Social platforms continue to evolve—and the smartest brands evolve with them. With recent updates from Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter, now is the time to rethink how you show up in the feed, in Stories, and in your customer’s saved content. These features aren’t just tweaks—they’re signals for how users want to engage.
Facebook Prioritizes Local News in News Feed
Facebook’s latest News Feed change boosts local news, giving preference to content from sources that users geographically identify with (Facebook Newsroom, 2018). For businesses, this means your proximity matters more than ever.
Strategy:
Lean into location. Highlight community ties, use regional keywords, and geo-tag posts. Consider posting about local events, issues, or neighborhood shoutouts to earn algorithmic trust.
How-To:
- – Post with town or neighborhood mentions in the first sentence.
- – Create Facebook Events tied to local happenings.
- – Partner with nearby businesses or nonprofits and tag them.
LinkedIn Adds Native Video for Company Pages
Native video is now available for company pages on LinkedIn, allowing brands to publish directly without relying on YouTube or Vimeo embeds (LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, 2018).
Strategy:
Use video to showcase culture, expertise, or product workflows. Keep it short, high-quality, and value-driven. Unlike personal profiles, company videos here should reflect brand voice and mission.
How-To:
- – Use square format for mobile-friendliness.
- – Add subtitles—many watch on mute.
- – Pin high-performing videos to the top of your feed.
Instagram Expands Shopping to Stories
Instagram has expanded its shopping capabilities, now allowing product tags in Stories. Users can tap and shop without leaving the app (Instagram Business, 2018).
Strategy:
This turns Stories into a powerful e-commerce funnel. Tag products in lifestyle content to reduce friction between inspiration and conversion.
How-To:
- – Use swipe-up links (if available) in tandem with product tags.
- – Highlight tagged Stories in a “Shop” highlight.
- – Monitor insights to identify high-performing product content.
Twitter Rolls Out Bookmark Feature
Twitter has introduced a Bookmark feature, allowing users to privately save tweets for later. This separates private intent from public engagement (Twitter Blog, 2018).
Strategy:
Create content users want to come back to—guides, tips, stats, and threads. If your tweet teaches or inspires, it’s more likely to be bookmarked than scrolled past.
How-To:
- – Format tips or takeaways into numbered threads.
- – Use call-to-actions like “Bookmark this for later” or “Save this guide.”
- – Combine text with visuals to increase engagement and recall.
Strategic Insight
What’s your story? You’re a brand that listens—to your platforms and your people.
What do you solve? You turn feature updates into deeper, more relevant customer touchpoints.
How do you do it? By adapting content formats and strategies to the latest audience behavior trends.
Why do they care? Because it means your content stays helpful, visible, and ahead of the curve.
Fictional Ideas
A regional fitness brand in Atlanta starts using Facebook to post gym updates tagged with nearby neighborhoods. They upload behind-the-scenes team workout videos to their LinkedIn company page. On Instagram, they tag branded gear in Stories with “Shop This Look” swipe-ups. And on Twitter, they share quick nutrition tips in threads with “Bookmark this meal hack” prompts. Each platform plays a role—and together, they drive awareness, sales, and community.
References
Facebook Newsroom. (2018). News Feed FYI: Showing More Local News. https://newsroom.fb.com/news/2018/01/news-feed-fyi-local-news/
Instagram Business. (2018). Shopping on Instagram Stories. https://business.instagram.com/blog/shopping-on-instagram-stories/
LinkedIn Marketing Solutions. (2018). Introducing Native Video for Company Pages. https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/blog/linkedin-news/2018/introducing-native-video-for-company-pages
Twitter Blog. (2018). An Easier Way to Save Tweets. https://blog.twitter.com/official/en_us/topics/product/2018/an-easier-way-to-save-tweets.html
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