It's time... to Geekout!!

Hello and welcome to the first edition of my new weekly Geekout Newsletter.

Every week brings so much social media industry news, new product features, new tools, changes to platforms, etc that it can be difficult for even the most committed social media professional or geek to keep up. That's where this newsletter comes in. I got you ❤️.

Each Friday I'll curate everything you need to know and deliver it straight to your inbox. No more jumping around the web, social feeds and other sources to keep up to date with all the latest news. Just read this newsletter and you'll be fully 'in the know' about everything you need to support your work and your colleagues.

What's more, I will sometimes include links to new finds such as tools, tips, new features, beta apps and more, which I won't share anywhere else, or I will share with you here first.

I'm delighted that Khoros is the newsletter's first sponsor, which means you get it completely free! Awesome! 👍

This newsletter is complemented by my Facebook Group, where you can take a deeper dive into the news items covered here with fellow social media geeks discussing individual stories.

The ultimate, comprehensive social media geek newsletter is here!

— Matt

PS. I welcome feedback about the newsletter (what you like or dislike, what you want more or less of each week etc.)

Reply to this email, or drop me a Twitter DM 💬

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

Facebook faces trust crisis as ad boycott grows — www.axios.com

The big advertisers lining up to boycott Facebook's ad platform keep coming (Verizon is the latest as I write this, and Viber is even removing all Facebook tech from its apps). Civil rights activists have pressured companies to take action for the month of July over Facebook's questionable handling of misinformation and hate speech.

Facebook is increasingly under pressure to take action, and it has already admitted to advertisers that there is currently a "trust deficit."

But it's small companies that make up the bulk of Facebook's ad business and they have much less leverage to act. They may want to send a message to Facebook too, but they have far more to lose from a boycott than the big brands who have other ways to access large, targeted audiences. For now, it seems Facebook is reluctant to be seen to react to protesters, reportedly saying it won't "make policy changes tied to revenue pressure," and that it sets "policies based on principles rather than business interests."

Microsoft is shutting down Mixer and partnering with Facebook Gaming — www.theverge.com

Facebook Gaming got a big boost this week as Microsoft announced it will shut down its Mixer game-streaming service and hand all the content to Facebook's service. The big names Microsoft signed up for tens of millions of dollars won't make the leap, though. Ninja, Shroud and others have been released from their contracts. Word in the esports community suggests they were paid off in full, years before their contracts ended — if true, that's nice work if you can get it!

TikTok launches TikTok For Business for marketers, takes on Snapchat with new AR ads — techcrunch.com

TikTok is getting serious about its business products. This week it launched a new hub for them all. Here you'll find all its advertising services and branding tools. You'll also find a new augmented reality 'Brand Scan' ad format, taking a leaf out of Snapchat's book.

The social media trilogy: Awareness, engagement, and conversions — khoros.com

The marketing experts at Khoros wrote these guides to help enterprise marketers understand how to stand out in an environment of sameness, drive consumer engagement, and increase leads, conversions, and sales. These are full-funnel resources, and marketers can benefit from the essential strategies at any stage of the process.

👀 ICYMI...

Stories you need to know about:

Twitter:

• Twitter has taken action on another Trump tweet, hiding it behind a warning and making sharing the tweet impossible (except screenshots, of course). [Axios]

• Twitter has closed an account that leaked 269GB of FBI and police documents. [Sky News]

• Twitter says advertisers' billing information may have been exposed to people viewing their browser's cache. The bug has been fixed, but it seems unlikely to have been a big problem for many. [Adweek]

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp:

• Facebook will now let you know when you're about to share an article more than three months old. It's all about helping people share timely and credible news. [TechCrunch]

• Facebook is accused of bypassing privacy rules by using an obscure process to find out who owns domains. [The Register]

• Facebook is killing the Oculus Go headset. The higher-spec Quest will be the place to go for your standalone VR fun, and it will be opened up to more apps in 2021. [CNET]

• Facebook has acquired VR game studio Ready At Dawn to work on new Oculus content. [Gamesindustry.biz]

• Brazil has forced WhatsApp to suspend its new payments service in the country. The central bank wants time to assess it over competition concerns. [TechCrunch]

TikTok:

• TikTok says it will stop reading your clipboard on iOS without permission. It was apparently an anti-spam feature, but the iOS 14 beta makes it painfully obvious when it happens... every few keystrokes 😬. [The Telegraph $$$]

• TikTok has joined the EU's code of practice on disinformation. Others already signed up include Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Mozilla. [TechCrunch]

• Lockdown has been huge for TikTok in the UK. It "reached 12.9 million UK visitors in April, up from 5.4 million in January." [BBC News]

• Teens on TikTok trolled the Trump campaign with fake registrations for his rally last Saturday. Could this be a new form of protest? [New York Times $$$]

And the rest:

• Apple had loads of announcements during WWDC. But emoji search in the standard keyboard is one change the social media manager on the go will appreciate in iOS 14! And YouTube probably won't be keen on picture-in-picture support letting people view videos with the app not open.

