01 Nov Enter the Rooms? | Social You Should Know
Should Facebook Rooms Become Brands’ Shiny New Toys?
Way back in the day, Internet chat rooms were topic based. In social media, profiles are generally aligned with the person, not the topic. Facebook just launched Rooms, a mobile-first system to allow people to gather to discuss topics they care about. In a break with Facebook tradition, people can engage completely anonymously. While the temptation for brands to start Rooms to gather those who care most is great, this article shares the pros and cons to consider first.
Battle for Your Smartphone Wallet
While not specific to social media marketing necessarily, the battle between Apple Pay and the Merchant Customer Exchange is worth watching. Both will let you pay at the register with your phone, but a new fight is brewing. CVS and Rite Aid recently blocked Apple Pay from their store payment options. Why? Because the Exchange, of which they are a part, has their own app called CurrentC. The battle has billions at stake and may impact how we market in store someday. This week, however, CurrentC was hacked which is certainly unfortunate timing for that team.
Branded Instagram Work Is Thriving
The average engagement rate for brands on Instagram rose 415% in Q3 of 2014 compared to a year ago, and 15 of the Top 100 brands have more than 1 million followers. These and other stats are listed in this article worth reading.At the same time, I can’t help but think how similar this was to the path brands took on Facebook. Facebook, of course, ultimately shut off much (but not all) of brand’s natural organic reach. As the owner of Instagram, they could easily do it again.
As a last note, here’s a good learning experience for brands. Check out how Chevy capitalized on an awkward World Series interview and turned it into a social media win.
