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Ryan Foland on Branding with Authenticity
Welcome back to Let's Talk About Brand! Today’s guest Ryan Foland is all about ditching the act, keeping it real, and bringing his whole self to the table rather than playing some sort of part of what he should be, because what he should be is himself. He’s the perfect person to talk with us today about this week’s topic, branding with authenticity.
By Kim Hanna
Welcome back to Let's Talk About Brand! Today’s guest Ryan Foland is all about ditching the act, keeping it real, and bringing his whole self to the table rather than playing some sort of part of what he should be, because what he should be is himself.
He’s the perfect person to talk with us today about this week’s topic, branding with authenticity.
Being known as authentic
Since Ryan is known as the authenticity guy, we asked him how that came to be. How did he have that moment where he realized this is his niche?
Ryan’s answer: “I was sick of trying to flip flop between what I was thinking I should be doing.” This was when he ditched the act.
For example, Ryan wanted to be a speaker. He tried to emulate what other speakers were doing, write blogs and tell others what he wanted to do. He soon realized he needed to do more than that.
He continues, “I had this moment I was like, You know what? I'm just so sick of having to rebrand myself. I was the guy who was running the entrepreneurship center at UCI. If I'm gonna get fired, I'm gonna have to come up with what I am next...and I realized at that moment that I need to build a brand that is who I am.”
How to Build an Authentic Brand
What happens if you’re not being authentic? Why is it important to be authentic? Check out what Ryan had to say on this.
“When I tried to build a brand that wasn't truly authentic, I sort of erased everything up until what I was now. And I think a lot of us do that where, when we build our bio or we're trying to take on a new profession, or even in this pandemic, we're trying to rebrand because whatever we did before maybe didn't work.”
“Sometimes we downplay or erase everything that's happened in the past and just get people to focus on what I'm doing now. But the problem with that is that you lose all of that experience that you can share. And I truly think that building an authentic brand is highlighting your experience and letting somebody else decide that you have expertise as opposed to just telling people you have expertise.”
“It’s a process, I sort of owned my whole story where I talk about not just the good shiny parts. I talked about how I was at a point to file bankruptcy and I actually mailed it in, and it got returned to me because I didn't have enough stamps on it. And for me, that was a change in my life.”
Why does he share those low points? He says, “It's about not trying to build a brand on your highlight reel. It's about trying to build a brand on your highlight REAL. And it gives you the opportunity to sort of be imperfect and to connect with people where they might find common ground.”
In summation, Ryan explains that we all have a lot to share. And you can talk about more than just the shiny parts, even though it’s not always easy. Ryan says he was fearful about sharing his bankruptcy, but now it’s something he’s proud of as it’s changed the way he looks at the world and who he is a person. As per the name of Ryan’s book, it’s okay to ditch the act!
How to discover your personal brand
Ryan has a process called the Rapid Reflection Discovery process. This is a way to discover how people currently perceive your brand. We have control over the content that we create, so a personal brand is the intersection between what people know about you and what you want to be known for.
How do you duplicate this as an experiment?
Ask your friends, family, coworkers, or followers to give you words and phrases that come to mind when they think about you. It's best if this is done anonymously. Have somebody collect the answers.
Then, gather that data but don't look at it yet. Take post-it notes on your own and decide all the things that you want to be known for. Think about in an ideal world, what do you want to be known for?
Next, look at these pieces of data. Ryan likes to put them up on a wall.
Then, group the post-it notes into groups. The outliers you get rid of, and you will have chunks of post-it notes that have a theme to it. The challenge is to pick three of those clusters. This is how you start.
Now, you have three things to start your personal brand on. Maybe it’s something professional, something personal and something that you do as a hobby.
Ryan says, “This process allows you to start with this common ground, and then you have the chance to evolve your content to then create digital breadcrumbs. People evolve to see you on your journey, so that that's where I hope people start.”
Find Ryan Foland
You can find Ryan at ryan.online. That’s it! There you can find his podcast, his four TEDx talks, and how to work with him. Also, check out his book, Ditch The Act!
Thank you so much to Ryan Foland for ditching the act, keeping it real and being here with us today to help all of us do the same. Make sure to tune into the live show, Let’s Talk About Brand, every Friday at 12 noon eastern on Facebook. See you there!
Chocolate Johnny on Personalizing a Brand
Today’s guest joins us all the way from Sydney, Australia: the fabulous Chocolate Johnny, talking with us about personalizing a brand.
By Kim Hanna
Today’s guest joins us all the way from Sydney, Australia: the fabulous Chocolate Johnny, talking with us about personalizing a brand.
John Kapos is a-third generation chocolatier. His family business, Perfection Chocolates, was founded in 1939 and they still hand-make their chocolates and confections in Sydney, Australia. Years ago, John realized the power of social media, especially video, for small businesses. Today, he spreads that message to small businesses all over the world, as well as continuing to put it to use for Perfection Chocolates.
Social media wasn’t around yet when John first took over the family business. However, John is an early adopter, so it didn’t take long to hop on all the social media platforms. He used social media to grow his business and to become well-known through his personal brand, Chocolate Johnny, as well.
How did you become Chocolate Johnny?
Forming a personal brand doesn’t happen overnight. The name ‘Chocolate Johnny’ had already been a nickname of John’s for many years. It wasn’t until he got involved with social media that he was able to turn this fun nickname into a personal brand.
“I took over the business more than 30 years ago. Back then, we didn't have social media. We had the newspaper, radio, and TV. Then, up came a thing called a website and a web page.”
