Brian Meert's Blog, page 119

Facebook Creates History Tool, Gives Users More Control over Privacy

May 10, 2018
Anna Hubbel

@Facebook creates a history tool that gives users more control over their privacy. #dataprivacy #facebook
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At Facebook’s F8 2018 conference, the company announced a new privacy tool currently in the works. The tool, called Clear History, gives users more control over their data.

The Clear History tool is similar to Google’s clear-browsing-data tool because it clears data history; however, it’s different in that it gives users the ability to delete the information websites and apps send to Facebook.

“If you clear your history or use the new setting, we’ll remove identifying information so a history of the websites and apps you’ve used won’t be associated with your account,” VP and Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan explained in a Facebook post.

Facebook said the Clear History tool will not prohibit the network from sharing aggregated information with third-party agencies. However, the aggregated information it will share will be very general, for example, the gender demographics that tend to use an app or service the most. None of the data will be tied to a personal Facebook profile.

“We can do this without storing the information in a way that’s associated with your account,” said Egan, “and as always, we don’t tell advertisers who you are.”

Facebook says Clear History will take a few months to develop because it requires working diligently with privacy advocates, academics, policymakers, and regulators to ensure the feature works in the best interests of users.

Advertisers will need to keep up with all the changes Facebook has been making to improve its privacy. Only by doing so can they properly create campaigns that both adhere to the network’s improved privacy experiences and employ effective marketing strategies to continue reaching users, even after they have the Clear History option.

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Instagram’s New Native Payments Feature May Lead to More Conversions

May 9, 2018
Anna Hubbel

#Instagram new native payments feature may lead to more conversions. #socialmedia #instagramads #digitaladvertising
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Exciting things are happening in the world of ecommerce. Instagram recently (and quietly) rolled out a payments feature that allows users to purchase without being redirected to a website outside of the app. This means users can browse and buy without any interruptions to their Instagram activity.

Native payments work like this: users can register a debit or credit card as part of their profile, complete with a security pin. By doing so, they don’t have to keep re-entering their payment information when paying for a product in the app, and businesses lessen the risk of losing customers because of the card-information fill out process. Sometimes the biggest roadblock businesses have between a buyer’s intent to purchase and a completed purchase is the step of filling out card information.

Users can add debit or credit card information in a few steps.

Because native payments allow users to purchase without interruption, the new feature may be the answer to higher conversion rates. It may also perform better than Instagram’s Shoppable Tags, a shopping feature that redirects users to business websites.

Presently, only a few businesses, such as restaurants and salons, can use the new feature for booking appointments. However, the feature will expand to other businesses, such as movie theaters, in the near future. A limited number of users in the US and UK now have the new payment settings.

Users can book appointments with native payments.

Snapchat recently launched an identical feature, Shoppable AR, that allows users to purchase directly within the app. With Snapchat and Instagram as big rivals, it will be worth observing which version of native payments users prefer. Snapchat and Instagram may offer unique but equal benefits, but audiences may also prefer one over the other. In any case, advertisers must experiment and see which works best.

So what does this foreshadow about the future of ecommerce? Will all online purchases eventually be made through social media platforms? Well, the power is in the people, so it all depends on what users decide they prefer. But if the current market is any indication, users gravitate towards experiences that are simple and customized just for them. And native platform payments fit well into that equation.

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Mobile Ad Spending in 2018 Expected to Surpass TV

May 9, 2018
Anna Hubbel
Photo Courtesy of Facebook IQ

Even as you read this, it’s highly likely you’re doing so on your mobile device. That’s why it’s no surprise Emarketer reports that mobile will constitute 69.9 percent of all digital advertising in 2018. Additionally, mobile maintains a 33.9 percent share of all US ad spend, with expectations to reach 47.9 percent by 2022.

If you’re unsure what that means, it may help to know these numbers suggest that mobile ad spending will surpass that of TV, making mobile the leading advertising medium in the world.

Does that help put things into perspective?

#Mobile #AdSpending in 2018 is expected to surpass TV, making it the largest ad medium in the world. #digitaladvertising
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“Advertisers are pouring dollars into mobile due to growing mobile commerce activity,” forecasting analyst Corey McNair said in an Emarketer article. “Conversions from mobile display ad placements have already surpassed those of desktop.”

