A lot has changed in the past 30 days, and our world looks a little different than it did before. But there’s no reason to stop your marketing campaigns; just make sure that they’re relevant and sensitive to the issue at hand. Offer value where possible, and don’t contribute to any misinformation if it’s going around. This month, Facebook has made a few changes on their platform as a result of the coronavirus (which we’ll take a look at first), but they’ve also been hard at work on a number of different features that will impact how users and brands alike are interacting with the platform.
We can expect that as we’re all dealing with the coronavirus and its impact to see some shifts in marketing best practices, a slight slow-down of the release of in-testing features, and some adjustments to the platform (particularly ad campaigns) that may somehow be related to the virus.
We’re here to discuss all of it, so let’s get started.
Facebook Announces Changes Related to COVID-19
This is one thing we see people asking about a lot, so let’s get it out of the way: How the virus might impact Facebook marketing?
Right now, there are a few ways COVID-19 could impact your campaigns.
Here are the basics:
- Facebook has announced that due to changes in the moderation process and with staff out of office, there may be delays and errors in ad reviews.
Make sure that you’re creating your ads and submitting them for approval long before you actually need them so you have time to adjust, edit, or appeal them if needed.
- Facebook has created a ban on any ads and commerce listings that seek to capitalize on fears related to the virus.
Any supposedly magic cures, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and test kits cannot be advertised at this point in time. Absolutely no face masks can be advertised. This is really about preventing exploitation more than anything
- Facebook is currently testing new features to reduce misinformation about the virus on both WhatsApp and Messenger.
Some of these misinformation campaigns (including “cures” and rumors about government actions) have gained incredible traction in messaging apps, so giving users the ability to quickly research claims seen in Messenger online before believing it and resharing it may be effective.
You can see what this would look like here:
Facebook Releases New “Mood” for Stories Frames
The Facebook Stories camera has a new “Mood” mode, which enables users to create a GIF-centric frame for their Stories.
Users can look up a GIF, select it, and it will be framed with statements like “mood” or “LOL” underneath them.
Facebook is testing a ‘Mood’ creation mode for Stories pic.twitter.com/xqTHU1RLv6
— Matt Navarra | ? #StayAtHome (@MattNavarra) March 18, 2020
These are designed to be quick and easy to create, and they’re utilizing the popularity of GIFs in Stories right now.
We recommend that brands use them to explain their feelings or excitement about the news they’ve already discussed in a Story immediately leading up to it, like an announcement of a new product or a share of a customer review.
Facebook’s Rolling Out New Design for Messenger
Messenger is getting yet another overhaul. Facebook is rolling out a new update for Messenger which looks to simplify and focus your messaging experience. After first announcing its intention to simplify Messenger back in 2018, Facebook is now close to launching the next stage.
The biggest change, according to TechCrunch, is that the new update will eliminate the in-app Discover section. All that’s left will be “Chats” and “People” for your main navigation options.
Overall, this likely won’t impact most brands too significantly, though some did benefit from the Discover section’s potential boost in visibility. Stories also seem to be missing.
Facebook Allows You To Convert 2D Images into 3D Images
Facebook’s 3D photos feature now has a new capability that many marketers may want to take note of. The system is now able to evaluate any image and simulate depth within it.
Static, flat, VERY 2D pictures can now have the appearance of 3D graphics.
These pictures aren’t truly 3D, but it does make them more attention-grabbing in the feed and can look higher quality.
Users can also use their mouse to “tilt” the image, almost like they could with a 360-degree photo.
While you can use Facebook to create actual 3D posts (and these will be a superior quality), this is a good smart answer for brands who want to change up their images quickly.
Facebook Testing the Ability to Cross-Post Facebook Stories on Instagram
We already have the ability to create Stories on Instagram and then share them to Facebook, too. All you’ve got to do is hit the little Facebook icon and boom, shared; you don’t need to recreate the Story on both interfaces, and it’s a great time saver.
Until now, this feature has only worked one way.
Facebook is now testing the option, however, to create Stories with them and then share it by cross-posting to Instagram. This was recently spotted by the incredible Jane Manchun Wong, who noticed the coding in the backend of the app.
While this may not necessarily be an enormous game-changer, it will be a great asset and increase potential convenience for brands and marketers.
Since more heavy integration is expected between the messaging apps, this cohesion makes sense.
Final Thoughts
Facebook marketing is always rapidly evolving. Right now, the coronavirus has us all on edge and taking precautions, and even if it’s slowing down other development even a little. It’s good to see that Facebook is taking its role and responsibility here seriously.
The company knows that their platform has been used (both intentionally and unintentionally) to spread misleading information. Then Potentially take advantage of people, so they’re doing their part to ensure that this isn’t happening now.
As we move through the next month, remember to focus on valuable, empathetic marketing on Facebook, and look for shifts in consumer behavior.
Your audience is likely to be online more, so this isn’t a time to slow down the messaging, but they may respond more to certain types of content than others now, so be on the lookout for that.
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source: Adespresso
