The week in social media news hand-curated by your friends at Fandom Marketing. This week the world lost a comedic legend and it was reflected in social media. Facebook’s global blackout causes a huge drop in news readership, while the social network retires the like gate and Twitter announces it will soon have video ads. Find out what you need to know about the new Facebook messenger and its concerning privacy adjustments.
Unintentional study: Facebook Blackout Causes a Big Dip in News Readership
August 6, 2014
Last Friday, Facebook experienced a partial global blackout for about an hour during the prime news hours of 8 am to 9 am Pacific. The blackout caused a 3 percent drop in overall traffic to news websites, according to data from ChartBeat, a traffic analytics firm that partners with many news outlets. The drop was partially offset by 9 percent of readers going to directly to the homepages of their favorite news sites.
Full story on Venturebeat
Facebook is Demolishing the Like Gate
August 8, 2014
When you like a Facebook page, Facebook wants to make sure you really like that page. The company announced recently that it will end the process known as the like gate, where users would have to like a page to enter a contest or receive more points in a game.
Full story on Inside Facebook
Facebook Messenger Privacy Fears? Here’s What to Know
August 8, 2014
The Internet has been simmering lately over privacy concerns surrounding Facebook’s Messenger app, which will soon become the only way mobile users can send and receive messages on the social network. But amid the forced adoption of Messenger, some bloggers have cried foul over seemingly draconian permissions required for users of the Android version of the app.
Full story on the WSJ
I Liked Everything I Saw on Facebook for Two Days. Here’s What It Did to Me
August 11, 2014
One man wanted to see how his Facebook experience would change if he constantly liked everything he saw on his Facebook page for two days straight. One of the lessons he learned, “My News Feed took on an entirely new character in a surprisingly short amount of time. After checking in and liking a bunch of stuff over the course of an hour, there were no human beings in my feed anymore. It became about brands and messaging, rather than humans with messages.”
Full story on Wired
Twitter Reveals How Many of Its Users Aren’t Quite Human
August 12, 2014
In a new filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Twitter has revised its user count, admitting that 8.5% of those active users–a metric that demonstrates whether people actually, well, use it–aren’t human. They’re bots–23 million in all, reports Quartz.
Full story on Fast Company
Video Ads Are Coming to Twitter
August 12, 2014
The social network said Tuesday it is beta testing promoted videos on desktop and mobile after months of experimentation. During this testing period, select brands, publishers, and verified users will be able to upload and share videos that play directly from the timeline. Video cards will not be displayed on TweetDeck or other third-party apps.
Full story on Fast Company
On Twitter, Mourning Is Collective
August 12, 2014
Within minutes of the news of Robin Williams’s death on Monday, his legions of fans — regular people and celebrities, too — were creating an electronic scrapbook of his life in real time.
Full story on NYT
Facebook Offers Draw Young Shoppers to Local Businesses
August 14, 2014
Local deals and offers on Facebook have a strong pull with youth, says G/O Digital in a new survey fielded among 18-29-year-olds who own at least a desktop/laptop computer and a smartphone or tablet, and who have an interest in making purchases from local/small businesses. Of the various Facebook marketing tactics identified, respondents were most likely to ascribe influence to Facebook offers that can be redeemed at a local store.
Full story on MarketingCharts
What We’re Watching
This week sadness was felt by many at the loss of comedian, actor, and loving father and husband Robin Williams. The internet came to a stop as people came together to honor the memory of Robin Williams and observe ways in dealing with depression. A hidden epidemic familiar to too many. It’s amazing to me how quickly after an event the discussion, stories, memes, and memories snowball in social media. I guess that’s why it’s called real time.
So long Genie, you are already missed. ~ Melonie
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