The speed at which mobile advertising is growing, in comparison to other media, is astounding. In fact, Emarketer says it will grow three times faster (23.5 percent) than advertising in all other media (6.6 percent) in 2018. As this popularity continues to grow, ad prices are also rising. Especially when it comes to the process of transitioning a different ad format to mobile. For example, for TV ads, it may cost more to transform or repurpose them to fit aspect ratios more conducive to mobile devices.

As mobile advertising dominates the ad market, it becomes increasingly more of a challenge to stand out in users’ feeds. So you may need to think outside the box (maybe outside the TV box) to make your ads stand out in the crowd.

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You Can Now Upload More Than One Photo or Video to Instagram Stories

May 8, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Do you ever spend forever deliberating which photo best captures the moment you want to share in your Instagram Story? I know I do. Sometimes two photos of the same event are just different enough that each offers something unique, but not different enough to warrant two separate Stories (without frustrating your followers, that is). And sometimes, if you’re an advertiser trying to market a series of smaller events relating to one, underlying event, it may be impossible to do so in the small time frame allowed in an Instagram Story.

Instagram recently announced a solution to these types of dilemmas. One of the latest updates allows you to upload multiple photos and videos as part of a single Story. That means you can share various moments even after they’re long over. You’re also able to edit each photo or video individually using the creative tools available for Stories.

You can now upload more than 1 photo or video to @Instagram #Stories. #InstagramMoments
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How It Works

When you navigate to upload media, you’ll notice at the top right of your screen a new icon. By selecting it, you can then choose up to 10 photos or videos from your gallery. After you’ve made your selection and moved on to the edit screen, there will be a preview of your chosen media at the bottom of your screen. To add stickers, text, etc., simply select which photo or video you want to edit from the preview. You can edit each one as you desire.

Photo Courtesy of Instagram

Once you’re finished editing, your post-edited preview will immediately commence uploading to Stories. Each photo or video will display in the order they were arranged in your pre-uploaded preview.

This update eliminates the anxiety of missing out on the opportunity to share just the right media on Instagram Stories. It also adds some depth and narrative to the experience.

Instagram also announced that its location stickers are now better at identifying places where your photo or video was originally captured. So for example, if you want to share a photo from your trip to Hawaii a week after the fact, the location sticker will provide suggestions of places within the specific area where the photo was taken. If you’re an advertiser, this means you don’t have to worry as much about your visitors forgetting the name of your business because Instagram’s location stickers will help spark their memories.

If you’re a big fan of the platform, you may also be excited about the possibility of the Carousel Ad format coming to Instagram Stories.

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How to Install the LinkedIn Pixel to Your Website

May 5, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Install the @LinkedIn #InsightTag on pages of your website to track #conversions. #digitaladvertising #linkedinpixel
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You can discover valuable information about your customers by tracking their activity on your business’s website. Various coding tools are available to help you track behaviors so you can measure the success of your ad campaigns and find insights into what you should change. The Facebook Pixel is one such tool. It’s a code you can copy and paste within the backend coding area of your web pages to track visitors’ behaviors across your website.

Another tool you may not be as familiar with is the LinkedIn pixel or Insight Tag. Similar to the Facebook Pixel, the Insight Tag is a snippet of Javascript code that drops a cookie on a visitor’s browser whenever they visit a page on your website where you have installed the code. So when visitors click on your LinkedIn ads and are directed to your website, you can see how they interact with your pages containing the code, offering significant, measurable insights for your campaigns.

The actions the LinkedIn pixel tracks are conversions or events. For example, when a visitor completes a download or fills out a registration, that is a conversion. A conversion is essentially any impactful action relevant to your business or campaign goals.

How to Set It Up
Step 1: Go to your account.

Step 2: Go to “Account Assets” then “Matched Audiences.”

Step 3: Click “Create an Audience.”

Step 4: Name your audience and enter your website’s URL.

Step 5: Copy the pixel.

Step 6: Paste the pixel into the header and footer of your WordPress site.

And that’s all there is to it!

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Data Download Tool Now Available for Instagram and WhatsApp

May 6, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Data Download Tool Now Available for Instagram and WhatsApp. #instagram #whatsapp #socialmedia #privacy
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As users across the globe scramble to get control over their social media data after learning about the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook is making sure everyone knows about the Download Your Information option, which allows users to download all of their data if they choose to delete their Facebook account. With Snapchat also having a way to back up data, it only makes sense that other social networks should also offer the option.

It’s no surprise that Instagram and WhatsApp now offer data downloads for users who wish to either back up their data before deleting their accounts or possess a backup copy of their data for safekeeping.