Chocolate Johnny was an early adopter to all social media platforms. He made a Facebook business page, then a Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Now he’s even on TikTok!
He says, “I'm an early adopter. Give me an app, and I'll make sure I rip it apart and make sure I put it back to use it for my branding, for my business.”
Chocolate Johnny, Perfection Chocolates, and John Kapos
John manages three brands online: John Kapos, Chocolate Johnny, and of course Perfection Chocolates. To separate the three brands, he made sure to secure social media handles for each.
“I made sure that when Instagram came on, I got all three. Twitter, I got all three. Facebook. I got all three. For any app that came on, I just made sure I went straight into it.”
Managing three brands could sound a little overwhelming, right? We asked John about how he manages all of these accounts. He responds, “Some of the accounts suffer. Where I make my money is where I look. The truth is, we're here to make money, and Perfection Chocolates makes us money.”
One of his strategies is keeping a spare iPhone in the Perfection Chocolates retail store. It’s used by John and the employees to post about the day-to-day activity in the store. He calls it the ‘social media phone.’
This strategy allows people to get to know the Perfection Chocolates employees and get a behind-the-scenes look at the business each day.
“It's funny. When I interview new staff for the team, the first thing I say is, ‘show me your social media.’ And they go ‘okay, here it is.’ I said, ‘great. One of the first things you're gonna to do is at lunch, you get 35 minutes for lunch. 30 is to eat and five minutes is to do a post. If you're doing anything with chocolate, if you're making anything, If you're weighing up stuff, just pick up the phone, and you're allowed to video record it. As long as it's in the parameters of Perfection Chocolates, go for it. You want to put yourself on there? Do it. And it's funny, when we go live all the people who watch it know our team!”
Is there a right way to brand?
John’s answer: “Brand recognizably.”
“I always say this, people built a relationship with me. People built trust with me, and then they bought from me. I tell everyone, don't sell. Never sell. Just show me. And if you show someone, they will buy.”
What goes well with each type of chocolate?
We couldn't talk to the one and only Chocolate Johnny without asking about chocolate!
He said, “We're starting to make our own Nutella! We just bought a new machine from Europe that's gonna make its own peanut butter and our own Nutella.”
He also has a new creation in the works. It’s something that involves a layer of milk chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, salted caramel, and dark chocolate!
Find John
You can find Perfection Chocolates and Chocolate Johnny on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook @PerfectionChocolates and @ChocolateJohnny.
Thank you so much to John for talking to us today about personalizing a brand! Tune in for our next episode of Let’s Talk About Brand every Friday at 12 noon Eastern time on Facebook Live. You can also check out the Let’s Chat About Brand Twitter chat on Tuesdays at 12 noon Eastern time. See you next week!
Roberto Blake on Creating a Brand, Not Just a Channel
This week we’re talking about building a brand, not just a channel, with YouTube creator and educator Roberto Blake.
BY KIM HANNA
This week we’re talking about building a brand, not just a channel, with YouTube creator and educator Roberto Blake.
In addition to his work on YouTube, Roberto is also a creative entrepreneur, public speaker, and business coach. He's all about educating and motivating creative people with new videos every week on his YouTube channel which has 475,000 subscribers.
His Awesome Creator Academy helps creative entrepreneurs leverage YouTube to grow their audience, increase revenue and develop their businesses and brands.
Check out some of Roberto’s top recommendations on building a personal brand here:
Is it a good or bad idea to go hard on one particular channel as opposed to having a broader footprint?
Roberto has achieved great success on YouTube, but he agrees that it’s important to have a broader footprint.
It's all about having a purpose as to where you should be. For example, Roberto is mainly known as a YouTuber, but he has a very active and engaged Twitter presence as well.
Roberto’s philosophy is “why not?” He says, “If you're already spending three or four hours on your main thing, taking away or adding 15 minutes to your plate to do something else doesn't really impact that...there's not a downside.”
Many people believe that having multiple platforms dilutes your focus. Roberto suggests that there is no downside to posting a few Instagram stories, replying to people on Twitter or things like that. If anything, It can help increase your exposure as people find your brand on other platforms.
Becoming known as a YouTube creator
Roberto did not start building his brand solely through YouTube. In fact, he started as a blogger; in his YouTube videos, he would include his website in his video intros. Roberto made his channel partly to drive traffic to his site.
He’s also active on Twitter and Facebook. This brings us back to Roberto’s earlier point that using multiple platforms does no harm. He says, “I actually probably for years was just as hard on live, streaming every single day on multiple live streaming platforms in the early days of mobile live streaming more than I was even when I was doing daily YouTube content.”
Roberto’s live streams and blogs were largely about his career as a graphic designer and digital artist. His early focus was helping other freelancers and creative professionals. He interviewed other up-and-coming digital artists who would later be featured in various magazines and publications.
As Roberto consistently posted on his blog and did livestreams, he realized that his own brand was growing at quite a rapid rate. From February of 2015 through December of 2015 Roberto grew from 20,000 to about 75,000 subscribers on YouTube!
Differences between a creator, an influencer and a personal brand
You might have seen this question in our #ChatAboutBrand Twitter chat on Tuesday. We thought we’d ask Roberto how he feels about these three distinctions.
Roberto’s definition of a content creator is basically anyone that creates content. They could be an influencer, personal brand, or none of the above.
“A content creator doesn't have to be a content creator in the sense of being a public facing or forward figure,” Roberto explained. “If you produce beats but your voice isn't on the track, you're a content creator. And if you're making money as a musician doing that, you're a content creator. If you're not the face, and you are the editor of something - you're remixing content, but you're not personally in the content - you're still a content creator.”
