• Is Threads the Next Big Thing?

    Is Threads the Next Big Thing?

    Earlier this month, Meta released its new platform “Threads, an Instagram app” on the App Store. Threads “is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow.” The app has already reached over 100 million users, thanks to its connection with Instagram, which allows users to quickly create accounts, follow their existing Instagram followers and populate their Threads feeds. Similar to Twitter, the app allows you to like, comment or “rethread” messages, as well as set privacy and visibility levels.

    But the app is more than a Twitter clone with a slightly less rich CEO. It offers these unique features:  

    • Your Instagram handle name and verification will carry over with the option to customize your profile.
    • Your feed will include Threads from people you follow and new creators you haven’t discovered yet.
    • Your posts can be up to 500 characters, including links, photos and videos up to five minutes long.

    Instagram CEO, Adam Mosseri, has also alluded to other functionality being added to Threads in the future, such as search functionality, hashtags, a following feed and potentially direct messaging. For now, advertising using media spend is not an option, but will likely be added as a capability down the line. While its adoption has been wide and rapid throughout much of the world, Threads has not yet launched in the E.U. due to data privacy concerns.

    What Should My Brand Do?

    We’ve been putting some thoughts to Threads since its launch, and for now, we suggest registering and securing your brand’s account on Threads. This is a good practice on any new social media platform to ensure that your brand owns and maintains the official brand channel on this new platform. Note that you must own the Instagram handle name in order to open the Threads account with the same name — this means other brands can’t take your Instagram handle name. Once you’ve done that, your brand has a decision to make.

    • Jump in. Brands like Wendy’s, Duolingo, Lyft and Spotify immediately jumped on the opportunity and started posting. If you’re a brand with a large following or a robust content strategy on Twitter, then Threads could present an opportunity to easily adapt that content for a new platform. If you want to explore this new platform for your brand to test and learn what opportunities might be there, it’s pretty low risk. Threads has limited functionality so far, especially for brands looking for things like analytics or advertising options, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beneficial to be an early adopter.
    • Wait and see. Threads has taken off faster than other alternatives to Twitter in recent years thanks to the size and scale of Meta and the integration with Instagram, but it’s not yet clear how long this launch momentum will last nor how many users will continue using the platform after their initial curiosity. Keep an eye on user growth, but more importantly watch reports on daily active users and daily volume of Threads created or Thread engagements. As the new-app-stampede dust settles and we start to get a clearer picture of what Threads will become, brands will gain a better idea about whether the potential ROI will be worth joining a new social channel. With either decision, there are a few things that are critical to execution.

    What Should You Consider Before Posting on Threads for Your Brand?

    • Think about what you want to get out of Threads, and whether or not that goal can be achieved by using existing strategies and tactics.
    • Define your voice and purpose, have a clear idea of how your brand is going to be represented, and determine how that fits in with the rest of your social media and brand strategy.
    • Understand what it takes for you and your team to execute your strategy. Discuss with your teams how things like publishing, community management and customer service will all happen, given the lack of tools and capabilities that many social teams are used to on other platforms.

    The social media landscape changes rapidly — only a month ago, no one outside of Meta had even heard of Threads. We hope these tips will help determine the right approach for your brand, and we’re always ready to help you stitch together a plan if you’re ready to get into Threads.

    Looking to take your brand’s social media to the next level? We’d love to chat! Reach out below and our social experts will be in touch.

    RJ Puntoni

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  • What’s New in Social Media? 10.18.18

    What’s New in Social Media? 10.18.18

    The constantly evolving world of social media is ever-changing and marketers, business owners and even the daily Facebook user should be aware of the updates. Make sure you are subscribed to our blog to get the monthly news and updates on all things social media sent right to your inbox. Let’s check out some of the latest news.

     

    Google+ is Headed for the Google Graveyard

    Joining the deathly ranks of Google Reader, Google Glass and Dodgeball, Google+ is officially on the way out. If you’re thinking that it’s about time, then you’re not alone. After a security breach in which user data was exposed (and the revelation that G+ sessions last less than 5 seconds for 90% of users) Google has decided it’s time to close it down. Just in case you have actually been using Google+ in recent years, you can read their blog about their plans to shut it down and how you can save your data.

     

    You Can Now Sell Products Through Instagram Stories

    Earlier this year Instagram announced that it would be extending its product tagging feature from posts to Stories. For brands that have products for sale on their website, Instagram can be a powerful tool to bring people to your website and sell your goods! Instagram finally rolled out the new feature in recent months, so if you haven’t set up your product catalog yet, get to it! Instagram Stories is the new and best way to keep engagement up on Instagram. For more recent Instagram updates, read this.