Instagram Data Download

According to TechCrunch, users can access Instagram’s Data Download feature by going to their privacy settings within the app. They can download data that includes photos, videos, profile information, comments, archived Stories, captions, contacts, settings, searches, followers’ usernames, and non-ephemeral messages. Presently, users can download their information from the Instagram website on desktop or from the privacy settings of the app.

WhatsApp Data Download

WhatsApp’s Data Download tool, according to TechCrunch, is available globally with the next app update. The data users can download includes account information such as profile photos and group names. However, users are unable to download messages, according to TechCrunch, because these can be exported or backed up by some phones.

So why is Facebook making all these data download tools available across all its platforms now? TechCrunch attributes it to the company’s desire to be in compliance with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy law. Facebook recently introduced new privacy features to comply with this regulation and to make the platform safer for users. The law takes effect on May 25, so the release of data download tools for Instagram and WhatsApp are rolling out prior to that date.

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Facebook Tests Downvote Button for Comments on Public Page Posts

May 5, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Facebook tests the downvote button for public page posts. #facebook #socialmedia #tech
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Like the idea of the downvote button? Facebook began testing this feature, which allows you to downvote (i.e., dislike) comments on public page posts, earlier this year. Now, the company is testing the downvote button in New Zealand and Australia.

At this time, the downvote button is only available for comments on large public posts, not for the actual posts themselves. According to Mashable, the reason for this is to help Facebook distinguish valuable and thoughtful comments from profane and destructive ones. You’ll also be able to see the number of downvotes a comment has.

The idea of the downvote feature isn’t entirely Facebook original. Reddit has a similar feature, allowing you to vote up or down for both posts and comments. The biggest difference is that the Reddit platform primarily contains news content and topics of interest, whereas Facebook’s content is primarily driven by meaningful social connections.

“Public discussions are an important part of Facebook, and people have told us they want more ways to make sure those discussions are constructive – even when people might disagree with each other,” a Facebook spokesperson told Mashable. “Facebook is a place for free expression, but we also recognize that there should be a way for people tell us and each other which comments are most thoughtful and useful.”

What makes this feature useful other than to alert Facebook of harmful comments? Well, the more downvotes a comment has, the lower it is pushed in the comment thread. The more upvotes a comment has (or perhaps no vote one way or another), the higher it’s pushed up the thread because Facebook reads these as more meaningful to users. Essentially, the downvote feature helps discourage belligerent behavior on the platform to improve your overall Facebook experience, encouraging you to offer positive, constructive comments.

Facebook told Mashable that the downvote feature does not affect personal News Feeds or social interactions.

From an advertising perspective, this new feature means, as a publisher, you will need to be wary of the content you post. If you post content that provokes a lot of comments that are downvoted, Facebook will likely decrease the visibility of your posts in users’ feeds. To prevent this from happening, pay close attention to the comments on your posts and adjust the types of posts you put out there accordingly. You may also want to adjust your page’s settings to control who comments on your posts.

Based on what you now know about the new feature, what vote would you give it: up or down?

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How to Assign Partner Roles in LinkedIn Campaign Manager

May 4, 2018
Anne Felicitas

How to Assign Partner Roles in LinkedIn Campaign Manager. #linkedin #ads #advertising
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As a busy business owner, you may be too busy to manage your own LinkedIn ads. For that reason, you may have hired an agency to manage your LinkedIn account.

However, before working with your agency, you must first grant access to your LinkedIn ad account. When granting access, you can assign different roles that determine the amount of account access the agency has. Currently, you can assign the roles account manager, campaign manager, creative manager, viewer, or billing admin. The account manager has the highest level of access and the billing admin the lowest level of access.

Account Managers: they can view campaign data and reports, create new campaigns, edit existing campaigns, manage user access, edit account details, and view account billing history and payment receipts.

Campaign Managers: they can view campaign data and reports, create new campaigns, edit existing campaigns, and view account billing history.

Creative Managers: they can view campaign data and reports, edit new and existing creatives, and view account billing history.

Viewers: they can view campaign data, reports, and account billing history.

Billing Admins: they can change billing details and view account billing history and receipts.

Here’s how to grant access to your LinkedIn Campaign Manager account.

Step 1: From your LinkedIn Campaign Manager account click the settings icon and click “Manage access.”

 

Step 2: Click “Add user to account.”

Step 3: Type name of the person to whom you want to grant access.

Step 4: Assign a role.

Step 5: Save changes.