You can also be an influencer without being a content creator.
“You could be an influencer by virtue of being a politician. You could be an influencer by virtue of being a public figure and a public speaker and having a story. That doesn't make you a content creator.”
A personal brand is a forward-facing figure with a public reputation. Personal brands can also be content creators and/or influencers.
Roberto says these three words are not interchangeable. “Some people can encapsulate multiple buckets. Some of them it's just one bucket, and you can't assume that you've got the others.”
What do you think? Are you a content creator, personal brand, or influencer?
Creating the Brand
When asked why he branded the way that he did, he said, “I built a brand with the understanding that I wanted to build a brand that I could live with. But some people are a caricature of themselves online.”
Roberto’s brand is very authentic. Being authentic is a great way for your followers to feel like they know you a little more. Plus, a part of being authentic is showing that you’re not perfect all the time. To be successful on social media, you do not have to be ‘perfect.’
“I think what people get wrong is they think that they have to be 100% all the time, but that's exhausting, and you're not your best all the time. And so giving people your best sometimes means, ‘OK, it's not going to be exactly how I feel in that moment. “
How to get inspiration
Roberto sheds some great insight into our next question: “What do you do when you're not in the mood to create content, but you have to? How do you find inspiration when you need to create content, and what tools you use that help you out with that?”
Roberto’s saying is, “‘When motivation fails, your discipline won't.” You might not always have an idea for everything, but Roberto always plans everything out. When inspiration comes, he’ll move on that. But he moves more on planning and designing, meaning he’s already mapped out what's going to happen rather than waiting for that inspiration.
Roberto also creates the opportunity to be motivated and inspired. He does that by building the perfect office that will help generate inspiration. He has inspirational quotes everywhere, and posters about patience, ambition, failure, happiness, persistence, and success. Building his office this way makes it a very motivating place to do work!
Find Roberto
Check out Roberto’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/robertoblake. He’s also @RobertoBlake on most social media (he’s most active on Twitter and posts to Instagram stories pretty much daily). And, of course, you can work with Roberto via AwesomeCreatorAcademy.com.
Thank you so much to Roberto Blake for his incredible insight on building a brand, not just a channel! To watch our Let’s Talk About Brand show, join us live on Facebook every Friday at 12 pm.
Content Can Be FUN!
A roundup of the most fun-to-create content of 2019 from a variety of top social media and digital marketing professionals.
Instead of a compilation of strategic tips or 2020 social media predictions, I decided to do an end-of-2019 roundup post on FUN.
A lot of people wouldn’t put “content creation” and “fun” in the same sentence. Content can feel like a chore, one more business task that takes you away from the things you really want to be doing.
But sometimes? It IS fun. And I’ve gathered nearly two dozen of my smart social media friends to talk about what they most enjoyed creating in 2019 and why. Hopefully, there’s a piece of inspiration in here for each of us!
Full roundup video below; individual responses (with links to the actual FUN content in question!) after the jump.
Deonnah Carolus
Summit Web Marketing
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
My 'How to get Approved for Instagram Shopping after you have been Denied' Checklist!! I created a mini course series that goes in depth with it too!
https://www.summitwebmarketing.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Copy-of-Add-a-subheading.pdf
What made it so much fun to create?
That I can help virtually EVERYONE this happens to with this method I uncovered!!
Angus Nelson
angusnelson.com
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Manhood Matrix graphic:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HPcYDYsVhMNBpRtMR1sjLiCBiwpo_WM-/view?usp=sharing
What made it so much fun to create?
It challenged me to truly think through my philosophy.
Gael Gilliland
The Legacy Recorder
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
What to do when death happens:
https://www.thelegacyrecorder.com/death-dying/grief/what-to-do-when-death-happens
What made it so much fun to create?
It was a tough and unexpectedly joyous conversation that many people have found value in.
Emily Crume
Social Media Examiner
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
A Doodly animated video entitled "5 Reasons to Sponsor an Event."
https://youtu.be/unq8VlQhV9Y
What made it so much fun to create?
I came up with the idea, scripted the story and then recorded the audio and set the animations, music and timing. It required taking the time to learn an explainer video program - but I was able to produce the content all myself!
I have used it on my Compass toolkit page - a page where we host resources that help guide my clients to event success. It was also posted to LinkedIn and had 10x more views in my feed than regular content I repost and share.
Yvonne Heimann
Ask Yvi
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
The Summit Hero:
https://academy.askyvi.com/courses/summithero
What made it so much fun to create?
Collaborating with Mary Fain Brandt is so fun. She is just as enthusiastic and energetic as I am <3
Jennifer Watson
Agora pulse
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Our weekly live show, Social Pulse Weekly, where we have an expert guest, talk about the latest social media news and have fun trivia. I linked to our finale show below that had 10+ guests and was a great way to wrap up the biggest trends of 2019 and what predictions will be for 2020.
http://facebook.com/Agorapulse/videos/517136252207741
What made it so much fun to create?
This was so much fun to create because we had brilliant guests sharing their knowledge with everyone. Along with that relationships were formed and strengthened from the great conversations between viewers and our guests. We had people join in from around the world, that made the experience priceless. This experience has made me appreciate the power of live video even more than I already did!
Our finale video had 118 live views and has reached, but the best part was the conversations and relationship building that was happening with our viewers and the show guests. So much love and support for everyone, it was truly amazing to see.
Phil Mershon
Social Media Examiner
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
My LinkedIn article about showing up powerfully:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/showing-up-powerfully-10-tips-event-organizers-speakers-phil-mershon/
What made it so much fun to create?