     

    Your Facebook Page Can Join Facebook Groups

    Facebook Groups were around before Pages were a thing, and now they’re coming back in style. Some Groups will now allow Pages to join and post, so if you’re a brand that wants to get into some local niche Groups to promote events or services, give this a try. It’s a much better option than posting in Groups through your personal profile! Make sure you read the Group rules before posting, as many have rules against being overly promotional.

     

    Facebook Adding First-Party Cookies to Their Pixel

    Starting on October 24, 2018, Facebook will be adding first-party cookies to their Pixel. A cookie is a small snippet of text that is placed on the hard drive of a user’s computer by the server of a website that they visit. Facebook’s update is good for advertisers – the number of individuals manually blocking third-party cookies or deleting them regularly has been steadily increasing. Think about the number of times you clear your cache, you’re removing all those third-party cookies as opposed to the first-party cookies.

    As an advertiser, you can opt out of this if you want to (by default you’re opted in, you’ll need to change your settings to opt-out). For those who are advertising in data-sensitive areas such as healthcare and finance, you’ll want to opt-out.

    For everyone else, you’ll probably want to keep the first-party cookies. The first-party cookie (in addition to the third-party cookie that the Pixel already utilizes) will help give you more data and a better overall picture of your marketing efforts. This is good for advertisers!

    If you’re advertising on social, you can and should add tracking pixels to your website so you can utilize remarketing audiences.

     

    And just for fun…  7 Cringeworthy Social Media Fails.

     

    Questions about social media? Need help with a competitive audit or social strategy? Let us know! Email Caitlin at [email protected].

     

    Matter

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  • Why The #DeleteFacebook Movement Was More Successful Than People Think

    Why The #DeleteFacebook Movement Was More Successful Than People Think

    When you first joined Facebook, were you concerned about your privacy?

    Before diving into the Facebook controversies of today, let’s take a look at where social networks began. Though not an exhaustive list of all the social media channels both then and now, the following timeline is to get us thinking about the evolution of social networks.

    LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ are arguably the most well-known and successful out of the bunch and all are still relevant today. Personally, the first channel I glommed onto was MySpace. Remember everyone’s first friend, Tom? Next up was Facebook, which launched in 2004 and has since racked up more than two billion users. The big buzz around Facebook in its early stages was that it was a social networking website that helped connect students, friends and family. People enjoyed writing on each other’s pages, sharing photos, updating their status and instant messaging. It was new and exciting, but it was not without privacy concerns.

    As a fledgling two-year-old in 2006, Facebook had its first group of unhappy customers when it introduced the News Feed feature. Believe it or not, not everyone wanted their business plastered on a homepage for all to see. Some people valued their privacy. This sparked approximately one million users to join News Feed protest groups. Sound familiar? Ultimately, the groups were ignored and the News Feed feature has become one of Facebook’s most successful features.

    The following year, the privacy controversy resurfaced, but this time as it related to advertising. If people thought having everyone see what they ate for breakfast on a News Feed was intrusive, then imagine how they felt when it was revealed that companies could track purchases made by Facebook users and tell their friends about those purchases without their consent. Are you starting to notice a trend?

    Privacy concerns have been front and center for Facebook since its inception, however many haven’t taken direct action until recently – cue the #DeleteFacebook movement.

    The #DeleteFacebook movement took flight after Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm hired by President Trump’s 2016 election campaign, gained access to private information of more than 50 million Facebook users. As a result, a handful of people allegedly deleted their accounts – celebrities among them – but with over two billion users, the small exodus had little effect. Reports claim that the movement’s backlash barely left a scratch on the company. Seems like another loss for Facebook protest groups, right? Not so fast.

    While the #DeleteFacebook movement didn’t tear down the empire, it may have been more successful than some realize. It opened the eyes of more people who may have otherwise been blindly using the social networking site. It cast an international spotlight on data privacy, revealed more about how personal information is being used and monetized, and exposed privacy vulnerabilities.

    With Facebook and other social networks here to stay, individuals and companies will need to remain informed about the increasing capabilities these technologies have in collecting, storing and sharing personal information. Data privacy is a major player on the world stage right now, and we all need to do some soul searching to figure out what these platforms mean to us.

    Matter

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  • Facebook’s Latest Lesson in Crisis Communications

    Facebook’s Latest Lesson in Crisis Communications

    Mark Zuckerberg is under fire. And deservedly so.

    He’s also likely tired of apologizing to the world, but that goes with the CEO title and pay grade.

