#MidweekMinute 9/18/19: Creators gonna create

You all know you want #slofies of my dog, don’t even front…

LOTS of news about Facebook Creator Studio announced at the International Broadcasting Convention:

• New tools and metrics for Live, Watch Parties, Creator Studio

• Facebook Live “Rehearsal” mode

• Live video trimming

• Live video duration extended from four hours to eight

• Multistream broadcasting (simulcast to different platforms)

• Pre-scheduling to Instagram and IGTV via Creator Studio

• Expanded language options for auto-captioning

• New video metrics for Distribution, Watch Party viewership, and Loyalty

• Enhanced Watch Party branding, metrics, and sharing

Facebook is testing a new Chat post type to launch private group chats, much like the recently-introduced Chat sticker in Instagram Stories.

Facebook’s new Portal TV set-top box device functions as a broadcast system - like Firestick or Roku - as well as a webcam.

YouTube trolls beware: they’re testing a Profile Card feature that will publicly display your comment history.

LinkedIn has introduced Skill Assessment tests in order to support users’ claimed talents with validation badges for those scoring in the top 70th percentile or above.

more info on all stories:

View my Flipboard Magazine.

FAQ: Livestreaming programs

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.

#MidweekMinute 4/4/18: Data squeeze

Facebook further diminishes ad targeting options based on user data, including severing ties with third-party app data and getting tougher on email marketing permissions (used for custom audience targeting), and makes it easier to remove yourself from apps & games you've previously approved. Facebook also adds HD video & 360 photos to Messenger, and improves the VR in its Spaces feature. Instagram also restricts third-party app partnerships, and brings GIFs back to stories (which now have auto full screen ads). Snapchat has beat Instagram to the video-chat-party punch, announcing video chats for up to 16 people. Pinterest splits its feed in two: one for exploration and discovery, and one for people you're following. LinkedIn debuts video on company pages & video ads. YouTube debuts short ads with a reach component.

Flipboard is acting wonky this week (Mercury Retrograde!), so the articles are out of order, but here's more info on all stories above & then some:

View my Flipboard Magazine.

#MidweekMinute 3/14/18: Blue checks all around!

Twitter's Jack Dorsey considers verifying ALL actual, human Twitter users, thus changing that little blue check mark from a badge of importance to a mark of authenticity; Facebook pulls data-mining App Lock app, plans to roll out a News for Watch, adds yet another music licensing deal (this time with Warner), rolls out location-based AR experiences, and might be introducing disappearing Messenger massages (a la Snap); Snapchat adds user-generated AR lenses to their filter carousel, adds Instagram-style tagging in stories, and allows branded ads from Explore publishers; Snapchat and Instagram take down GIPHY temporarily after a racist GIF made its way into the library; Instagram's algorithm might be veering more towards the chronological again; Microsoft Pix app scans business cards to automatically add the user to your LinkedIn network; LinkedIn beefs up their business news; Brian Wallace of NowSourcing reports live from his ninth(!) SXSW, which, like social media, has made a noticeable shift from flashiness to actual human interaction & value (I can't wait to go next year!!!).

I'm trying something new this week. Instead of a bunch of links in a blog post, I'm embedding a Flipboard custom magazine into my #MidweekMinute. Let me know if you like this format or the old one better!

View my Flipboard Magazine.

#MidweekMinute 3/7/18: News you can USE!

NEW & IMPROVED #MidweekMinute!!!

This will now be a longer broadcast on Wednesdays, 2 pm ET, where I tell you how you can actually USE the week's big social media headlines. Future weeks will include special guests providing further insight on their platform of expertise.

So, let's get on with this week's news...

Have you downloaded Vero? If so, what the heck do you do with it?; Snap doubles down (literally) on Specs, tests Hands-Free mode & Full Body lenses; Instagram detectives have discovered evidence in the code of untapped Video/Voice Calling and Portrait Mode functionalities; Twitter introduces private Bookmarks feature; Facebook nixes Explore feed (huzzah!), labels Breaking News, introduces pricey & untargeted Facebook Video Ad Buy program (only $250K/month!), advertises to those considering vacations, and tests Voice Clip statuses and Messenger Broadcast feature.

Also? I'm sick. Send soup.

