp when it was released in 2009. Talking of originality, WhatsApp have…

It’s safe to say that the use of visual content is going to stick and there is a wealth of data that can be used to support the benefits of this type of content. On average, visuals perform 4.4 x better than text-based content and as…

For years, the mantra touted by every social expert is that brands need to “be transparent and honest” when engaging in social networks. Whilst the rewards of social marketing are undoubtable, occasionally organisations make mistakes or fall into holes. It happens. Most learn and move on. But some…

I was walking on the street and I just saw a girl with my dream pair of shoes (OK I already have a lot, so let’s just say one of my dream pair of shoes). Right then and there, I wished there was some way I could get…

There has been so much written about social media strategy for small businesses. Almost everyone uses social media today as it’s very much a personal medium that works, and a few employees engaging directly with customers on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn can be a natural extension of any…

Admit it, we all know someone who thinks that working with a major influencer is an easy way to get their product in front of millions of people. They often fall at the first hurdle when they realise their favourite YouTube Creator is charging a not-so-small…

Social media customer service is becoming more important by the day. According to J.D. Power, 67% consumers have now used a company’s social media channel for customer service. And when they do so, they expect quick response times which a lot of companies are…

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if that’s the case Snapchat should be positively blushing right now. Because lately all of the social networks seem to be crushing fairly hard on that friendly ghost. Get a room you guys. The latest, fittingly in this…

With social commerce proving a major revenue generator for WeChat and Line in Asia, there’s no surprise that the big social networks are more enthusiastic than ever to get their slice of the action. And look no further than Instagram as a key example here: from the launch…

Emotional content is the zeitgeist of modern marketing from TV and outdoor to, of course, social. We know it works because the results speak for themselves. The challenge for most brands though, is getting that emotional bit right. Pups and sappy might work for John Lewis, but it is…

You might have recently seen a lot of purple dove-like birds banging their heads on your Facebook timeline. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write. Fear not, fellow netizens, it’s just people posting trashdoves. let me explain. In what is rapidly becoming one of the…

Love is in the air today, as couples celebrate the day of love. Twitter marks the special occasion with its new Valentine’s day stickers, enabling people to share the love in a fun way. The social media channel will also release Valentine’s day emojis, each time a user…

We reckon the recent introduction of search ads might turn the world of pins back into wins. The virtual online inspiration ‘cork’ board, as Pinterest is often referred to as, has 150 million monthly users. These 150 million are making on average of 2 billion…

If like us you live in a developed country, you’d be forgiven for not knowing what Facebook’s Lite app is, but it’s exactly what it says on the tin – a lightweight version of the well known Facebook app, available in a select group of countries…

How many times have you swayed away from social content, thinking, “What pile of absolute fluff?” That’s right- you are todays customer- a well-informed, savvy and socially aware individual who has access to vast sources of data which hold the truths & certainly the untruths of a brand.

Sometimes social gets a bad rep. This is due to the lingering hangover our industry is still suffering from the bad old days of “social rockstars”, “ninjas” and “gurus” who sold vanity metrics at a premium and contributed very little to actual business objectives.

Facebook has begun rolling out its new “Discover People” feature on IOS and Android. The new feature aims to facilitate contact between people that are not already friends on Facebook – basically suggesting you become friends with strangers. As opposed to the “People you may know” section that…

Facebook is adding a ranking algorithm that identifies sensationalised, fake, misleading posts The platform has a new way of categorising Pages that considers whether that page is posting spam or trying to game feed by doing things like asking for likes, comments or shares to determine whether…

You already know why your business needs a social media presence, as you’ve already experienced that social media provides a golden opportunity to talk to your existing and prospective customers or engage with those who will shout about your brand. Its highly likely that a social media presence…

Are you tired of people getting your name wrong? I can’t begin to tell you how many times people have changed my name to make their lives easier. The Facebook pronunciation tool will now teach people how to say your name right. Gone are the days of fighting…

“What’s that?” I hear you cry, “Another Snapchat related blog?” well, you’ve got me there but this time is different, this time is really significant. This time there’s llamas. Firstly let’s get the latest ad unit news out of the way so I can get to…

There’s a lot to be said for trusting your instincts. Often, trusting your gut and taking leaps of faith are how the best decisions are made, how businesses prosper and how civilisation itself advances. But here’s the thing. Leaps of faith are also a major cause of falling…