Involving so many friends and then seeing how the community is responding to the idea of showing up powerfully.
Risa Hoag
GMG Public Relations
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
The interview with the 3 businesses for the Nanuet Chamber of Commerce, Coupe Theatre Studio, Gregory Chiropractic and Luxury Kitchen and Bath. The Nanuet Chamber News Show.
https://www.facebook.com/NanuetChamberOfCommerce/videos/445635276166710/
What made it so much fun to create?
Great fun to interview local business people and share their stories with the Rockland community. Also fun to visit their businesses and see them in action.
Kendra Ramirez
Reset Co
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
We did a video series on mindset. My favorite piece in the series is on money mindset.
https://thereset.co/karlee-schultz/
What made it so much fun to create?
It was filmed in a studio that we designed. We did the whole series with no teleprompter or show notes. We are addressing topics around limiting beliefs.
Katie Hornor
SuccessfulOnlineCourses.com
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Digital Courses: 25 Predictions for 2020
https://bloggingsuccessfully.com/digital-courses-25-predictions-for-2020/
What made it so much fun to create?
Collaborating with other experts to serve our people collectively is a wonderful experience.
Mike Gingerich
Digital Hill and Mike Gingerich Global
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Group collaboration with Now Marketing Group on the Harsh Truths of Online Marketing
https://blog.nowmarketinggroup.com/harsh-truths-of-online-marketing-marketers-tell-all
What made it so much fun to create?
Jessika had a group chat going and it was great to connect with the group and see all their inputs and thoughts!
Chris Strub
The Giving Day Guy
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
A Facebook Live broadcast that I created on #GiveSTLDay with the St. Louis Community Foundation at Healthworks! Kids Museum:
https://www.facebook.com/stlouisgives/videos/321670001842589/
What made it so much fun to create?
I had no idea what to expect, and neither did the audience. Plus Sean Frederick is a super charismatic and fun kid to work with.
Eddie Garrison
Digital Media Creator Academy
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
I did a Social Media Day Virtual Summit that had over 1,000 viewers. It featured nine fantastic speakers and went for nearly five hours.
What made it so much fun to create?
Doing a Social Media Day event ON Social Media. Hearing everyone speak on what their passion is was the best for me.
We ended up with nearly 10,000 overall views of the Virtual Summit.
Ross Brand
Livestream Universe
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Facebook Live interview with Eddie Garrison from Podcast Movement:
https://www.facebook.com/ross.brand.509/videos/1328004804040836/
What made it so much fun to create?
iPhone fell in the middle of the interview. It give us a lot to laugh about during and after the broadcast.
Dan Willis
Millennial Motivator
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
I really had a blast creating the first couple episodes of the Successful Failures podcast:
https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9hYzU5Njk0L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz&episode=OGMyMzc2NzctMDk4My0wODU1LWEyODgtOWI3OTQ1ZmM0NmYy&hl=en-CA&ved=2ahUKEwiXmb2u5q_mAhXRKM0KHYcqAlYQjrkEegQIOBAE&ep=6&at=1576143043022
What made it so much fun to create?
Getting to know the deeper stories behind entrepreneurs is a passion near and dear to my heart! Forgetting the glimmer and celebrity and getting back to real people facing real challenges.
If it helped even one listener to face entrepreneurship with an awareness of the hardships you must overcome in order to succeed it performed beyond expectations!
Jeff Sieh
Manly Pinterest Tips
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827
What made it so much fun to create?
I get to listen in on really cool people like Jane Goodall, Steven Wolfram and Martha Stewart.
Denise Alison
Denise Alison Social Media Strategist
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
My #10tips10days series on LinkedIn.
https://denisealison.com/blog/10-tips-10-days-part-1
What made it so much fun to create?
I loved the energy it gave me to challenge myself to create short and 10 valuable pieces of content, 10 days in a row!
The series got over 30k views.
Phil Gerbyshak
Vector Solutions
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Happy Birthday to Me: Here are 46 things I learned from 46 trips around the sun:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/happy-birthday-me-here-46-things-i-learned-from-trips-phil-gerbyshak/
What made it so much fun to create?
I created it in one sitting in an airplane, and everything I created brought a smile to my face as I thought about when I learned the lesson, how it's impacted me, and even how I continue to use the insight.
Marisa Cali
All The Social
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
The espnW women + sports summit recap. There was tons of social content on Twitter and IG but this summarizes it:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/espnwsummit-reminder-your-why-marisa-cali-1c/
What made it so much fun to create?
The ability to connect with so many of the ideas being said at the summit.
It opened the door for additional opportunities within the sports/womeninsports world; built relationships with key players and furthered the impact I can have in the industry.
Caitlin Jenkins & Amy Tischler
Simply Social Media
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Our most fun piece of content we created in 2019 was not one piece, but rather a place.
Our work is creating community and nothing bonds a group like throwing sharp objects at a target! We mean hatchet throwing, of course, and it inspired many variations of triumphant images, videos, and boomerangs created by our influencers.
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/seasonalsunrise/
What made it so much fun to create?
We discovered the secret ingredient for creating fun content is endorphins! Have fun if you want to create fun content!
George Damanis
Up Tempo Social
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
My Perfect Burger blog:
https://www.georgedamanis.com/georgeeatseverywhere/articles/my-perfect-burger
What made it so much fun to create?
Making the burger, eating the burger, and seeing everyone's reaction to it. The biggest compliment I received was a friend telling me the blog made them want to eat a burger for dinner. One friend even went shopping to cook it the night it was published to my website.