    As Facebook endures day 11 of its latest PR crisis, how sincere and how effective has Zuckerberg been in dealing with the media and has he successfully reassured his shareholders, employees, advertisers and most importantly, the 2.2 billion users worldwide that Facebook can truly ensure data protection and user privacy?  And how did the Facebook PR team handle crisis communications? Can it regain the public’s trust?

    First, a quick look back at what transpired:

    Cambridge Analytica, a data firm with ties to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, accessed information from 50 million Facebook users without their knowledge, and it certainly looks as if they kept that data even after Facebook ordered it to be deleted.

    Five days after the news broke, Zuckerberg had been MIA before taking to – where else? Facebook to initially address the crisis.  His missive promised changes, but contained no apology and was positioned as an “update” on the Cambridge Analytica situation.  “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I’ve been working to understand exactly what happened and how to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

    Five days? In time of crisis, five days equals a lifetime.

    To his credit, he also met with the media – and wisely picked a “friendly” when he spoke with CNN’s Laurie Segall in an exclusive interview broadcast on “Anderson Cooper 360” last Wednesday night.  However, when speaking with Segall, his “I’m really sorry…” apology rang a bit insincere, particularly the degree of personal accountability he seemed willing to acknowledge.

    Zuckerberg did address the data breach issue head-on and noted the policy changes that had been instituted to prevent such an issue from re-occurring.  He also said he’d be willing to testify before Congress.  “The short answer is I’m happy to if it’s the right thing to do,” he told Segall.  Mashable reported that Zuckerberg would indeed testify.

    A day after the Segall interview, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg sat down with CNBC’s Julia Boorstin. It is noteworthy in that both interviews were conducted with live broadcast outlets, putting Zuckerberg and Sandberg on the spot, certainly more so than if they’d picked a web or print outlet.  Sandberg attempted to help deflect some of the heat from her boss and she did a credible job even if she provided few specifics around new steps taken to ensure there isn’t another Cambridge Analytica leak brewing. “This is about trust and earning the trust of the people who use our service is the most important thing we do. And we are very committed to earning it.’

    Rule #1 in crisis communications is to put out the fire. Immediately and permanently. Unfortunately for Facebook, this story continues into week two.

    While it took out full page ads in UK papers apologizing, this Axios poll revaled that Facebook’s favorability rating has nose-dived over the past five months.

    The social media environment worsened too as the #DeleteFacebook movement gained steam and support from highly influential folks including WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

    Mainstream print and broadcast media including Cosmo and CNN asked if it is time to delete the app and the AP reported that Facebook tracks user activity outside the app, but it does so by standing behind a verbose privacy policy that nobody bothers to read.

    Finally, it was this week’s bombshell – the FTC said it is investigating Facebook for its data handling practices – which created yet another news cycle and further punished the company’s stock, which has plummeted nearly 20 percent in a week.

    As more details emerge, the biggest concerns that shareholders have is how is Facebook going to reconcile third-party data access with user privacy?  The two are antithetical.  Providing third-party app developers access to its platform is core to Facebook’s business model.  If that changes – and it should – how will Facebook’s revenues be impacted?

    These are tough and very complicated matters. Media relations and crisis communications however, can be much less complex. Crisis PR 101 has three fundamental tenets and Facebook whiffed on all three:

    1. Act Fast – Zuckerberg simply took too long to get in front of the media.
    2. Be Transparent & Empathetic – Zuckerberg came across as not being fully forthcoming and did not apologize.
    3. Speak in a Single Voice – Zuckerberg, not Sandberg, should have addressed the media.

    What do you think? How well did Facebook’s communications and executive teams perform when the media spotlight intensified? Were they credible? Will that response help or hurt Facebook in the long run?

    Tim Hurley

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  • All the Fake News That’s Fit to Argue About

    All the Fake News That’s Fit to Argue About

    As you might’ve heard, we had an election this past November.

    Perhaps you were living under a rock in a locked container that was hermetically sealed and then buried in the earth’s mantle before going on a top-secret mission to the planet’s core? Yeah, you probably still heard.

    Along with tax returns, email servers and plenty of other subjects, fake news on social media platforms was a much-discussed topic. And like Election Day itself, the implications of fake news on social will reverberate well beyond this election season.

    Here’s a cliff notes version, for those who didn’t follow it closely:

    There was an enormous amount of misinformation on social platforms about politics in the run-up to the election. A lot of us get political information from social platforms, Facebook in particular. Some people who worked for social networks had serious reservations about their role almost immediately. In the months since Tuesday November 8, Facebook has unveiled new ways to fight fake news, while Twitter introduced tools to mute and report hateful conduct, a longstanding issue on the platform.

