What's what in the social sphere from the social media mavens at Scout.

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Contents
Facebook Rolls Out Facebook “Topics” Test
Instagram’s New Algorithm
Pinterest in 2016
Facebook Instant Articles
Video statistics to help shape a Gen Z and Millennial-
focused brand strategy

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Facebook
creates more
opportunities for
brand engagement

4. You may have noticed the recent addition of
the option to “Add topic” when editing a
Facebook status.
Topics, which are still in a testing stage, allow
statuses to be grouped with like Topics,
working much like hashtags.
Users can create a new Topic, as well as add
their status to a current Topic.
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5. 5 Click to read more
Topics are also searchable, like hashtags, and
are not said to affect prioritization.
Tagging content with Topics will allow users to
find and engage in relevant subjects that they
are interested in.
Brands should consider how Topics can provide
more opportunities to engage in relevant
conversations, as well as how best to create
content that not only falls into popular Topics,
but is also in line with their content pillars.

6. 6 Click to read more
Another recent addition on Facebook is the
ability to see popular live videos in the
“trending topics” area.
The app is also building out capabilities for
users to search for Facebook Live videos, as
well as a Facebook Live Map on desktop to
see what is being broadcast live in other areas.
These features speak to the growing trend
of video in new capacities. Now is the time
for brands to develop not only a video
strategy, but one that incorporates Facebook
Live’s capabilities.

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New
Instagram
Algorithm

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With a recent update similar to that of social
platforms such as Facebook and Twitter,
Instagram has rolled out a news feed
algorithm that shows you the most engaged
posts in your news feed rather than showing
posts only in chronological order.

9. The order of photos and videos in your feed will
be based on the likelihood you’ll be interested in
the content, your relationship with the person
posting and the timeliness of the post.
9
”
“
-Instagram

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This is a clear sign that brands can be more
strategic in how they are posting, putting
quality over quantity.
Brands should also align their social media
strategy with Instagram best practices, with
visual, dynamic, and engaging photos.

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Pinterest 2016

12. 12 Click to read more
Pinterest continues to grow each year, and
it looks like 2016 is going to be their year.
For starters, they have a millenial target
audience, whose purchasing power continues
to grow significantly.
As shown in the chart, the biggest audience
on Pinterest is females in the 25-34 year old
age group, i.e. millennial women.
47% of millennial respondents to an Accenture
survey went on to state that they have
purchased something online after pinning it.

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Pinterest also rolled out additional Rich Pins
that include extra information within the pin.
These include
• App Pins - easy app download without
leaving the site
• Recipe Pins - all pertinent recipe information
• Product Pins - availability, price and
location details

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Pinterest is not a home run for those industries
that do not have an organic audience on
Pinterest, but for some, it can be truly beneficial.
For example:
61% of Pinners made a food purchase
(43% online and 82% in store)
42% of Pinners made a beauty purchase
(49% online, 69% in-store)
Brands should capitalize on Pinterest growth
with the use of Rich Pins and engaging content
that motivates users to not just Pin, but buy.

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Facebook
Instant Articles

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Facebook is set to reveal a new offering,
“Instant Articles,” which will allow publishers
to directly post content, including long-form
pieces, instead of posting using via
external links.
The company plans to change the way
publishers, including brands, post content
to its network.
This is more enhanced than what print
magazines offer because Facebook offers
quicker access to content, seamless
integration of auto-play videos, interactive
maps, and more.

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The change, which launched April 12, allows
brands to customize the look and feel of their
content, to include layout, typeface and ads
to run within the post. There is also an
analytics option.
Another issue addressed with Instant Articles is
the load time for an external link to populate.
Since there is no redirection involved, wait time
will no longer be an issue.
Brands that tested Instant Articles in beta
reported a 15% increase in shares versus shares
of a regular article posted to Facebook.

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Since the change will also likely decrease
direct page views, brands should be prepared
to integrate brand messaging and advertising
directly in the content in a way that is still
engaging and authentic to the experience.
Click to read more

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Meet them where
they are
Video helps to reach Gen Z and
Millennial audience

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The media consumption habits of today’s
younger generations are increasingly
meaningful and impactful to brands.
Interestingly, Gen Zers have begun to overtake
Millennials as the demographic that impacts
brands the most. According to a Sparks &
Honey report, “more than 70% of parents
indicate that their Generation Z children
influence buying decisions around family meals
and apparel.” They also contribute to 69% of
family entertainment decisions and 65% family
vacation decisions.
Gen Zers are said to prefer videos that lift their
mood, are short, and feature celebrities. As
shown in this infographic, videos are a mainstay
in their lives and provide everything from
entertainment to stress relief.

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Both cohorts demand authentic
videos with recognizable digital
celebs. These graphs also show that
it’s not just what you create, but
where you post it as well.

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Both generations seek brand engagement, so
capitalizing on this information provides a
great opportunity for any brand.
67% of respondents stated that they “can’t
live without” YouTube. This confirms that
not only is video not going anywhere, but
it should be an important part of your
brand strategy.
Brands need to comprehend preferences
of young audiences or risk being tuned out
and ignored.
Click to read more

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