F8, Facebook’s developer conference, took place on April 30 – May 1, 2019.  During the keynote speech, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a number of updates to Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, three of the world’s biggest social media platforms.

Facebook

• New design

Facebook will have a new, simpler design, highlighting groups and events.  The Groups tab will introduce a more prominent design and a personalized feed from groups, as opposed to just a general update feed from friends, making it easier to connect with people who share the same interests.  With this new emphasis on groups, even business Pages can now join groups and take part in group discussions where they can engage with target customers and share content and events.

• Facebook dating

Facebook Dating is currently only available in Colombia, Thailand, Canada, Argentina, and Mexico. Although Facebook is expanding it to 14 new countries, Hong Kong has yet to make the list. At this stage, businesses won’t be able to take part or place ads in Facebook Dating, but Facebook is not ruling out introducing monetization opportunities for businesses in the future.

Messenger

• New business solutions

Messenger will be launching a number of business solutions designed to help businesses generate leads, drive in-store traffic and provide customer care. Among these solutions is lead generation template in Ads Manager.  Businesses can create an ad that triggers an automated question-and-answer flow in Messenger to generate leads. In addition to the lead generation templates, Messenger will also launch an appointment booking interface which businesses can opt to integrate with their existing calendaring system. This functionality is still in beta and will be more widely available later this year.

Instagram

• Shopping tags

Businesses in the US currently with in-app checkout on Instagram (still in beta) will be able to approve individuals, e.g. influencers, artists and celebrities, to tag checkout-enabled products from their shops and let followers purchase the items within the app. This new functionality will extend businesses’ reach to potential customers and facilitate the shopping experience for customers.

• Improved camera

Instagram will be updating its camera interface and offer “Create Mode” which allows users to share a post without having to upload an existing photo or video. This feature, as Facebook stated, will benefit all accounts, business or personal.

Businesses can expect to be that much closer to their customers as Facebook rolls out all these exciting new features gradually in more countries.

Every day, a staggering 500 million Instagram accounts use Instagram Stories.  Businesses are seeing positive results from their stories ads, so much so that according to figures provided by Instagram, 96% of US marketers planned to continue using them in the next six months, and half of the businesses around the world on Instagram created at least one story every month.

Instagram Stories provides a spacious platform for businesses to tell their brand stories with minimal distractions. Now with interactive elements added, Instagram Stories is becoming an even-stronger marketing tool.

Interactive features, such as polls and questions, allow direct participation which brings users closer together.  In one of these Instagram polls, users were asked “Do you think clothes should be gendered?” Almost two-thirds of those who interacted with the story voted that clothes should not be gendered.  Another example of interactive stories ads is from Dunkin’. The ad asked “What’s your favorite American classic?” with a polling sticker offering two choices: “Donuts” and “Fries.” The next screen showed “You don’t have to choose anymore!  Try Donut Fries!” showcasing the new Dunkin’ product, which was donuts in the shape of french fries.

Interactivity provides an opportunity to engage users and allows businesses to be playful and creative. Result? Deeper insights into customer preference and behaviour, and better connections with customers.

In 9 out of 10 beta campaigns involving polling stickers, Instagram found that there was an increase in the number of three-second video views. Meanwhile, thanks to the polling sticker feature, Dunkin’ saw a 20% lower cost-per-video-view. Next Games also enjoyed a 40% surge in app installations after taking advantage of the interactive stories ads.

Now, YOU can have a piece of that pie too! Simply go to Ads Manager, select Instagram Stories as your only ad placement. Upload your creative and edit the text. Check the box to “Add an interactive poll.”  And … voilà!

Make your ads more impactful by making your audience feel they are part of your brand. Utilize interactive features on Instagram Stories and find out more about what your target customers want.

Articles on content marketing will tell you that strong promotional messages drive your customers away. But is that really the case?

Yes, social media was first created for socialising. But as the years past, more users began to use it as a tool to look for information, connect with their favorite brands and discover new ones. In other words, they are more open to your sales message being put further upfront — as long as you offer value — content appealing enough to make them stay.

Our experience in developing social media content for Olivier Pacific tells us that great aesthetics always wins. That applies to both visual and copy. We are naturally attracted to beautiful things. Olivier Pacific’s target audience stay for the sight of Michelin-starred creations, hearty feasts and delicate patisserie, accompanied with writing so vivid one could almost taste it.

Our content also offers industry professionals with insider tips about ingredient selection, food pairing and more, establishing the brand as a knowledgeable and go-to source of information. Once you give the audience ample reasons to connect with your business, leaving an email contact at the end of the feed and asking them to reach out will be the next most sensible thing to do.