Laura Pearman
Laura Pearman Photography
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
My episode on fish and pricing:
https://youtu.be/u9UqGYZ1eJU
What made it so much fun to create?
It marked me Really getting into a fun groove with my channel.
It’s been one of my best this year. All the equivalent ones on this topic are DULL so I’m hoping it will do well over time too.
Madalyn Sklar
#TwitterSmarter
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
Custom GIFs!
https://twitter.com/MadalynSklar/status/1205185759168348161
What made it so much fun to create?
Custom GIFs allow you to show a lot of personality. They're great on Twitter and Facebook.
It generated high engagement with lots of conversations. It's a great way to let your community see the real you.
Amanda Webb
Spiderworking
Most fun piece of 2019 content:
I created a video trailer for an article I had written for Social Media Examiner. It included having a bath in gravy and pretending to do a striptease in my front garden.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B19D_6KCGcS/?igshid=15bvqanpbn59z
What made it so much fun to create?
It was full on creative. I had fun with the ideas, not so much the gravy bath.
My goal was to drive traffic to the article which I did. I also good good engagement across social media platforms. However, previous trailer videos got more link clicks. I think that's because they teased the content more. This video was a complete content piece that didn't require a link click to complete it.
Since you’ve made it this far, I might as well let you know that you can meet almost ALL of these incredible human beings LIVE and IN-PERSON in San Diego this coming March at Social Media Marketing World 2020!
(Yes, that’s an affiliate link - if you buy through it, I’ll buy you a drink in San Diego - swearsies!)
Curious if #SMMW20 is for you? Let’s hop on a phone call or Zoom hangout (yes, really!) and I’ll tell you why it’s BEYOND worth it.
#MidweekMinute 12/4/19: now with extra jazz hands!
Facebook photo exports, reducing ad discrimination; Instagram vibration?; Twitter nested threads, Business Calendar, Brand Surveys & Privacy Center; YouTube culls duds.
Where were you for The Great Thanksgiving Facebook & Instagram Blackout of 2019?…
Facebook is going to start allowing users to transfer their photos more easily to third party partners, starting with Google Photos. The feature is being rolled out to Ireland first, with the rest of the world expected to follow in early 2020.
Facebook’s cracking down even further on preventing discrimination via ad targeting, expanding the rules to include every possible place one could purchase ads on the platform (not just within Ads Manager) and expanding the public ad library to make housing ad targeting more visible.
Instagram’s testing making your phone vibrate when you like a post. This was uncovered by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong, who also discovered that Twitter is working on nested replies (like Reddit).
Wondering what to Tweet? The new 2020 @TwitterBusiness Calendar highlights upcoming events and how to Tweet about them.
Twitter has released Twitter Brand Surveys as a way to measure ad recall.
Twitter has also introduced the Twitter Privacy Center, a hub for all privacy-related information, features, and releases.
Don’t freak out if your YouTube subscriber count is down: YouTube is removing closed accounts.
#MidweekMinute 11/27/19: Keep your friends CLOSE
Cocoon; FB considers Close Friends & rewards your Viewpoints, but only Canada gets Whale memes; IG Explore AI; IGTV may go vertical-scroll; Twitter Hide Replies & native scheduling.
When Borat’s got more common sense and decency than your CEO, it may be time to look deeper…
Last week, the new social network on the block was the journalism-based WT.Social; this week, it’s Cocoon, a family-based networking app from former Facebook employees. (No networks OR ads, just you and your chosen family.)
On a related note, Facebook’s working on a Close Friends feature for Stories and Messenger, similar to the one Instagram has, continuing the overall trend towards “microsharing,” now that our networks have all gotten so swollen with acquaintances and strangers.
The new Facebook Viewpoints app will pay you for participating in surveys or performing tasks. They’re starting with a “well being” survey.
Facebook has quietly released a new meme-making app called Whale, which is exclusive to Canada at the moment. There was no fanfare or announcement, an uncharacteristic move for the social media giant.
In case you’ve ever been curious how Instagram’s “Explore” feed gets populated, they’ve given us a peek behind the curtain with a new blog post explaining the AI behind it.
Feature-uncoverer Jane Manchun Wong has discovered that Instagram is testing out a new IGTV feed with vertical scroll - ironic, as TikTok, which is laid out that way, was previously testing a grid feed, a la Instagram’s Explore tab.
Twitter’s Hide Replies feature is out of beta and available to all.
Twitter is also FINALLY bringing native scheduling to the platform! It’s in beta, and only some people have it. It’s web-only for now, though, which is frustrating, since we already have TweetDeck… but it’s a step in the right direction.
#MidweekMinute 10/9/19: Insta just keeps snappin'
Facebook Portal for Workplace; Instagram Threads, AR try-on, no more follower-stalking, and possible Group Stories; YouTube surpasses Netflix among U.S. teens.
Anyone out there being a “wirch” for Halloween?… No? OK, moving on.
Facebook’s Portal device will now integrate with its Workplace platform (think Slack meets a private Facebook for just co-workers), which should be especially useful for videoconferencing.
Instagram has launched the Threads messaging app, replicating one of Snapchat’s earliest functions. The camera app is built around direct, private photo and video messaging. Instagram’s also testing an AR feature that will allow you to virtually “try on” products like eyewear and cosmetics.
Instagram will also no longer allow you to see a feed of notifications regarding the actions of people you follow - so if you want to know what they’re up to, better slide into those DMs (or Threads!).
One big advantage for Facebook of owning Instagram: if a new feature isn’t a hit on one platform, it could still work on another. Facebook’s Group Stories, discontinued a few weeks ago, is now being tested as an Instagram feature. (It is worth noting that this, too, is a feature that originated many years ago on Snapchat.)
