18 Jan Getting Ready for 2021: Updates to Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest
In June of 2020, we started providing you with comprehensive updates to the major three social media platforms we specialize in: Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. We just finished a whirlwind of a year and we wanted to be sure that we all start 2021 with the most up-to-date information. In today’s post, we’ve highlighted the most important updates from the second half of 2020. In addition to this article, we’ve also updated our FREE 7-page PDF Guide to Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest – you can download it instantly when you sign up for our newsletter!
As of October 2020, Facebook boasts more than 1.8 billion daily active users and over 2.7 billion monthly active users. Approximately 74% of Facebook users visit the site at least once daily. Furthermore, 78% of American consumers say they’ve discovered products on Facebook and American users spend 38 minutes per day on average on the site. What it boils down to is you can’t afford not to be on this platform! Here are a few of the new items Facebook has added since we last updated our guides:
- Facebook got a face lift in 2020. Whether you love it or hate it, the redesign focuses the spotlight on Groups and Events, so you’ll want to make use of these for your crafty business!
- In September of 2020, Facebook rolled out a new Business Suite creating a single dashboard for your linked Facebook and Instagram accounts that allows you to post, schedule, message, advertise, and view insights all in one place. Two key bonuses of this development? Easier social media management and comparison of content performance across both platforms. Remember that the platforms do differ a bit in their uses, so you may want to consult our best practices and consider factors like image size and hashtags when posting.
- Facebook has removed the 20% restriction of text on an ad image. It still recommends keeping text below that threshold, as those typically tend to perform better, but designers and marketers can now create campaigns using text if they choose to do so.
- Facebook is preparing for the upcoming iOS 14 update, which will now ask users to opt-in to data collection instead of requiring them to be proactive and look up how to opt-out themselves. If a large number of your audience automatically opts-out to anonymous data collection when the upgrade goes into effect (early 2021), it means that you won’t be able to show them retargeting campaigns based on actions taken on your site or landing pages. Facebook predicts that ad campaigns will likely take a hit, but notes that if you keep a careful eye on your campaigns, you may be able to pivot quickly when needed.
Instagram users now number over 1 billion people, so if you don’t have a company presence on Instagram, you’re missing out on a huge audience! Instagram users spend almost as much time on Instagram as they do on Facebook. And Instagram’s audience skews younger than Facebook’s key demographics, meaning you’ll reach the next generations of crafters here; 71% of the billion monthly active users on the Instagram app are under the age of 35.
Here are some of the key updates to Instagram in the second half of 2020:
- In September of 2020, Instagram added automatic closed captions for IGTV videos. The accuracy is dependent on the clarity of your audio so it won’t be 100%, but it is a step in the right direction of making the platform more accessible to everyone.
- In late October of 2020, Instagram launched Instagram Shop. Shop is now accessible directly from Instagram’s main navigation menu under the shopping bag/purse icon. Through this new feed, Instagram has found a way to show users more of what they’re highly likely to buy — all based on previous engagement and the posts and brands people follow. Facebook has also launched a new Live Shopping feature across Facebook and Instagram, which allows users to shop on Live in real-time.
- In November of 2020, Instagram launched a new feature to compete with this rising popularity of Tik Tok. Instagram Reels is a new way to record 15 to 30-second clips set to music. If you’re struggling to understand how this is different from Stories, check out the Ultimate Guide to Instagram Reels from Later.
Last, but definitely not least is Pinterest, our favorite electronic bulletin board platform. Pinterest had an amazing year in 2020 thanks to everyone staying at home and dreaming about what they would do when they could leave! Now up to well over 440 million monthly active users, Pinterest reports that some 90% of active Pinners use the platform to plan for or make purchases, while they also see far higher purchase intent than other social networks. With focused effort, we’ve seen clients propel Pinterest into a top 5 traffic referral site, so get started pinning.
Here are a few of the latest Pinterest features we’re watching:
- Pinterest Story Pins, which we highlighted back in August 2020, have now rolled out to many more Pinterest users. We’re still seeing increased exposure for our clients with both Story Pin and Video Pins, and we think they’re here to stay!
- In October 2020, Pinterest added a widget for iOS 14 which enables Pinners to feature a board of their own, or one they follow, on their iPhone home screen.
- Pinterest’s biggest change in 2020 was to the algorithms that determine what a user sees. Pinterest’s is now emphasizing both recency and relevancy in pins. This means creating new images and new content, and less repinning and pin looping. You can still share content in multiple ways, but be sure you have new and engaging images, and that you’re also adding new content in as often as possible. The algorithms also prioritize content that comes from your site (be sure to claim your website on Pinterest), so focus on pinning your own content rather than repinning or curating others’ content.
- Pinterest has published its “not-yet-trending” predictions for 2021. With 2020’s unprecedented growth showing no signs of slowing, you need to consider these trends when planning your 2021 pins!
We hope this update has given you some information you can use in promoting your crafty business through social media platforms. You can download our newly updated PDF Guides to Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter!
If you’d like help navigating your social media, contact us today to get started crafting a better business!
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