The year 2012 has been one of major milestones for social media platforms – Facebook and Twitter. Facebook reached the 1 billion user mark and Twitter reached the 500 million users milestone. Furthermore, Facebook also went public and acquired Instagram. So let’s take a look at the some of the key changes in Facebook and Twitter this year.
The Major Changes to Facebook in 2012
- After the timeline announcement in 2011, Facebook timeline was rolled out to all accounts with a mandatory upgrade.
- Facebook Chat becomes even more user friendly with icons and links to friends accounts from within the chat window. Over the course of the year, Facebook also launched a desktop chat application and emoticons.
- After the big acquisition of Instagram, Facebook users now have the privilege of automatically sharing their pictures on the social media platform.
- Events gets a face-lift with the ability export event to users’ calendars and menu options.
- A new option called Promoted Posts, have been made available. But the page needs to have more than 400 likes. Although this feature came under much scrutiny, it is still a handy option for marketers.
- Page administration was made easier with five user levels, scheduling of posts and the launch of global brand pages. This allows for centralised management of localised version of brand pages.
- Liking a brand page was made even more user friendly with the ability to like a page from posts made by that brand.
- Facebook also introduced Offers. This is yet another social media advertising mechanism available for businesses today.
- Facebook introduced a new mobile application – install ads. This will help app owners to ensure their new apps are installed directly through Facebook ads.
- More recently, Facebook started testing Ranked Comments. This feature is still in the test phase with no word on the official rollout.
The Major Changes to Twitter in 2012
- Not only did Twitter complete 6 years in 2012, but it also rolled out a revamped look and feel for pages.
- Another new addition to Twitter was Expanded Tweets. This means getting breaking news on Twitter is even
easier. With this feature you can not only see the tweet message, but the headlines, byline, author links and more. - Riding on the Facebook promoted posts and news feed, Twitter introduced tailored trends. These were customised based on location and people you follow.
- After Twitter acquired Summify, Digests were made available for users. This like a compilation of follows or popular stories which were emailed to users on a daily basis.
- Twitter also enhanced its search feature to be more focused with suggestions and spell correct.
- The mobile version of Twitter also saw a face lift with new applications for iPhones, iPads and other smartphones and tablets.
The year 2012 has certainly been an exciting one filled with change for both Facebook and Twitter. But the overall underlying theme is the same. The social media platforms have enhanced user experience with a focus on localised content and mobile optimisation. This is a clear indication that the future lies in SoLoMo (Social.Local.Mobile).
Next week, we will be compiling a roundup of Linked In and Google Plus. So stay tuned!
Gearing for the SoLoMo trend, we too have created a new development arm to our overall group of companies. The new website will be ready by Christmas and ready to serve!
Social Media Business Consultant | Social.Local.Mobile Marketing-Strategist | Speaker | Trainer
Based in Sydney, Australia, Logan has been an avid & passionate social media user since the advent of Facebook. As the Social Media Business Consultant with over 30 years’ experience in corporate, SME business, together with running his own organisation for the past eight years. Logan is focused on guiding organisations through the four stages of social media for business – Education, Strategy, Implementation and On-going Management. If your business needs expert assistance on creating a custom Social Media, Web Presence Optimisation Strategies and Mobile Applications, contact us via logan@logannathan.com. Logan is also an expert on use of major Social Media sites for Business (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn). He is running a series of customised workshops for companies in Australia and overseas. Contact Logan via logan@logannathan.com for more information.