Of course, you are still encouraged to build relationships with followers in the long run. But with the right audience, there’s no harm garnering sales results earlier on.

A household name in Hong Kong, Pok Oi Hospital has been providing quality medical and social services to the community since 1919. Their services span from dental to Chinese medicine, from primary schools to nursing homes.

IG Stories has just turned two in August 2018. Attracting 400 million users daily, it is now a great way for businesses to make noise while having fun with its array of built-in functions — learn to make full use of them and make your followers stay!

The basics: create texts and draw on photos. Add a location sticker or tag one of the most-followed celebrities you are collaborating with. Static photos too boring? Use Boomerang to film a dynamic GIF of models showcasing your products or Superzoom onto them with a dramatic sound effect. Use Music Stickers to add a soundtrack to your Stories. Do an Instagram Live, where followers can comment and react real-time so they feel much involved with your brand.

To make you IG Stories exceptional, use cool and creative stickers that generate traffic and boost engagement! Make your hashtag appear in searches by using new Hashtag Stickers. Add a Two-Option Poll Sticker or an Emoji Slider to let your followers cast a vote. Intrigue followers with fun questions using the newly-launched Question Sticker. They can reply as many times as they want.

Repost business partners’ or KOLs’ Stories to your own by trying out the new Stories Sharing feature. Shoppable Stickers will also be available in Hong Kong soon. Create your own visual storefront by placing the stickers on product images and videos!

If you use IG Stories effectively, it may turn out to be a more effective medium for brand building and sales. Celebrate IG Stories’ second birthday by utilising these new features and keep your Stories in style!

According to Instagram statistics, one-third of the most viewed Instagram Stories are generated by businesses. Also, one in five Stories receives a direct message from its viewers. This is how promising it is to place Ads on this popular feature that rolled out in 2017. Steadily maturing into a channel of its own, Instagram Stories will definitely continue to flourish as an Ad platform. Here are a few tips for running great Instagram Story Ads.

Instagram Story Ads pop up in between the Stories of accounts you follow. Keep in mind that photo ads only last 10 seconds and video ads up to 15 seconds, plus users won’t be able to return to them later, so it’s important to always catch the eye in an instant. Strong visuals and clear messages are a must.

Make your ads as visually-appealing as possible, with the brand name clearly-visible right at the beginning to make an impression. 60% of Stories are viewed with sound on so don’t forget to add music to your ads. All of the above will contribute to prompting the viewer to click on your call-to-action (CTA) at the bottom, or follow up for more information afterwards.

If you are used to creating Facebook ad, you will find it easy to do so with Instagram Story Ads. You can also manage the latter from the same dashboard as your other Facebook or Instagram campaigns! And of course, it comes with Facebook’s comprehensive demographic data.

Instagram Story Ads give brands a new way to connect with potential customers. If you are interested, feel free to drop us a line for more insights.

Instagram has released IGTV, its sibling application on 20th June, 2018. The app recognises all users as creators, encouraging us to visualise our ideas and thoughts through long-form videos by phone.

IGTV allows creators to make vertically-oriented videos as short as 15 seconds, and as long as an hour (exclusive to larger accounts). Creators are able to enjoy greater flexibility in video editing, and include more elaborated content, images and ideas in their production. Followers can express immediate feedback through likes, comments and direct messaging.

IGTV has not included any advertising elements as of yet. However, businesses can make good use of this simple and intuitive platform to draw the audience closer to your brand. Virtual store tours, product demonstrations and how-to videos are all good ways to generate traffic, boost brand awareness and ultimately sales. Talk to us about incorporating IGTV in your marketing strategy!

 

With more than 300 million users active every day on Instagram Stories, it’s safe to say that this feature is laden with marketing opportunities. As the relatively new function opens a new world to online marketers, it’s important to know tips on telling compelling stories that can elevate your business.

Instagram Stories is a great engagement device. They are “real-time, unfiltered and playful”. Users are exposed to videos, graphics, text and sound at once. Along with carefully-placed call-to-action buttons, consumers can easily be in touch with the brand’s messages and offerings. Top-performing Instagram Stories ads are easy to understand. Shorter Stories, shorter scenes, and those showing the advertised product in use perform better than average.

As opposed to the view that Instagram Stories are spontaneous, they generate real business results while combined with Facebook’s ad targeting, audience reach, and measurement solutions. For example, Beatbox secured 15% higher click-through rate and a 29% increase in purchase lift.

Instagram Stories is a cost-effective tool that will make your upcoming marketing dollars well-spent. The feature deserves its publicity and wide usage. If you need help with creating interesting stories, we will be around to fill you in.