We are back to our regularly scheduled Weekly Reads roundup after an exciting launch of our sister agency, CenterTable, last week. We hope you have taken a moment to read about the work our team is excited to do with clients to create unique and creative experiences online, and are now following CenterTable on Twitter and Instagram. And speaking of Instagram and Twitter, there is plenty of news-you-can-use below as you transition into summer campaigns and, sigh, long lead planning for fall.
The Verge: Twitter Updates What Counts Against 140-Character Limit
In the coming months, Twitter users will discover they can say a whole lot more although the platform isn’t increasing its overall character count. Soon usernames, quoted tweets, photos and other media attachments will not take away from the 140 limit. Further, users will not have to add a period before a username at the start of a tweet to reach a broader audience. Twitter cites an increased focus on allowing conversations and expressiveness to happen on the platform with fewer limitations.
VentureBeat: Instagram Now Lets Advertisers Use Videos In Carousel Ads
Brands can continue to explore how they deepen and bring new experiences to life for audiences by testing video in carousel ads. The platform is giving advertisers 60 seconds for these videos, a tremendous leap from the previous 15 second limitations.
SmartBrief: 5 Tips For Facebook Live Success
At GFM we have been having tremendous success with Facebook Live streams. For some clients we have partnered with a news outlet for a stream as part of a media buy and for other major events we have run the feed ourselves. This short read offers insightful tips, some of which may surprise you if you haven’t delved into Facebook Live just yet. The biggest learning that we have found to be 100 percent true? “Forget what you know about video length… Facebook recommends that a live video event go on for a minimum of five minutes in order to gain traction and engagement.”
Design
Website Magazine: 6 Colorful Websites For Design Inspiration
Not every brand abides by the notion that the more whitespace on a website the better. The websites featured in this roundup push the boundaries with color, less negative space and movement. If a website refresh is on your radar, be sure to bookmark this read.
Influencers
WWD: Revlon Adds Social Influencer Chelsea King as Nail Expert
National beauty campaigns have long belonged to A-list celebrities and models. But how much do those women really appeal to the average woman? That is why legacy brand Revlon is instead tapping into a nail artist influencer with more than 100,000 Instagram followers to create exclusive content, promote new products and more—just another example of how brands big and small can capture new mindshare from “every day stars.”
Measurement
PR Daily: 29 Metrics For Content Marketers
As the lines continue to blur between PR and social/digital marketing, both sides of the house are challenged in new ways to prove ROI beyond, “well, we got this many impressions.” This new infographic from Curata is a helpful kick start for going deeper on strategic reporting to current and prospective clients. Potential data to track is well organized into categories such as retention, sharing, sales and engagement so you can pick and choose what might be right for your current brands.
On the GFM Blog this Week:
GroundFloor Media Crisis Expert Quoted on EgyptAir Tragedy: Don’t Bicker, Sympathize
Meet Our Sister Agency – CenterTable
