2018 Immediate Future

Archive: 2022

After 9 months of beta testing, YouTube have finally launched their new Studio interface. Equipped with three new metrics and better insights, you’ll now have access to an improved understanding of how each of your videos is performing. The new dashboard shows you personalised news and information for your…

Recent news from Twitter suggests there are plans in the pipeline that could see us all the proud owners of our very own blue ticks in the future. Twitter verification has been under scrutiny for a while now, with most users seeing it as a symbol of endorsement or credibility…

The past few years have been a roller-coaster ride for Twitter. Success stories broadcasting their flotation and rise to $69 a share (in January 2014) were followed by column inches informing us of declining revenues, their share price crashing to $14 (in May 2016), ensuing staff cutbacks and comprehensive restructuring…

There are plenty of tactical ways to use social media for B2B marketing. The first question… which channels are you using? Well, we all know that B2B loves LinkedIn. But, how should you be using LinkedIn? There has been a huge focus on LinkedIn over the past year. The platform…

The latest news out of Google is that they’re opening up Maps so developers can create the next big mobile gaming phenomenon, in the mould of Pokémon Go. While initially this seems like great news solely for gaming, there’s no reason this shouldn’t get marketers excited too. The…

Wanna know how to thrive on Facebook in 2018? Here’s what Facebook’s second algorithm change means for brands. It focuses on prioritising content from friends and family, so it’s no surprise that has sparked huge concern, interest and conversation for brands. Publishers, marketers and news outlets will have lower…

Remember June last year when YouTube announced a beta trial of YouTube studio, its new hub for Creators? It’s been a while, so you’d be forgiven for not remembering. The good news is, after 9 months of testing, the new hub will be rolled out to everyone…

You don’t have to be a social media expert to know that Facebook is transitioning into a much more video orientated platform, and ever since the launch of Facebook’s on demand video service, Watch, last summer, brands and advertisers have been waiting with bated breath to see if it had…

Facebook ends Explore & tests new voice clip feature Facebook are constantly making design changes, adding new features and ranking updates with the aim of improving the experience for everyone. Whilst some take off and are received well by the public, others don’t, and it seems Explore has fallen into…

Off the back of International Women’s Day yesterday, we thought we’d keep the ball rolling by highlighting an interesting, and timeous, initiative by Facebook. The Women in Gaming website has been created by the social media giant to encourage collaboration, story-sharing and connection with women in the…

Facebook and Instagram are increasingly being used in the consumer holiday planning process. According to a recent survey commissioned by Facebook, 68% of Millennials found ideas and inspiration for their most recent trip on Facebook, and the same goes for 60% on Instagram. Travel advertisers on Facebook won’t have to…

Knowing when to post on your social channels is a constant challenge. It depends on many factors – first and foremost, your audience. Which time zone and countries are they in? What does a normal day look like for them? Are they mobile users or desktop users?…

Instagram has developed into far more than a photo-sharing app and it’s showing no signs of stopping. It’s recently been reported that we could be seeing video and voice calling added to the expanding list of features. Secret codes have been found hidden in the app’s APK (android application package)…

The all-consuming Leviathan which is Facebook has seen an opportunity for continued growth. You may have already seen the out of home advertising, where Facebook shows its alignment with micro businesses, your local barber, a small florist and the like. Now, to complement that messaging, Facebook has…

With the launch of Facebook Spaces last year, Facebook aimed to democratise the world of social VR, and in October announced functionality that brought immersive 360 images (not just videos!) to the Facebook newsfeed. Until now however, posts have been limited to those created in Oculus Medium, and you have…

For years YouTube was the go-to platform for video content and only had a relatively small live-streaming offering. When it came to live videos, we saw a number of platforms enter the arena; Periscope and Meerkat to name but a few. And more recently we’ve seen Facebook’s video proposition go…

As frustrated as you may be about the changes in the app’s layout, Snapchat have announced that it is here to stay. Despite all the negativity, the redesign is claimed to have come from user feedback. For the business, the change is already giving the Discover section a push. The…

It’s the new social media app being touted as the next Instagram, and celebrities and influencers alike are flocking to give it a try. The platform was actually started years ago and positioned itself as a competitor to the other social giants in the space; i.e. Facebook,…

For the past year, CJ, MD at immediate future, had been commenting on Snapchat earnings calls on BBC News (broadcast), national and trade press: saying that Snapchat is on a path to failure. As losses continue to pile up, and a spotlight is placed on recent changes at the…

