User experience is a huge consideration when social media platforms tinker. The response can vary, but we are seeing some mixed reviews to some of the offerings on social media. Facebook’s latest change is good news for charities, while Google is dropping a feature that some consider to be bad, and some of Snapchat’s fans are crying “ugly” over the platforms new design. Here are the social media stories in the news this week.
Facebook Newsfeed Changes May Be Good for Your Charity
Since 2014, Facebook has slowly deemphasized Reach of organic posts for non-engaging content. There are two theories why these posts are hitting fewer people: First since Facebook is a public company and advertising revenues mean a lot to shareholders, paid ads would increase those numbers. Second, as the user base of the social network was growing, the news feed was becoming congested. It amounted to a fire hose of information being fed through a straw.
Mark Zuckerberg is changing all that, by emphasizing content in your feed that you truly desire. While we are waiting to see what that will really look like, it offers some hope to charities. Since Facebook is prioritizing content that is meaningful to users and in most cases charities are significant causes that people can get behind, that means their cause could still receive a high amount of reach and engagement. For years, Facebook has been the top social media platform that refers donors to donation and fundraising pages.
Google Drops an Adwords Extension Because of Lack of Use
Review extensions were an experiment that may have come out of them receiving a slap on the wrist from Yelp after they were caught scraping their reviews. Click To TweetAnd then there were 5. Come February, Google will discontinue Review extensions because of how difficult they were to get approved. As a result of the challenges, users somewhat gave up on them and stopped using them. Review extensions were an experiment that may have come out of them receiving a slap on the wrist from Yelp after they were caught scraping their reviews. Apps, Calls, Locations, Sitelinks, and Call Outs extensions will not face any changes.
Snapchat’s New Design is Getting Negative Reviews
The fans in Australia, Britain, and Canada are really letting Snapchat have it over the platform’s new design. An overwhelming 83% of Apple App Store reviews are negative for Snapchat’s latest app update. Mainly, people are dissatisfied because the new design changes the interface a bit.
As users complained on Twitter, Snapchat’s Twitter support account, @SnapchatSupport, spent a lot of time apologizing for the users’ unhappiness and asking people to give the new platform some time.
We know social media changes every day, so be sure to stay up to date with all of the latest trends by following Katie Wagner Social Media on Facebook.