• Google has launched updated analytics tools for news publishers. [TechCrunch]

• And Google will reportedly launch a new news product later this year. It's already agreed to pay some publishers to feature their 'high quality' content. [Axios]

• Twitch has started to permanently ban streamers accused of sexual assault. [The Verge]

• The body expected to become UK social media regulator says it will not hesitate to fine social platform operators who break rules, and "would also consider temporarily suspending platforms in extreme cases of harm." 😮 [BBC News]

🌟Tip of the week

📲 Quick hits

Updates, experiments, and useful info snippets:

• Instagram Shopping is now available to more types of businesses, including creators who want to sell merchandise. [Instagram blog]. I'm told this expansion will be available in the UK from 9 July.

• Facebook has launched updates to its Live Producer platform for professional live video publishers, with a bunch of new, useful tools like graphic overlays and featured comments. [Social Media Today]

• Facebook's Summer of Support is a six-week programme of digital marketing education for businesses. [Boost with Facebook]

• Facebook has launched Forecast, an experimental app for people who want to discuss and predict the future. It's initially only open to researchers and academics in North America. [Forecastapp.net]

• YouTube is going full TikTok with an experimental feature that lets you record 15-second, multi-segment videos. [TechCrunch]

• YouTube has introduced a page full of resources to help channels make the most of the platform. [@YouTube]

• And YouTube has also launched a microsite explaining how the platform works. [YouTube blog]

• YouTube has launched #CampYouTube, a series of online activities to replace summer camp for kids. [Social Media Today]

• Twitter is working on a 'Top requests' DM inbox similar to the one on Instagram creator accounts [@wongmjane]

• Twitter can now learn about your latest interests in one day rather than a week, thanks to an updated prediction system [Twitter Engineering blog]

• A Facebook ad account is no longer required to create Instagram ads. [Adweek]

• Facebook is testing a new set of tabs and filter options for your News Feed [@MattNavarra]

• Instagram's TikTok-like Reels app has launched in Germany and France. It was previously only available in Brazil, and now Instagram has given the app less of an emphasis on ephemeral posting. [TechCrunch]

• Instagram is working on automated text captions for audio in its Threads app. [@alex193a]

• WhatsApp briefly made animated stickers available to beta app users, then took them away again. [Android Police]

• LinkedIn is working on a redesigned app with new colours and icons [@wongmjane]

• Snapchat seems to be testing a 'Friend Compass' to help you navigate your way to friends on the Snap Map. [@MattNavarra]

• TikTok has launched new stickers for Pride month, along with initiatives to support the LGBTQ+ community [Social Media Today]

• Tinder has brought its anti-catfishing feature to the UK. The A.I.-powered photo verification was already live in the US. [Engadget]

• The Opera web browser now has Twitter built into its sidebar alongside Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram and VKontakte. [Engadget]

• Google is bringing fact-checks to image search, to help people avoid spreading hoaxes. [Google]

• Now all kinds of businesses can message customers through Google Maps and Search. [Google]

• Snapchat has announced its first 'shoppable' show. Viewers of 'The Drop' will be able to buy limited edition streetwear. [Variety]

• LinkedIn Stories has expanded to Australia, after earlier launches in Brazil, the Netherlands, and the UAE. [Social Media Today]

• LinkedIn has published a useful guide to using its events and live-streaming tools. [Social Media Today]

• Spotify is testing interactive podcast ads that you can tap inside its app. The company wants to “create more of a direct funnel for brands.” [The Verge]

📖 Weekend reading

Inside the Social Media Cult That Convinces Young People to Give Up Everything — onezero.medium.com

When social media sucks you in just a little *too* far...

• Is IGTV turning a corner?: Now creators can make money, it's becoming more than just a hub for YouTube hand-me-downs.

😳 And finally....

📅 Back next week

So... That's Geekout Newsletter #001... Done ✅ 🤓

I'll be back in your inbox around the same time next week to geekout all over again. 😎

Got any feedback? Ping me a DM on Twitter: @MattNavarra.

Oh...And don’t forget to join the BEST community of social media managers ( +geeks!) on Facebook: The Social Media Geekout.

Goodbye geeks! ❤️

Matt

This newsletter is edited by Martin SFP Bryant.

Copyright 2020: Matt Navarra Media Ltd