Brits, listen up! Snapchat has a new feature, which will allow UK users to create their very own personalised Lenses directly from the app for the first time. Always wanted to give it a go? Now you can! According to Snap, over 70 million people use the popular face and…

Nike’s Jordan brand teamed up with Snapchat to pre-release the Air Jordan III “Tinker” trainers after this week’s NBA All-Star game. After the game, people who attended the Jumpman All-Star after-party in LA were able to scan an exclusive Snap code and buy the trainers directly through Snapchat. Although Shopify…

It’s a question I’m regularly asked. I’m fortunate enough to be a BBC News room regular, commentating on Earning Calls for each Social Media channel. Irrespective of the prime brand being discussed, the topic of Facebook’s ability to sustain incremental profits always arises. Today, Facebook isn’t just the powerhouse of…

You heard it from the main man himself, so it should be no surprise when, less than a month later, there already seems to be a 6% decline in Facebook traffic to publishers. In the long run, this drop in referral traffic is intended to result in…

It hasn’t even been two years since Facebook proclaimed that by the beginning of the next decade the platform could be ‘all video’, but it already feels like this prediction is fast-becoming a reality. For some time now, YouTube has dominated the online video clip space. But…

Whether you allow your child access to social media or not is a particularly controversial topic which doesn’t have an easy answer. One thing remains clear, children will access the platform with or without your consent. After consultations with parents and national associations, Facebook recognised this and has developed an…

Facebook have officially rolled out their Lists feature globally today. The feature is aligned to the status update box, along with the options such as Photo/Sticker, Polls and so on. With the recent shift to make Facebook a platform to help users connect to their loved ones, have more meaningful…

Over the last few weeks we’ve seen copious amounts of updates from Instagram, and just last week the platform announced that it has been testing a new way to enable brands to push purchases on the platform, in the form of ‘Collections’ ads. We first saw ‘Collections’ campaigns on…

According to reports, Twitter Inc. has shown the most profit since it’s market launch in 2013. The platform’s prioritisation of video, as well as a new software algorithm, have both contributed to increased time spent on Twitter by users while also encouraging…

It’s no secret that Pinterest users curate boards to plan birthday parties, weddings, Christmas, Halloween and every other occasion. Choosing a holiday destination, buying seasonal clothes, party planning. This is exactly why consumer brands should be using Pinterest for seasonal advertising. Pinterest is a place for beautiful images and products.

Facebook’s latest report, released at the end of January, focuses on social usage and the impact this may have on the fashion shopping journey, and ultimately, what this might mean for marketers. The report, with feedback from 4,500 people, includes insight into why people open social media apps while shopping,…

It’s been common knowledge for some time that Facebook wants to be a video programming hub and original content provider to rival Netflix or Hulu, for the sole purpose of increasing video ad space. Following…

You can now customise your Bitmoji in over a hundred different ways. Snapchat say they have responded to user requests and welcome even more feedback. Amongst changes to the overall design of the App, Snap has also discreetly introduced a way to mute notifications with a new “Do not disturb”…

We first saw ads on Instagram Stories just under a year ago, a format that has over 300 million daily users. Last week Instagram announced that it is expanding its ad capabilities by introducing carousel ads to Stories. Recently, brands were limited to using just one image on their Instagram…

It may seem as though the initial moment passed without much fanfare in October 2015 when Twitter Moments rolled out. It was then released to influencers and creators in August 2016 then the wider public in Sep 16, but… didn’t really set the world alight. At its…

We know that Instagram doesn’t stop when we all leave the office at 5:30pm, and at the weekend, when we’re all making the most of our two days off, it’s especially alive. Whilst there have been unofficial solutions like Schedugram, which we’ve made the most…

There’s that supercilious phrase, “if you ‘assume’, you make an ASS out of U and ME”. Bloomin’ awful expression, but it did pop into my head when I read this summary of research on MarketingProfs. It takes a look at how marketers get it wrong when they…

Influencer Marketing – From mega to micro Using a celebrity or sports personality to endorse your brand or product is no new concept. However, in 2017, we saw brands use social media to find new and effective ways to use endorsement and incorporate it into their overall marketing strategy.

