This Week’s Top Stories
Pinterest Launches “Marketing Developer Partners” Program
(MarketingLand, 4/27/15)
PNConnect Insight – Scheduling Pinterest activity is something brand publishers have long desired and the hope is the list of companies with access to the API will grow beyond this initial 10. While optimizing post times can be good, it’s also important to remember that Pinterest is mostly about search and not the feed.
Instagram Debuts @Music, Its First Content Vertical
(Billboard, 4/29/15)
PNConnect Insight – Instagram getting into the content publishing business is no small matter. Other networks have made similar moves but with Instagram being such an engagement powerhouse and with so big a grasp on an attractive demographic, that they’re looking to create their own content is important and has implications for all the other news brands publishing there.
Social Media
YouTube Unveils New Research and Insights Before NewFronts 2015
(ClickZ, 4/23/15)
PNConnect Insight – While the findings from YouTube are mainly geared toward advertisers, there’s still lots of good viewer findings that are applicable more generally to all sorts of publishers. And YouTube needs to continue making that case as Facebook continues to make a move into video dominance, including signing a number of major media producers to create sponsored video content.
How Twitter’s New Abuse Filter Could Backfire
(Readwrite, 4/23/15)
PNConnect Insight – Twitter seemingly can’t win when it comes to harassing and threatening tweets posted by its users. They are criticized for allowing these tweets, but when they take steps to address them, pundits rightfully point out that having a filter that can’t be turned off might prevent users from seeing threats being made and knowing of potential dangers. Twitter is to be commended for trying to take a step to limit bullying and worse via its platform, but this may not be the right solution. While brands don’t often find themselves threatened or ‘bullied’ via Twitter, it is good to see Twitter taking its users’ conduct seriously.
Meet The Company Secretly Running All Your Favourite Social Media Accounts
(Buzzfeed, 4/27/15)
PNConnect Insight – There are multiple red flags in this story, despite how attractive it might seem to be able to manipulate social audiences like this. First, the team’s understanding of copyright is more than a little questionable. And the lack of disclosure about what they’re doing – something that’s essential to their success – violates just about every established best practice there is. In other words, this isn’t something to emulate, ti’s a cautionary tale.
Publishing
Why YouTube Should Fear Facebook, the NHL Playoffs Edition
(Re/code, 4/25/15)
PNConnect Insight – While one case doesn’t prove the entire model, the content around the NHL playoffs would certainly seem to provide evidence that Facebook is not just a competitor to YouTube, but in some cases can significantly outperform it. As algorithm changes continue to impact brand Facebook pages, one possible response is to increase the amount of video content posted to pages. The views and audience certainly seem to be there.
Snapchat Persuades Brands to Go Vertical With Their Video
(Adweek, 4/26/15)
PNConnect Insight – There’s an old saying that “friends don’t let friends shoot portrait video” but Snapchat clearly wants to change that. This is a case where former best practices – see the above “no portrait video” – don’t always apply to new tools and form factors. While that might still work on other platforms – Facebook, Periscope etc – it’s important to note what’s different here and create unique content that’s optimized for this channel.
Media/Journalism
Peter Hamby leaving CNN for Snapchat
(Politico, 4/27/15)
PNConnect Insight – Lest there be any doubt about Snapchat’s intention to make itself a legitimate source for news for its audience, this move removes it. The hiring of a well-respected political reporter from an established outlet like CNN to be Snapchat’s head of news shows a maturing in the platform and that they’re serious about developing more news capability. Brands that have in the past tended to dismiss Snapchat as irrelevant or as targeting a younger demographic may want to rethink their position and consider exploring Snapchat as a viable option in reaching audiences.
Tools
Three New Filters and Emoji Hashtags
(Instagram Blog, 4/27/15)
PNConnect Insight – Emoji have become part of a universal/visual language nowadays. Instagram understood this, so it’s integrating it to its search as part of the conversation. Understanding this fact: how can we do it with our brands and other platforms? Obviously the use of emojis shouldn’t be overdone by brand publishers, no matter how hip doing so might make them feel. WordPress also announced publishers can now use emojis both in posts and in headlines.
Emerging Tech
Introducing Pound: Process for Optimizing and Understanding Network Diffusion
(Buzzfeed, 4/26/15)
PNConnect Insight – Buzzfeed’s system is incredibly detailed in how it can analyze reader behavior and tie it back to very specific actions on the part of the audience but it comes down to a simple truism of any publisher: Measure what you publish.
Retail
Millennials Want It Now, And They Want It Right
(MediaPost, 4/27/15)
PNConnect Insight – Huge and hugely important insights into how this important demographic views their customer service needs and expectations.
Advertising/Promotion
Welcoming TellApart to the flock
(Twitter Blog – 4/28/15)
PNConnect Insight – One more move by Twitter to beef up its advertising capabilities. This adds some retargeting to the ads and lets Twitter target those ads across devices.