Social Media Weekly News Roundup 09.10.20
Facebook announces new tools for Group admins, including new community management certification
Facebook has announced the arrival of new tools for its Groups, in order to help admins better manage their communities. Ten years after their launch, the popularity and importance of Facebook Groups have never been greater, with more than 1.8 billion people now using Groups to connect each month. Some of the new tools include Admin Assist, which allows Group admins to set Group rules more easily, a Brand Collabs Manager, allowing brands and creators to connect more easily with audiences, as well as a new community management certification. The new certification will serve as a resource for Group admins and community organisers and will be available through Facebook Blueprint.
Instagram announces it’s expanding shopping feature
On Monday, Instagram announced that it will be expanding its shopping feature globally across IGTV and will also begin testing its expansion on new TikTok-like feature Reels. Instagram’s shopping feature allows influencers and creators to monetise their content on the platform, allowing site users to purchase products in-app at the click of a button.
Users can now search lyrics to find songs on Spotify
Spotify is revolutionising the way users search for music with its new feature Spotify Lyrics Search. iOS and Android Spotify users will now be able to search for songs by entering the lyrics they know into a search bar; previously, users would have to know the title or artist of the song in order to find it. The launch of this feature reduces the demand for apps such as Shazam, which is now also available within the Snapchat app, whereby users can allow their device to listen to a song and identify its title and artist. Spotify’s new feature is more in-demand than ever before, with music-heavy platforms like TikTok on the rise and a whole new culture of music consumption emerging.
TikTok sparks revival of 70s sensation Fleetwood Mac
Talking of TikTok, a recent surge in the popularity of band Fleetwood Mac, who first became popular during the 70s and 80s, has demonstrated the sheer power of the emerging social media platform. Sales of Fleetwood Mac’s hit song Dreams tripled during the last week after a TikTok video featuring the song went viral.
Google launches a rebrand of its G Suite as new Google Workspace
Google’s G Suite is being rebranded as a new hub called Google Workspace, which will also include some brand new features for its users. Google Workspace will still include all of the previous G Suite apps, including features such as Slides, Docs, Gmail, Calendar, and Drive, alongside new features including a budget managing tool and new collaboration capabilities.
Instagram launches new features in celebration of its 10th birthday
In celebration of its 10th birthday, Instagram has announced the arrival of its own new features, including a new Stories Map, custom app icons, and, in an aim to tackle bullying on the site, the ability to automatically hide comments which flag up as being similar to previously reported comments. The Stories Map will allow users to browse a private calendar and map of all their stories over the last 3 years, while the custom app icons will allow users to customise their Instagram app icon on their homescreens.
Facebook’s Portal adds support for new platforms, including Netflix and Zoom
Facebook’s family of Portal devices will now be able to support new platforms, including streaming giant Netflix and video calling platform Zoom. With Portal support, Zoom users will now be able to host a video call with up to 25 people on the screen. Facebook is also working on opening up its ‘Hey Portal’ feature to Spanish speakers, with more language capacities expected to arrive in the near future.