Over the last remaining weeks of 2020, almost every major social media platform has ended their year with an impactful update. We’ll uncover some of those updates below which you can apply to your social strategy going into the new year!
Twitter Fleets
Fleets, similar to Instagram stories, are meant for sharing momentary thoughts. The vertical posts live at the top of your homepage and are live for 24 hours. Twitter states that the goal of Fleets is to help people feel more comfortable joining the conversation and engaging more. Those new to Twitter, found Fleets to be an easier way to share what’s on their mind. Because they disappear from view after a day, Fleets provide a more casual atmosphere to share personal thoughts, opinions, and feelings.
In terms of usages, you can Fleet text, reactions to Tweets, photos or videos and customize your post with various background and text options. To share a Tweet in a Fleet tap the “Share” icon at the bottom of the Tweet and then, “Share in Fleet.” Add what you think about it with some text or emojis. Twitter says that soon, stickers and live broadcasting will also be available.
To access Fleets, make sure your phone is updated with the latest version of Twitter and navigate to your home page where you regularly view Tweets. There will be a bar at the top of the screen with a blue circle that says “Add.”
IG Badges
Instagram badges are a new feature which allows you to show support to businesses and creators during a live video. When you purchase a badge during a live video, a heart icon appears next to your name in the comments. The purpose of badges during the COVID-19 pandemic has been used to support musicians who can’t tour, local businesses, and charities.
There are three purchase levels for badges and they run on a hearts system. One heart for $.99, two hears for $1.99, and three hearts for $4.99. Once purchased, a highlighted heart will remain next to your name during the Live. Your name will also appear on a list visible to the creator of the Live for up to 90 days.
For creators to access badges, please contact The Orchard’s digital marketing team by way of your label manager. They will submit a request through Instagram on your behalf. Once approved, badges will appear next to a person’s name throughout the live video.
IG Guides
Instagram Guides is a simple way to discover recommendations, tips, content from public figures, artists, organizations and more. The purpose of rolling out IG Guides was to help its millions of users navigate the ongoing pandemic. Instagram states, “We know many people are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so we are first focusing Guides on wellness content. We’ll enable creators to connect with expert organizations to share resources during this time, including tips on how to look after your wellbeing, maintaining connection with others or managing anxiety or grief.”
To view a Guide, you tap on the Guide icon, which looks like a little book or pamphlet, between current and tagged posts. When viewing a Guide, you can see posts and videos that the creator has curated, paired with helpful tips and advice. If you want to learn more about a specific post, you can tap on the image or video to view the original Instagram post. You can also share a Guide to your story or in Direct by tapping on the share button in the upper right corner.
Access to guides will be available to everyone over the next few months. To check and see if you have it follow these steps:
- Tap the plus icon on the top-right of your profile page and select “Guide.” If you don’t see it, you currently don’t have the update – but if you do have it, keep reading.
- From here, there are 3 different Guide options. Places, products and posts. Places is used to recommend locations in your city, products to recommend your favorites, and posts to share posts you have created or saved.
- Next, you can create your custom Guide that will live on your profile. You can also share Guides with friends and followers by utilizing the paper plane “share” icon.
Snapchat Astrological Profiles
Snapchat recently launched astrological profiles which give you the option to learn about your own sign and see how compatible you are with your Snapchat friends. Snapchat launched this feature in mid-november in hopes to reconnect more people with their friends amid the ongoing pandemic.
To access your astrological profile, you’ll have to enter your birth date, time of birth, and place of birth. To connect with friends, they’ll also have to fill out this info. Once that’s done, you’ll be able to explore a personal reading and a detailed compatibility reading across 10 planetary dimensions. These readings look similar to stories and allow you to tap through and share them via chat. Utilizing this feature gives you another fun way to connect with fans on the platform in a more personal way, and show your love of astrology.
To find your astrological profile you:
- Open Snapchat and tap on your Bitmoji icon at the top left side of the main camera screen to head to your profile.
- Look for the purple icon with your astrological sun sign next to your username.
- Tap on your purple sign and enter your birth information, including your birth date, time, and location.
- After entering your info, you’ll see 11 personalized Snaps in your astrological profile like a Story, based on the eight planets, sun, and moon, as well as a summary of your dominant characteristics at the end. You can swipe up in each Snap for more detailed information.
That’s all for now. We hope you enjoy these new features and can’t wait to see what’s ahead in 2021!