Earlier this month, the WhatsApp Business app officially launched in markets such as Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S. A wider roll-out is planned later in the year. The addition will see business profiles and new messaging tools available for customers as part of a…

Instagram is at it again! The latest update includes an integration with GIPHY, meaning only one thing – Stories are going to be a lot more animated! GIF stickers can now be added to all of your Story photos and videos, and the fact that they’re from GIPHY’s database means that…

Not a Snapchat user? Doesn’t mean you won’t be finding out more about it… On Tuesday, Twitter announced that you can now share certain stories outside of the app with a shareable link & open them on a webpage, mobile browser, or within Facebook & Twitter. At the moment, the…

We know the clock’s ticking for May 25th, and there’s still scepticism around the application and effects of GDPR for every business sector. One thing is clear though, there are definite concerns for marketers. This blog answers a lot of questions, but glaringly, without the opt-in holy…

Anniversaries are a great opportunity to celebrate the high points from the last year. They also give brands an opportunity to devise a social campaign to make strengthen their brand messaging and appeal to a particular audience. For optimum success, they’re best celebrated alongside a news story, launches, initiatives, products,…

Following Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to once again change the inner workings of the Facebook news feed, the real impact of the newsfeed algorithm change is becoming clearer. Initially, publishers and advertisers alike were thrown into a panic by assuming the change meant the end times had come and we were…

Here’s a story about a young lady who wanted to spend five nights in a luxury Dublin hotel. As she says herself, it was to be for “an early Valentine’s Day weekend”. Nothing too unusual there. Here’s the kicker, because of who she is, rising social media influencer Elle Darby,…

The latest trend on social? In the US, it’s comparing yourself to 70,000 works of art and sharing your best match. Sounds fun, right? However, there’s a lot more cool stuff going on in the background than you think. Google has been experimenting with gamifying AI algorithms…

It’s been quiet at the water cooler recently, what with having to wait FOREVER for GoT to return. But, even if you’re not a business, the recent Facebook news means Zuckerberg’s plans have got everybody talking. January as a slow news month? Not anymore. Facebook’s long shadow…

Storytelling is as old time. Stories have been used to tell tales of history and adventure, and to build communities. As humans, our brains are hardwired to remember stories. We search for connections between the characters, their challenges and their successes. Telling an engaging story allows someone to get on…

Last week, Mark Zuckerberg made a bold statement about his plans for 2018. With the aim to fix and improve the social network, he stated that big changes will be made to Newsfeed. The algorithm will now prioritise user posts over public content, such as posts from businesses, brands…

We are all, in some way or another, completely reliant on social media. This makes us a captive audience and ideal recipients on which to trial new things. Given the global penetration of social media, here are our 5 trend forecasts for the new year. Facebook Watch will lead the…

Facebook is saturated with brands on the constant lookout for new ways to engage with their audiences. We’re all fighting for our voices to be heard. Getting people to engage with brands on social media is getting harder, and people’s opinions are becoming more and more valuable. Unless your content…

It appears Facebook bit off more than they could chew with their AI experiment, the powered virtual assistant, better known mysteriously as ‘M’. Released in August 2015, M is a text-based virtual assistant that involves using human employees to train an artificial intelligence system. After being offered to around 2,000…

Following Mark Zuckerberg’s prediction that video will be the largest driver of business for Facebook over the next two to three years, it is easy to see, that the desire to become a ‘video-first’ platform is at the heart of their efforts. A further…

With digital ad spend growing year-on-year, 2017 was the year that overall digital ad spend finally surpassed TV spend. Total global digital ad spend came to a whopping $209 billion, which is a huge 41% of the entire market. TV is now trailing behind with a $178…

Did you know it would take you 10 years to view all the photos shared on Snapchat in the last hour? In amongst all of the cat videos and selfies are a surprising amount of conversations about cinema. Snap Inc. recently teamed up with Greenberg and the MPAA to conduct some…

While social media companies are often dragged over the coals as a result of how they handle their platform content, their responsibility to protect vulnerable individuals or how they contribute to the countries they operate in through taxes, there doesn’t seem to be much commentary yet on their suitability as…

In the rush of Christmas parties, present buying and mince pie munching, you’d be forgiven for not realising the importance of an announcement Instagram released on 13th December. Luckily for you, it’s January, there are no excuses and we’re here to give you the low down. When you open up…

It’s now the start of a brand new year, where new trends emerge and new opportunities for content creation arise. We hope you’ve had your fill of turkey and all the over-indulgent trimmings you could get your hands on this Christmas. We definitely did. However, it’s now time to look…