Social Media Updates You Might Have Missed: February 2018
The month of love is coming to an end and it’s time to discuss all that happened in the social media world in February! From total redesigns to font wars, this was a month full of big aesthetic changes for the top social sites. Whether they were positive improvements or more of a downgrade, we’re here to share the ins and outs of each feature that was introduced during the past few weeks!
Master your digital presence this month with these new features popping up on our favorite platforms.
Snapchat
Analytics for Creators
Finally, Snapchat has added an analytic tracking option for creators! This feature is currently only available for “Official” users or those who have built a large following on the app. The analytics will show your weekly, monthly, and yearly views, along with your audience demographics and interests.
Snap Map Goes Online
The Snapchat Map feature is now available in desktop format through their website, Snapchat.com. The intent behind this update is more about discovering current news and events, rather than checking up on your friends.
The Redesign
This month’s Snapchat update came along with a complete redesign that altered the way direct messages, friend’s Stories, and Stories on Discover are organized in the app. Along with the overall redesign, Snapchat also added new font options, much like the Instagram Story update that appeared last month.
Snapchat X Giphy
Snapchat is now introducing the use of GIFs into their app through the host, Giphy. You can now search for popular GIFs in the Sticker section and put them directly into your Stories!
Lists
Facebook is adding to their recent push to create more personal content with their new feature, Lists. These colorful Lists can come in the form of to-do lists, wish lists, or even shopping lists! After posting a List, your friends can then comment or share it with their own audience.
‘Your Emoji’
Facebook Messenger now allows you to place an emoji next to your name to represent activities you are currently doing or what you are planning to do in the future. This new feature allows you to plan casual meet-ups through the platform in a fun and interactive way.
Screenshot Alerts
Instagram will now be alerting users if you screenshot their Stories! The screenshot alert will not come in a form of a notification (like in Direct) but instead, will show a small icon next to the user’s name when you look at your Story’s views.
Story Sharing
Instagram is adding a new regram button…for Stories! With this update, followers will be able to put your posts directly into their own Stories and vice versa.
Direct Replay Options
Instagram is now giving users more privacy options when sending an image or video through Direct Chat. This feature lets you to choose whether you want the content to be shown only once, permanently available, or allowed to be replayed by the receiver.
Custom Presentation
Pinterest’s previously introduced Sections allows for your boards to be sub-grouped into larger categories of content. The new update allows you to physically move your Sections around to create a desired order on your profile. You can now also rearrange your separate pins within a board!
Archive Options
Pinterest has added the option to archive to their site! You will now be able to move old boards into your archive, where they can always be accessed later in a section below your current boards. This option also improves future recommendations on Pinterest, as archived pins do not influence the related content shown on your Home page.
@Replies
Pinterest has recently added the feature of @Replies to their site! With this feature, you can directly send pins or comments to another user with their username.
And there you have it! We hope you have a better understanding of this month’s social media updates after this post. We want to hear your thoughts on some of these aesthetic changes, so be sure to leave us a comment down below!