    /></p> <h2><b>Will social networks sort it out for us?</b></h2> <p><span style=How about it, then? Will social media companies, featuring some of the best and brightest, be able to settle for us what’s fake news and what isn’t?

    In a word… nope! Here’s why they are sure to fail, told through one small example.

    Among a certain group of people, it’s long been fashionable to declare that certain other people don’t pay any federal income tax. If true, that seems kind of unfair, right? Like they’re getting off easy?

    The thing is, they aren’t. The reason that many U.S. workers don’t pay federal income tax is because they don’t make all that much money, and in fact many people who fit that description pay a higher percentage of their income due to local taxes, payroll taxes and the like.

    If the above example seems abstract, here’s why it matters. The phrase in question (50% of the people in this country pay no income tax!) is true, but it can give voters exactly the wrong overarching idea (that others who make less have it easier than them).

    Would the above be an example of “fake news?” That’s hard to say. A more appropriate term is “technically true, but grossly misleading.”

    Most political rhetoric lives in that kind of gray area, because it allows candidates to push their agendas without saying outright falsehoods. This is part of the reason that it has traditionally been tricky to catch a politician lying outright.

    How brands can steer clear

    From their perspective, large brands should steer clear of this entire debate on social, with a few notable exceptions. Political arguments often bring more heat than light, and that’s especially true when they take place online. Except for brands with a very clear identity that matches their customer base (think Ben & Jerry’s), politics is a high-voltage area and should not be entered lightly.

    Most companies with a couple dozen employees or more are probably serving stakeholders of all political ideologies and persuasions. Because of that, even if they think all their customers will agree with a particular statement, putting it out there courts more risk than reward, because in this era, there’s precious little that’s considered consensus across the aisle.

    At the end of the day, social networks can’t fix the problem of fake news, because it’s a lot bigger than them. The fake news fight is one more manifestation of America’s political polarization. And solving that problem is well above even Mark Zuckerberg’s paygrade.

    Matter

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  • Matter Reaches 500 Hours of Volunteerism!

    Matter Reaches 500 Hours of Volunteerism!

    “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” – Arthur Ashe

    I am excited to share that the talented professionals here at Matter have reached their objective of dedicating more than 500 hours of volunteer time to worthy entities and initiatives across five offices nationwide.

    Since the start of the year our dynamite staff served meals at homeless shelters in Boston, Boulder and Newburyport, provided books to needy children in Portland, worked with the Ronald McDonald House in Providence, and all offices walked in “awareness events” for a worthy cause. And that’s just the beginning: on a monthly basis our team has been a force of goodwill by delivering on their promise to give back – and having their time as working professionals be even more meaningful. They’ve rolled-up their sleeves and got things done, and I am tremendously proud.

    We launched our Helping Hands initiative at the end of last year, and it has been embraced with gusto by employees who want to collaborate outside of the office in the spirit of making a meaningful impact on the world around them. In most cases, the monthly event in each office has a waiting list of participants from so many generous volunteers eager to participate. I am so grateful for the willingness the staff has shown to sacrifice both professional and personal time to give back to the communities that we care so much about. Please join me, in tipping my hat to this kind and tremendously generous crowd.

    People in need matter. Helping hands matter.

    Scott Signore

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  • One big nostalgic birthday party: Facebook Turns Ten

    This week marked the tenth anniversary of one of today’s most popular social media platforms, Facebook. But Marc Zuckerberg wasn’t the only one celebrating; the company gave its users a reason to smile through a personalized video recap of their own years on the network, through a campaign entitled “A Look Back”.

    “A Look Back” is a 62-second clip that depicts the year you joined Facebook, your most-liked posts and a slideshow of photos throughout the years, all perfectly cued up to instrumental music. Users have the option of sharing their video montage with others, through a “Share Your Movie” button with a default message that states, “Here’s my Facebook movie. Find yours at https://facebook.com/lookback/ #FacebookIs10″. The videos will only be available for about a month.

    The “A Look Back” campaign didn’t just result in a renewed sense of nostalgia – it was also a tactical, strategic plan to get the world buzzing about Facebook’s big milestone. As a PR professional, here’s what I enjoyed about Facebook’s creative approach:

    • Facebook connected with its audience in a personal way. By recapping users’ greatest moments (or in this case, social media posts), Facebook made its company milestone everyone’s celebration – of life and the journey it presents along the way. You can’t go wrong by putting the end user first.
    • It instantly became a trending topic on social media. “FacebookIs10” was the most discussed topic on Facebook and Twitter late Tuesday, and the company strategically created a unique hashtag to not get lost in the everyday #Facebook chatter. Brands, take note – before launching a campaign, think of hashtags that are short, unique and to-the-point in order to gain traction and maximum visibility.
    • Zuckerberg was a terrific media spokesperson. In honor of the commemoration, Facebook’s CEO stated, “It’s been amazing to see how all of you have used our tools to build a real community. You’ve shared the happy moments and the painful ones.” As the company’s spokesperson, his messaging during media interviews consistently aligned with the end goal of the video montage – to humanize Facebook and connect on a personal level.