In a recent survey of U.S. teens, YouTube beat out Netflix for the first time ever as the most preferred streaming entertainment platform.
MORE INFO ON ALL STORIES:
#MidweekMinute 10/2/19: Trashing the trash talk
Facebook tests hiding Likes, swipe up to Messenger in Story ads, and works on AR glasses and a VR gaming space; Instagram product launch notifications, Branded Content in IGTV, and @creators; Twitter DM filters; YouTube comment filters, Google Fire; LinkedIn targets audiences.
Wow… that whisteblower sure does have a lot of Twitter accounts…
No, your Facebook isn’t broken; the previously-announced “Hiding Likes” test has begun on some accounts (all articles claim the test is Australia-only for now, but I have a few friends in the U.S. whose likes have already begun disappearing from public view).
Facebook will also soon allow some creators to add Messenger functionality to the “swipe up” feature in Story ads.
In the farther-off future, Facebook is developing augmented reality glasses that will work in combination with an AR map of real-world environments, as well as a virtual reality gaming space called Horizon.
Instagram is testing the ability to receive (or send!) product launch notifications . They’re also extending use of the Branded Content tag to IGTV videos (but you have to be approved first), and have launched the @creators account to encourage the IG creator community to, well, create.
Someone getting nasty in your DMs (in a way you don’t like)? Twitter’s rolling out new filters for that.
YouTube is now available on Google’s Fire TV streaming device, and has also introduced features for creators to more easily search, moderate, and filter comments.
LinkedIn continues developing its advertising tools, with new enhancements to audience targeting.
Join me on LinkedIn Live and Facebook Live at 4 pm ET for more on all stories.
MORE INFO
#MidweekMinute 9/25/19: The Future Is NOW
Facebook suspends apps, kills Group Stories, and wants you to control your phone with your brain (whaa?); Hide Tweets; Instagram restricts body-shaming; YouTube giveth verification, YouTube taketh away, YouTube giveth back; AI video ad placement.
Sorry in advance for all my political Tweets. Let’s not go into that here… on to other social media news!
Facebook has suspended API access for tens of thousands of third-party apps in the continued wake of the Cambridge Analytica data-mining scandal, which prompted Facebook to investigate hundreds of app developers on the platform.
Facebook is discontinuing the seldom-used Group Stories feature tomorrow.
Facebook is acquiring CTRL-labs, a neural learning firm dedicated to translating human brain impulses into digital signals, as part of their Facebook Reality Labs team. The company’s key product is a wristband that will enable you to control electronic devices without touch. (Yes, we officially live in the future.)
Instagram has announced viewing restrictions on weight loss & cosmetic procedure content for users under age 18, and advertising restrictions for how such products are promoted in general.
Twitter’s Hide Replies feature, previously testing in Canada, is now active in the U.S. and Japan. This feature is designed to hopefully help discussions on the platform from getting too ugly (as they are wont to do).
YouTube announced - and then rescinded - major changes to its creator verification system, which would have rescinded verification badges from many creators based on updated criteria. YouTube will re-launch its verification program in late October for accounts not already verified.
YouTube and Google have announced Video Reach ad campaigns, which will enable advertisers to upload numerous types of video ads under a single campaign and allow Google’s AI to optimally distribute them in accordance with viewer insights.
Join me on LinkedIn Live at 4 pm ET for discussion of all stories!
MORE INFO ON ALL STORIES:
#MidweekMinute 9/11/19: "Likes" ain't nothing but a number...
Facebook Dating, location security options, possible like-count-hiding test; YouTube hides follower counts; Facebook and Instagram in-ad checkout; “Private” Instagram posts not so private; no more text-to-tweet (for now); Twitter Agency Playbook.
Politics and vulgarity aside, one important user lesson on social media is to know who you’re dealing with.
(#TeamChrissy)
Moving on to more universally applicable social media news…
Let’s be real; you’re going to Facebook-stalk your online date anyway (I MySpace-stalked mine, back in 2006!). Why not just find them on Facebook Dating to begin with?
Facebook is tightening up location security on mobile, allowing for greater nuance and defaulting to whatever the user’s most restrictive settings are (device settings and app settings are often at different levels) unless otherwise specified.
Facebook’s also considering a test to hide like counts on posts, following a similar test by Instagram still in progress. YouTube has also recently removed follower counts from accounts with over 1,000 followers.
Facebook and Instagram are stepping up their ecommerce game, working on in-ad checkout functionality on Facebook and the ability to turn an organic shopping post on Instagram into an ad.
Watch those “private” Instagram posts - they’re apparently easy to access and share via web browser. (Whoopsies!)
If you’ve been posting your Tweets via text, you’re out of luck for a bit - Twitter is temporarily suspending that function after CEO Jack Dorsey was hacked via a SIM card swap.
Twitter doesn’t want to be a mystery to you; they want you to succeed (and thus keep using them). Hence their latest Agency Playbook, full of basic - yet key - tips on what’s proven to provide the most engagement on the platform. Helpful, right?
MORE INFO ON ALL STORIES:
#MidweekMinute 7/3/19: Ms. Gritmon if ya nasty
Facebook Ads stop discriminating; Instagram “Chat” sticker, Explore ads, and layout tweaks (bye-bye, scroll); Twitter t tests layout changes, visual themes, and auto-mute; LinkedIn shifts towards relevant content, adds Company Page features, and adds ad retargeting; find me on Girlboss.