Creating a LinkedIn Campaign Manager Account

If you don’t have a LinkedIn Campaign Manager account yet, you can easily create one by following the steps below.

Step 1: Click the square icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage and click “Advertise.”

Step 2: Click “Create ad”

 

Step 3: Link your LinkedIn business page, name your ad account, choose your currency, and click “Add account.”

Step 4: Select the type of ad you want to create.

Step 5: Create campaign name and choose your language, objective, and ad format. Click “Next.”

The rest of the steps will lead you to creating a LinkedIn ad. You can skip these steps if you want your agency to create your ads for you. The first five steps should be enough to start your account.

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How to Sell Your Products on Facebook Messenger with ManyChat

May 4, 2018
Anna Hubbel
Photo Courtesy of ManyChat

Most of us are familiar with Facebook Messenger, a mobile messaging app that conveniently connects to your private Facebook inbox. But what is ManyChat? ManyChat is a Messenger marketing tool that allows you to create a bot for marketing, sales, and support.

Your ManyChat bot can communicate with customers through Messenger similarly to how Google Assistant works, only you can have your bot market specific things related to your business. For instance, if you own a restaurant, your bot may ask your subscribers (garnered from your Messenger audience) if they’d like a link to your menu. If they message back “yes,” the bot would proceed to send them the link.

You can now make & accept payments with @Facebook Messenger's #ManyChat. #digitaladvertising #ecommerce
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Payments with ManyChat

To take it one step further, ManyChat now allows you to make and accept payments. All you have to do is set up payments in your bot settings and then your ManyChat bot will give your Messenger audience the option to “Shop Now.” When your audience selects the link, your bot then displays your pre-set products in a swipeable catalog format. Beneath your products, you can include “Buy it for [PRICE]” call-to-action buttons. When customers select the button, they can enter their credit card information and complete their purchase without ever having to exit the Messenger app.

ManyChat Payments Abilities

According to the ManyChat blog, as an advertiser, you can do the following with the new Payments feature:

Test payments flows with a test credit card (test card number: 4242 4242 4242 4242)
Pre-fill the user’s email in the payment details tab
Accept payments from subscribers in Facebook Messenger
Confirm a payment (automatic in-bot confirmation, email)
Receive notifications on successful payments
View a list of successful and failed transactions
Contact subscribers after either failed or successful transactions
Attach specific actions based on the success of a purchase (e.g., add Tags, send content, subscribe to Sequence, etc.)

The Benefits of Using ManyChat’s Payments Feature

The ManyChat Payments feature comes with a variety of benefits, such as:

Customers never have to leave Messenger when completing transactions. This means higher conversion rates.
You can sell your products using a more conversational style, asking relevant questions and giving your customers a personalized experience.
Users trust Messenger, so they won’t have security concerns when completing purchases and will also perceive your business as trustworthy.
You can sell your products 24/7 to a scalable audience through your bot’s automation capabilities.
You don’t need third-party or cross-domain tracking because all transactions take place within Messenger.

How to Set Up ManyChat Payments
Step 1: Go to “Settings.”

Step 2: Click “Payments.”

Step 3: Click “Add or Create Stripe Account.”
Step 4: Fill in Required Information and click “Authorize Access to This Account.”

Create a “Buy” Button in ManyChat Payments
Step 1: Click “Broadcasting.”
Step 2: Click “New Broadcast.”

Step 3: Write your text and click “Add Button.”

Step 4: Add information about your product and click “Done.”

With ManyChat now making buying and selling a convenient and seamless experience, all within the comfort and security of Messenger, online shopping just got a whole lot cooler.

You can also make things easier for your business by integrating ManyChat with Zapier.

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How to Set Up the Snapchat Pixel on Your Website

May 3, 2018
Anna Hubbel

Much like the Facebook Pixel, the Snapchat Pixel allows you to track users’ activities outside of the Snapchat app, after they’ve clicked on your ad. To track your Snapchat audience, install the Snapchat Pixel on your website. Here’s how.

Step 1: From your ad account, click “Snap Pixel.”

Step 2: Click “Create my Snap Pixel.”

Step 3: Click “Set Up My Snap Pixel.”

Step 4: Copy the Snapchat Pixel.

Step 5: Paste the Snapchat Pixel into the header and footer of WordPress.

(You can access the header and footer by clicking “Settings” and “Header and Footer” on the left column of your WordPress dashboard.)

That’s it. You’ve successfully installed the Snapchat Pixel into your website.

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