    It was hard to escape the international birthday party and it was even harder not to smile during the one minute clip. Kudos to Facebook for not only reaching an impressive milestone, but for also flawlessly executing one of the most creative and personal campaigns of its time.

    What did you think of Facebook’s “A Look Back” feature? 

    Matter

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  • A Lesson AT&T Will “Never Forget”

    A Lesson AT&T Will “Never Forget”

    We have all heard it time and time again: From the moment you send a tweet or post to Facebook, your words are forever on display for the entire world to see – even if you press delete.

    Talk about pressure! Social media marketers and public relations professionals are well aware of the embarrassment the simplest typo could cause a brand. You don’t have to remind us that larger blunders have the potential to destroy reputations and lose business. Yet, mistakes happen every day.

    The latest winner of the epic social media fail award goes to… AT&T!

    While the rest of the country honored September 11 with somber ceremonies and emotional tributes on its 12th anniversary earlier this month, the telecom giant took to their social media channels with a Photoshopped version of the annual Tribute in Light display, as seen through the camera of one of their smartphones, with the caption “Never Forget”.

    The image has since been taken down – but not before it accrued more than 300 retweets, 400 shares on Facebook and countless jeers shaming the company.

    AT&T took note of the loud criticism and quickly issued an apology, stating that “the image was solely meant to pay respect to those affected by the 9/11 tragedy.”

    But this adver-memorial still infuriated the social media masses, who accused AT&T of a “tasteless,” “tacky” and “disgusting” marketing gimmick. Some referred to the incident as product placement and others even claimed that they would never shop with AT&T again.

    Regardless of their true intentions, AT&T was instantaneously caught in the middle of a 140-character controversy, while plenty of other brands – from American Express to Waffle House – managed to commemorate 9/11 without the backlash.

    The difference? AT&T’s branded tweet focused too much on their product instead of the remembrance, which came off as insensitive, offensive and self-serving. And we all know that the way our message is perceived is just as important as the message itself.

    Matter

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  • Seeing Red on Boston’s Red Line: Social Media PR Combats Proposition 8

     

     

    I rode the Red Line into our Boston office yesterday morning and was greeted as usual with the glow of smart phones in the hands of commuters. The difference this time was the repeated flicker of red squares skimming past on people’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter feeds. I pulled out my own phone to check up on the club I hadn’t been invited to.

     As a strong supporter of equal marriage, it turns out I was already in the club – I just hadn’t donned the badge to reflect it on social media.

    Though I already have an idea where most of my friends stand on the issue regardless of their profile picture, seeing the flood of new defaults served as an in-your-face, all-day reminder about this critical “moment in time” concerning Proposition 8. Though the repetition of red may have caused you to get a bit dizzy by day’s end, the display is something that I deem great PR for the cause of equal marriage.

    What commanded more attention on your news feed – the red badges or the standard profile pictures?

    Was your feed dramatically red-heavy in general? Mine was. To me, that seems to shout that the mindset of my social network was largely in favor of equal marriage.

    Who got more media attention today from TIME, ABC, MSNBC, Mashable (etc., etc.)? Surely it was the people who chose to change their pictures over those who did not, illustrating for all that there’s a hellavalot of people supporting same-sex marriage in this country, be it grounded in generational opinion or a changing mindset overall.

    The Human Rights Campaign got some great PR today. Their creative take on the organization’s usual logo had much of the country seeing red, turning the attention of supporters and non-supporters alike to an important issue in this country’s history. It also landed the organization in the headlines of major, respected news harbingers across the nation – not because of the controversy they stirred up, but for the positive response they received by millions.

     

     

     

    Matter

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  • Increase Facebook Engagement in 2013

    Happy 2013! As I am getting back into the swing of things for the new year, I came across this helpful infographic – Facebook Wall Post Cheat Sheet. Did you know that posts with a question at the end generate a 2X higher comment rate? And posts with emoticons receive 52% higher interaction rate? Check it out these helpful hints to increase your Facebook engagement in 2013!

    Via http://visual.ly/facebook-wall-post-cheat-sheet

    Matter

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