The importance of community, having faith in the algorithm, privacy protection and more.

Following the Facebook F8 conference last month, there’s been much debate around the future direction of what is arguably the world’s biggest social media platform.

From their commitment to improving data protection to the importance of discovering shared passions in digital communities, there were several common themes which arose in post-event coverage. These included revelations that Groups and Events will be getting more attention, Likes shall become less visible and friends more so. Instagram is set to roll-out more commerce-capable features and Messenger is also expecting a serious level-up.

Because we’re always seeking a little extra illumination, Firefly360 was able to speak directly with Facebook in order to ask several burning questions, looking less at the long-term vision of the company and more at the ‘here and now’ impact for social marketing.

Here’s 7 key things we discovered that marketers should be doing to ensure they’re making the most of these powerful platforms.

  • 1. Content length should follow a 70/20/10 breakdown

    That means 70% of your content should be digestible, bite-size pieces (such as videos snippet, GIFs or stories) followed by 20% in a slightly longer format including carousel features, slideshows or longer form copy that helps cater for those whose interest has been piqued. The final 10% should be in-depth, long form content, such as in-depth commentary, longer videos and reviews, that really drive home your core messages.

  • 2. Trust the tech – the Facebook algorithm knows what it’s doing

    If you’re not using things like automated split tests and dynamic creative, chances are you’re losing out from overspending or bidding against yourself. Manual audience selection can sometimes lead to micro-targeting and the exclusion of very valid potential customers. If you’ve not already made the switch from manual to automated testing, we suggest you run (don’t walk) to give it a go.

  • 3. Opt for more short, sharp messages shared over time vs. an all-in-one approach

    It’s the best way to build brand saliency and your brand narrative is less likely to get lost along the way. So don’t try and cram all you messages into a single piece of creative or content.

  • 4. ‘Clear History’ will mean marketers have to work smarter (plus a little bit harder)

    In their endeavour to offer more transparency around ad targeting, Facebook’s shift to give power back to the people means individuals will now be able to see who has their contact information and is retargeting them with adverts. More importantly, they’ll be able to opt-out if these ads are not of interest. This means find an invested audience from the get-go and delivering the type of content audience really want to see will be paramount.

  • 5. Mental availability is as hard to attain as physical availability

    It used to be a purchase could be achieved by drawing enough faces to a shop window or billboard by capturing their attention. Nowadays we are so bombarded with marketing messages that it takes more for them to be absorbed, as people passively scroll, scan and watch their way through a digital ecosystems. If the first 3 second ‘audition’ with you content doesn’t inspire them, they’ll go on scrolling. One more point in favour of the ‘short & sharp’ messaging camp.

  • 6. One click shopping is (almost) here.

    The distance between inspiration and action has been reduced to a simple click in the new “checkout” (feature coming soon) world. The edge goes to those who can appeal the fastest and deepest, with the most personalisation to reach people before they search. This seem to be mentioned specifically with regard to Instagram.

  • 7. Think mobile first. Know what people want, and make it easy for them to get it

    People are browsing 5 fewer products on mobile than on desktop before making a purchase, and 25% of apparel shoppers spend less than 5 minutes researching apparel products prior to purchase. If you’re not fully across your social, website and ecommerce integrations, your bottom line could be suffering as a result.

What do you think will be the biggest opportunity for marketers come 2020 when it comes to being successful on social?

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