I simply cannot imagine what public figure’s Tweets might inspire such a content warning…
Taking its recent advertising anti-discrimination regulations a step further, Facebook will now make advertisements for housing, jobs, and credit searchable by all users, regardless of income, geography, or other targeting features that might be deemed discriminatory.
New Story sticker alert: Instagram has officially added the rumored “Chat” sticker, which adds those who click it into a DM group.
Instagram is also adding ads to the Explore tab, and has rolled out a new profile layout (in case you’re wondering where scroll view went).
Twitter’s got a new layout in beta - and it’s making your Lists easier to access on mobile, just a quick swipe away from your home screen.
Twitter may soon allow you to customize the appearance of the site to your own liking. You’ll be able to better customize content, too; they’re testing an auto-mute feature that will preemptively prevent certain content from appearing on your feed based on accounts you’ve blocked in the past.
If you thought LinkedIn had been showing you more posts in your niches of interest, congrats, you’re correct; the algorithm has shifted to prioritize “people you know, talking about things you care about.”
LinkedIn is also beefing up Company Pages, including your choice of Calls to Action, mobile editing, and the ability to engage with hashtagged conversations as your page entity, and they continue to roll out upgraded advertising functions; the latest news is that audience retargeting is coming soon.
Girlboss is the new online professional network for women supporting women (started, of course, by Nasty Gal founder Sophie Amaruso).
more info on all stories:
FAQ: Consolidating video traffic
Should you upload your video to each platform independently?
Should I upload my video to one platform and then just link to it from the rest - or should I upload my video natively to each platform?
As with most things: this depends on your goals.
If you’re mainly focusing on building an audience on one platform over the others, and you want to consolidate all your views in one spot (for example, you’re trying to build your Facebook audience, thus views on your Facebook post would do you the most good), go ahead and link or embed the video when promoting it elsewhere.
However, that technique won’t get the most reach - and, therefore, won’t get as many overall views. Platforms give strong preference to videos loaded natively to their platform. So, if what you’re going for is as many eyeballs as possible on your content, load it up to each platform separately.
Make sense? Good.
FAQ: Livestreaming programs
Should you be using a third-party program for livestreams?
Some frequent livestreamers (myself included) prefer to use external programs - such as BeLive.tv, ecamm, or Switcher Studio - for their live broadcasts. But should you be using one?
That depends, as always, on your needs, your wants, and your comfort level.
Most programs allow you to “schedule” your live (so you’ve got a link to provide in advance for promotional purposes), and allow you to brand your livestreams with logos, colors, special frames, and even virtual backdrops. Programs can make adding guests to your livestream easier. Some programs allow you to livestream with a DSLR camera, switch between multiple feeds, and even utilize a remote producer.
But is there any advantage to using a program, in terms of reach? No. Simply hitting the “Live Video” button will do everything you really need for your live video to work. I myself use a combination of programmed lives (for my weekly Friday show, Social) and native live video (for more on-the-fly content).
Do what works best for you.
FAQ: Well-equipped
Ring lights, boom mics, DSLR… what kind of setup do you really need to produce great video?
What kind of equipment should you have in order to create great video?
Well… something that can create videos, for one. But that something can be your phone. My entire FAQ video series was filmed on my iPhone, as are most of my videos.
Good lighting can be provided by a window, a lamp… or, yes, a specialized ring light. Quality sound can come from a dedicated USB microphone (I like the Blue Yeti), a lavalier microphone that plugs into your phone (here’s a cheap one that I like)… or just the regular microphone on your phone, computer, or camera. You don’t need a fancy backdrop. You don’t need expensive equipment. In fact, apps like Wave.video, Ripl, and Camtasia don’t require you to film any video footage at all; you can utilize their libraries to create your own video from pre-made content.
So… what’s the one true must-have for your video setup?
A great idea, clearly executed, preferably entertaining and educational.
That’s truly it.
#MidweekMinute 6/5/19: Pinning more IKEA...
Bad news for Pixel advertisers; Facebook rolls out Avatars, enhanced Video Ad creator tools, Instant Article subscription features, a Portal app, and Audience Network game ads; Instagram “branded content” ads, Order sticker, and audience activity insights; Twitter live “call-in” feature; Twitter & LinkedIn both acquire some tech; IKEA embraces Pinterest.
BRB, applying to become Tweeter-in-Chief…
Mozilla’s Firefox browser’s latest update includes a tracking blocker (a move already preceded by Apple’s Safari browser), sending Facebook Pixel devotees into a tizzy.
Facebook has been teasing their Bitmoji-esque Avatars since at least 2017, but they’re finally here (well, in the Australian test market, at least) for use in Messenger and comments.
Facebook has stepped up its Video Ad tools, enabling a whole bunch of creator features (including text and stickers), optimized sizes for different uses, the ability to split a video into multiple shorter ads, and - a blessing amidst all these fun features - the ability to save progress while putting this all together.
Facebook’s been testing integrating subscription options into Instant Articles, and is now officially rolling out the feature to all Instant Article publishers.
Facebook Portal has released a smartphone app to integrate with the device’s functions.
Game developers who advertise on Facebook will now have the ability to run rewarded video and playable ads via Audience Network.
Furthering Instagram’s close relationship with the “influencer” industry, brands can now turn influencer posts into “Branded Content” advertisements.
Instagram may be testing an Order sticker, likely a way to further commerce functionality in Stories, as well as further insights as to new vs. old “likes” on posts and account follower/unfollower info.
Twitter will now let you add guests to live video streams - but, just like this recent addition to sibling Periscope, guests are audio-only for now (think of it like a call-in show). Twitter has also acquired artificial intelligence firm Fabula AI to help combat false accounts, spam, “fake news,” and other pitfalls of the platform.
