November 2021 Digital News Updates: The Metaverse, IG Links in Stories, Google Says “Context is King”

Krista Neher

Nov 05 2021

Members of our All Access Pass and Digital Marketing Insiders get the first look at the latest digital marketing news updates each month. During a live, interactive webinar we cover what matters to marketers and answer questions. We spend hours combing industry news sites looking for the most important updates so you don’t have to!

Facebook News Updates

• Facebook Changes Name to Meta – This doesn’t impact the name of Facebook (the app). It is the name of the parent company that owns Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and Facebook. The name signals that Facebook believes the future is in the Metaverse – a broad term for virtual experiences like AR and VR.
• Facebook Launches Video Calls for Businesses – Businesses can now enable audio and video calling features via Messenger and WhatsApp. This could be a great way to connect with customers and be accessible.
• Facebook adds Appointment Booking – Businesses can now use this free feature to allow people to book appointments directly through the app.

Instagram News Updates

• Everyone can Post Links in Stories – Now all users can post links in Stories via the link sticker. This is a great way for businesses to use Instagram to drive site traffic. Keep in mind that it is only for Stories – not normal Instagram posts.
• New Insights Available on Instagram – There are now additional analytics metrics available.
• Live has New Features Including Scheduling and Practice Mode – These new features make it easier for businesses to go live and reach more people.
• Reels Ads can Now be Scheduled via the API – This means that you should see this option on any third-party scheduling sites you use.

LinkedIn Updates

• Engagements and Ad Revenue Grow this Quarter – LinkedIn sessions are up 19% and revenue is up 42%. This shows that the platform is continuing the trend of strong growth in user base, engagements, and revenue.
• New Tools for Businesses – Share your company policies, curate content in “My Company” and learn about competitors.

Other Social Networks Round-Up

• Twitter Launches Professional Profiles – You have to apply to gain the designation, but Twitter is opening up professional profiles to all users. Professional profiles give you more opportunities to customize your profile for your business.
• YouTube Views Down Due to Seasonality – If your views are dropping on YouTube it may not be you. Many users are reporting activity declines, however, YouTube data shows that it is a seasonal impact.
• YouTube Lets Creators Live Caption Live Streams – Captions make video content more accessible. Add live captions to all of your video content to make it work for the “sound-off” crowd.
• TikTok Shares Data – Showing why people use the app and how it creates an authentic space for people.

Industry News Updates

• Google Search: Context is KING – Google has been using machine learning and AI to better understand context for years. This means that businesses need to focus less on keywords and more on user experience, context, and content.
• IAB Projects 8% Digital Ad Growth – See more data on their predictions here.
• Advertising is No Longer the Least Trusted Profession – It is now ahead of politicians. Woohoo.

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