This Is Your Captain SpeakingTwitter Spaces just got a major upgrade to first class: the navigation bar on the mobile app. And not only did it make it to the bar, Spaces claimed the center spot. The audio feature joins four veteran peers (Home, Search, Notifications, and Messages) who have long stood their ground as the platform’s dominant icons. By adding a separate tab, Twitter introduces a unique visual format to an audio feature. This makes it easier for users to discover, navigate, and keep track of Spaces. The tab will identify Spaces names, hosts, people you know who are participating, and remind you of scheduled sessions you’ve shown interest in.
The Spaces discovery tab is currently only available to a select 500 users, but by testing a move to the center, Twitter indicates its growing confidence in social audio. What may have seemed like a passing trend earlier this year is quickly proving to become a staple in the world of social media, solidified by moves like this from major platforms. Brands can capitalize on this trend by recognizing and investing in the future of audio, following the lead of others like Martel Cognac and Kool-Aid — both of which have found fresh ways to connect with their audiences and drive conversations that users are passionate about. Audio is buckling up in the front row, and you definitely don’t want to miss this flight.
TL;DR: Twitter adds Spaces to the navigation bar to make it easier for users to navigate the audio feature.
Two Brands Are Better Than OneTeamwork makes the dream work, right? Instagram sure thinks so. IG just updated its branded content tools to include cross-promotional opportunities that encourage collaboration between marketers.
New multi-brand listing lets influencers tag two brands in a single ad post. In the spirit of transparency, each brand will be notified when tagged in co-sponsored posts for the opportunity to approve any joint messages. And while influencers can now post content before brands sign off on it, a “Paid partnership” label won’t appear if it’s still pending approval. For brands that value flexibility, this gives influencers the freedom they need to jump on trends that just can’t wait. Brands that like to keep a closer eye on sponsored content may want to establish expectations with influencers so they’re not caught off guard by a sudden post. The update also provides marketers with insights that reflect the performance of their co-partnerships, letting them know which strategies are gaining traction.
By lending its platform to no sweat tie-in promotions, Instagram takes care of the roadblocks that typically interfere with influencer marketing. Smaller brands can take this chance to partner with more established ones and build rapport with consumers. It’s a win for all parties, so everyone can go home happy (yay!).
TL;DR: Instagram’s new branded content tools make for easier co-promotion between brands and influencers.
Customers Slide Into DMsWe all love a good DM. That is, until we open it and discover it’s from an unhappy customer … yikes. Not only does it entail rectifying the problem, but it can be a struggle to gather all the necessary information in order to do so. Luckily Instagram is here to help customers (and those tasked with responding to them) have a much better experience.
The pandemic forced brands to reorganize how they communicate with customers online. To help companies streamline the customer service experience Instagram introduced Messenger API, which allows businesses to integrate IG DMs into third-party customer communications tools. Up until now brands were often left scrambling to piece together a customer’s order history solely from a “didn’t like, want to return” message. Messenger API will help brands up their customer service game while also giving customer service agents and social teams a more unified look at their increasingly digital customers.
Effective responses to customer DMs can go a long way in creating better customer service experiences and building trust in a brand. Direct message insights can also be valuable to brands because they provide consumer feedback in real time. The Instagram inbox just became a little less scary.
TL;DR: Messenger API for Instagram allows brands to integrate customer DMs into third-party customer communications tools to streamline the customer service experience.
What Lit Us Up
Celebrate the RainbowIt’s the most colorful month of the year: Pride Month. But one brand is shedding its rainbow colors in favor of shining the spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community. Skittles brought back its limited edition Pride Packs, featuring all gray packaging and candies, and launched a campaign called QueeR Codes in partnership with author, historian, activist, and influencer, Blair Imani.
Through QueeR Codes, Skittles aims to promote LGBTQ+ visibility by working with several LGBTQ+ artists and influencers across the country. Artists’ Pride-themed murals will appear in four cities, each with a QR code that, when scanned, takes users to skittlesqueercodes.com — a site featuring stories about the artists and influencers, content about Pride’s history, and resources from Skittles’ partner and LGBTQ+ media advocacy group, GLAAD.
Brands are increasingly being called out for “rainbow washing,” or profiting off of Pride-themed merchandise and content to appear woke, while doing little else to support the LGBTQ+ community. But Skittles has proven its allyship runs far deeper than this creative digital campaign. Earlier this year, the brand and its parent company, Mars Wrigley, received 100% on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation's 2021 Corporate Equality Index for its LGBTQ+ workplace equality. And through Queer Codes, Skittles demonstrates that the most impactful Pride campaigns aren’t ones in which brands cover themselves in rainbows, they’re ones that amplify LGBTQ+ voices, stories, art, and experiences, even if it means muting their own colors for a while.
TL;DR: Skittles’ QueeR Codes campaign spotlights artists and creators to increase visibility of the LGBTQ+ community.
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