Vero

Vero: Hot Instagram alternative, but will it stick around? (The Sumter Item)

Tiny app’s big surge challenges Instagram (The Register Guard)

The controversial Vero is this week's David Pogue's Rated:App (Yahoo! Finance)

New Snap Specs

Exclusive: Snap to Release New Spectacles This Year (Cheddar)

Snapchat Developing $300 Spectacles Successor, Another Upgraded Model (International Business Times)

Snap reportedly working on new Spectacles, including two-camera version (Tech Crunch)

Snapchat Lost Millions on Spectacles, So Now It’s Gonna Make More (NYMag)

Evan Spiegel Is Doubling Down on Snapchat’s Biggest Failure (Vanity Fair)

Snapchat Hands-Free & Full Body Mode

Snapchat is quietly testing a hands-free mode and new, full-body camera lenses (Mashable)

Instagram Video/Voice Calling

Instagram code reveals unreleased voice and video calling (Tech Crunch)

Instagram Portrait Mode

Instagram’s code reveals a potential portrait camera mode (The Verge)

Report: Instagram developing its own Portrait Mode-like camera feature (9To5Mac)

Instagram has an unlaunched “Portrait” feature hidden inside (Tech Crunch)

Twitter Bookmarks 

Twitter launches Bookmarks, a private way to save tweets (Tech Crunch)

Save Tweets You Want to Read Later With Twitter's New Bookmarks Feature (Lifehacker)

Facebook nixes Explore

News Feed FYI: Ending the Explore Feed Test (Facebook)

Facebook ends its experiment with the alternative ‘explore’ news feed (TechCrunch)

Facebook ends test of split News Feed (Mobile Marketer)

Facebook Breaking News

Facebook swings at Twitter with Breaking News label (Tech Crunch)

Facebook Inc (FB) Takes Swipte At Twitter With New "Breaking" Label (StockNews.com)

Facebook Video Ad Buy Program

Facebook pitches brand-safe video ad buys for $750,000, but lack of control irks buyers (Digiday)

Facebook Trip Consideration

Reach Travelers When They’re Deciding Where to Go with Trip Consideration (Facebook)

Facebook’s New Tool Allows Travel Brands to Shape Vacationers’ Plans From the Start (AdWeek)

Facebook Voice Clips

Micropodcasting? Facebook tries Voice Clip status updates (Tech Crunch)

Facebook Messenger Broadcasts 

Facebook’s next money-maker: Messenger Broadcasts (Tech Crunch)

Social: a live video about live video!

I actually met Robert C. Stern (aka The Social Leader) on a livestream - his, where we (along with mutual friend Karen Yankovich) were promoting MRCC Social Media Day, at which we were all going to be presenting. His presentation at the actual event was about 22 ideas for how to use video, a presentation spun off from a popular blog post of his. So who better to come on and talk live video ideas?

Top tips from our chat today:
- Don't be afraid! The camera is not your enemy.
- Be yourself! Connect with people the same way you would in real life.
- What to talk about? Anything! Business. Your life. Your community. Your charity work. Whatever you know how to talk about.

Social: How To Make Great Videos!

My friends The Nerdy Duo Productions - aka Melissa & Erin - know how to make great videos.
They also know why other people keep making crappy videos. They gave us some of their best tips on today's #cgsocial.

PLANNING

Whether you're using professional equipment or doing a basic Facebook Live with your iPhone, know where your video's going (and the best aspect ratio for it) and what you're using to film it. You can also manually adjust the settings on your phone or computer camera in advance of your broadcast.

If you can't plan beforehand, plan afterwards: take stock of what you did, what worked, and what you can improve for next time.

LIGHTING

From cheap clamp lights from Home Depot bounced off a dollar store car windshield shade, to a full lighting setup, remember: in video, if they can't see you, what's the point?

SOUND

Don't trust the microphone on your phone or computer. Better microphones are cheap and easy.

SUPPORT

Don't hold your camera; your hands aren't as steady as you think they are. Tripods are inexpensive, and some can even fit in your purse!

I put together a whole wonderful, juicy set of equipment links - and then Squarespace decided to delete it. So... that sounds like a new post for Monday! I will post about it, I promise!