LinkedIn has acquired digital identity firm Drawbridge in a bid to enhance ad targeting functions.
And, just in case there wasn’t enough IKEA presence on Pinterest, the Swedish furnishings giant is now officially moving a shoppable version of its catalog onto the platform.
More info on all stories:
FAQ: Live and Let Live
Is live video always the best way to go?
You know I hate one-size-fits-all answers…
What are the advantages of live vs. prerecorded video content?
Some advantages of live video:
Better reach on most social media algorithms
Increased ability to engage with viewers
Greater sense of immediacy, intimacy, and realness
No need to edit; you do it and it’s done!
Some advantages of pre-recorded video:
Easier to plan and control
Can batch-create for efficiency
Often allows for higher production quality
Can add more bells and whistles
Advantages of making your own decision:
You’ll be doing what your audience responds to, what works best for your content, and what you prefer creating!
FAQ: Video length
Is “more” always more when it comes to video?
There’s a ton of advice out there on best practices for video length on various platforms. Here are some quick stats by platform:
Facebook (pre-recorded): 2 minutes
Facebook Live: at least 10 minutes; 15 minutes is a sweet spot
Instagram: 30 seconds
Twitter: 30-45 seconds
YouTube: 2 minutes
But stats are just that: stats. My advice is ALWAYS to explore what your own audience responds to, what works best to tell your content’s story, and, above all, what you actually want to do.
#MidweekMinute 5/22/19: Zuck's Swiss bank account?
Facebook updates the algorithm (again), Ad Relevancy Score reporting, external tracking , and brings back “View As Public”; their rumored cryptocurrency gets its own Swiss bank account; Instagram Explore gets new tabs and loses the Direct app; Twitter Developer Labs launching; TweetDeck gets GIFs and Polls.
RIP #GrumpyCat (aka Tardar Sauce).
We already knew that Facebook’s algorithm was prioritizing content from close friends and content types you interact with regularly… but they’ve just upped that prioritization yet again, and are even incorporating a direct survey asking you about your preferences (and of course studying how your responses correspond to your actual activity).
Facebook has also instituted a simplified Relevancy Score for ads - moving from an overall number to specific indications of ad quality, engagement, and conversion.
Facebook is introducing stronger features to allow users to protect their privacy for activities outside of Facebook - which would, in turn, impact the ability of advertisers to target them using any information beyond what they have provided to Facebook.
Speaking of privacy, Facebook is also bringing back the “View As Public” feature that enables users to view their profile from the point of view of someone they’re not friends with - a feature that was removed following a privacy breach that had taken advantage of a bug in the previous system. (Oddly enough, they announced this via Twitter!)
Facebook’s cryptocurrency development is heating up with the registration of “Libra Networks” in Switzerland.
Instagram Stories have long been hampered by the lack of searchability… well, now they’re turning up in Instagram’s Explore screen, a huge step towards increasing story visibility by people who don’t already follow you. IGTV and Shop will also be featured in Explore under their own tabs, with the IGTV tab cribbing its new algorithmically-suggested, vertical-scroll layout from competitors Tik Tok and Snapchat (it’s copied the one large video at the top from Tik Tok, and the side-by-side pairings beneath from Snapchat). Additional tabs under Explore will focus on specific interests, customized to reflect user activity.
I was not aware that Instagram still had a standalone “Direct” messaging app… but, anyway, it’s being discontinued now.
After a fraught relationship, Twitter is once again tweaking its API - and is seeking outside developers’ feedback and partnership via a new program called Twitter Developer Labs. They’re also adding new features to TweetDeck, including support for GIFs and Polls.
More info on all stories:
FAQ: Camera-shy
“Talking head” videos are not your only option!
One big hesitation some people have with using video on social media is that they’re camera-shy. But the classic “talking head” video format is FAR from your only option on social media!
#MidweekMinute 5/15/19: Breakin' up is hard to do
Is Facebook too powerful?; Birthday Stories & new small business features; WhatsApp payments; Instagram @shop, fact-checking, and possible music video sticker; MailChimp gets serious about small business tools.
Hot take: I don’t think we should break up Facebook. But plenty of people do. (Facebook itself, unsurprisingly, doesn’t.) Moving on…
Facebook is introducing Birthday Stories, which function like an event story insofar as they compile content from multiple users to tell a singular story, and even feature birthday song stickers. They’ve also got some new tools for small businesses, including automatic ads, appointment functionality, and new video editing tools within the platform (you can do text overlays! Fun!).
Facebook’s been testing a WhatsApp payments tool in India, and is now creating a new team to develop the feature’s international rollout, with primary offices in London and secondary staff in Dublin.
Instagram introduces @shop , an of-course-shoppable account to highlight shops and makers from across the platform. They also might be developing a Stories sticker that plays a music video snippet with some lyrics over it (though this whole story might just be one epic Rick Roll).
Instagram is also introducing some of Facebook’s fact-checker technology (that’s not really where I go for news and information… but people are, I guess?), and is going to be flagging anti-vaccination posts - though exactly what effect that “flagging” will have, I’m not sure.
MailChimp is introducing a bevy of new features, including websites (domains, templates, and hosting), ad retargeting on Google and social media, social posting, smart recommendations, recurring postcards, and a CRM (they already integrated well with several existing CRMs, but now are straight-up introducing their own), in the hopes of becoming a one-stop shop for small businesses’ digital needs. Not exactly social media, but worth having on the radar, as the new platform increases their integration with social media platforms.