Digital marketing is all the rage this year with branding testing new and innovative ways to communicate with your targeted audience. Social media channels have released major updates to accommodate the way we interact, communicate and digest information. Let’s guide our potential customers on the yellow brick road…

It will come as no surprise that since Microsoft’s take-over of LinkedIn, the software giant wants to take on the big guns. Microsoft has been waiting years for the opportunity to successfully enter the social media game. Instead of taking the Google approach and trying to make…

When we’re sold virtual reality, we’re of the impression that our social interactions will become more intimate and life-like, and that we will be treated to a social media experience beyond the realms of possibility. Arguably, the technological development of virtual reality on our social screens…

So, January is coming to an end and most of the articles I’ve been reading recently have (as one would expect) revolved around wrap ups from 2016, learnings as well as what to look forward to, the trends & upcoming innovations. This read however, will explore a widely…

Following Microsoft’s completion of the LinkedIn acquisition, dramatic changes began to roll out at the end of last week. Primarily, for its 450m users, it is a desktop revamp that leads the charge. Whilst not available yet in every country, we took a look at initial feedback…

Facebook Live is on every lip and every screen. Add to that Periscope and YouTube Live, and there’s no denying that Live is king on social media! Even Snapchat and Instagram stories fall within this trend towards spontaneity. Does this mean Live-tweeting has reached its expiry date? In case…

I think about the future of social media often. I wonder where it’s all going. The pace of technological change is beginning to outstrip our capacity to make sense of the world around us and it’s only going to accelerate further. Tech begets tech. The devices we create…

Instagram Stories Ads Good news! Instagram just announced that it will be releasing ads in its Instagram Stories section, which has managed to acquire about 150 million people check out Instagram Stories since it release later last year. And yes, Instagram is copying Snapchat a bit (again)…

It’s always nice to see your work do well. When you see the results of a campaign and a certain piece of content or chunk of copy performs better than you expected it’s wonderful. But why not expand upon that? In the music industry…

We’ve all heard the expression ‘content is king’. It’s Digital Marketing 101. What many forget though is that means quality content – and it’s not just Google that’s cracking down on irrelevant noise. The social platforms, of which Facebook is at the forefront, are constantly improving their…

As we all know by now, integrating social media engagement into your B2B marketing plan is a smart way to reach your clients and prospects. That isn’t rocket science, and certainly nothing new for 2017. But it is something that is easily forgotten or lost from our initial…

In 2016 both Facebook and Twitter made a concerted effort to simplify their ad platforms, making it easier for individuals and small business owners to advertise their business. Compared to a few years ago, setting up campaigns is now relatively easy, and there are plenty of…

Taking a look at your social strategies for summer 2017? Looking even further forward? Well, here are four of the less frequently used options in social media marketing to give you some inspiration. Spice up your content distribution by mixing it up, use different channels, find a unique…

It’s said if you want to know what technology will be in mainstream cars in future years, you should review what is in a Mercedes S Class, today. The vision of S Class, becomes tomorrow’s reality. Much like the Mercedes S Class, CES has evolved into a beast…

There’s a big difference between simply using social media platforms, and building a genuine social presence that allows your audience to emotionally connect with your brand. Establishing an honest relationship with consumers via social media is simple. Consumers want to know that your brand has a personality, and…

Most of you already know Pinterest. But if you can look past the design-ideas-pic sharing platform cliché, it’s more powerful than we often imagine, and can be incredibly useful to develop your brand online. Pinterest has as many monthly users as Snapchat (150 million), and 40% of new…

The marketing landscape continues to alter at a startling rate and we at Immediate Future are pretty certain you are fed up of being bombarded with fluffy information and figures about this “mammoth” transformation over the years. I can pretty much guarantee you’re thinking, “How great was life…

“Don’t blog about Snapchat” was the recurring mantra / running joke in the IF office over the course of 2016. It was easier said than done because, of the Big 5 social channels, Snapchat dominated the news last year and likewise, the IF blog.

In a bid to encourage Facebook’s 1.8 million Facebook Live users to spend longer on the service, the social channel caters to the celebrities, public figures and Mentions app members. The new update gives celebrities and other public influential figures the power to control and edit their live…