Instagram’s new feature makes it even more similar to snapchat. The new feature allows users to send disappearing photos and videos to other users. Instagram’s new feature is very similar to the features that the competitor app, Snapchat offers.

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Twitter just came out with a new feature to help stop hate speech on the social media platform. The “muted words” feature allows users to mute certain words, phrases, hashtags, emojis, or usernames from their feed. Users can also block entire conversations if they choose. This means that users would not get a notification when they are mentioned in a hateful tweet.

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Social media influencers have become a new version of marketing. Influencers have turned what once was a hobby into a multi-billion dollar industry. Brands are paying social media influencers millions to persuade their followers to buy their products.

Retailers are funneling their products through everyday men and women who have built up a following for themselves online. Brands see social media influencers as relatable messengers for their products. Brands choose the influencer they believe to be the best to promote their products to a certain audience. They choose the influencer based of the demographic of their followers. These brands pay the influencers in fees in free products to have sponsored posts promoting their products.

Captiv8, a social media analytics firm, estimates that brans are spending a collective $255 million on sponsored posts on Instagram each month. 65 percent of brands participate in this type of marketing.

Ad Week reported that 92 percent of consumers trust recommendations from others over brand content. What makes this type of marketing so successful is it’s authenticity. Followers trust the social media influencer’s opinion on products. What is still unknown is whether this marketing can hold on to this sheen of authenticity. Followers don’t want their feed to be crowded with sponsored posts.

Social media influencers also have to be careful to not dilute their own brand with sponsored posts. Many influencers gained their following because they didn’t come off as corporate. By having too many sponsored posts, influencers will push away their followers and promoting the product may have the opposite effect.

It takes consumers seconds to research a product on sites such a Twitter and Facebook. This is why social media influencers have become so important. The influencers get out a good authentic word about the products. Social media influencers have become a main form of marketing in today’s society.

Kim Kardashian West’s social media usage has taken a sudden stop after the incident in Paris. It has been two weeks since thecelebrity was robbed at gunpoint in Paris. Kardashian West’s last social media post was the day of the incident. With 84 million followers on Instagram and 48 million followers on twitter, Kardashian West’s social media has become a huge part of her success. However, police now feel that her social media presence lead to her robbery in Paris. Continue reading →

Social media has always been a good place for people to share their thoughts and feelings about fashion, food, products, and more. With the rise of social media influencers, the line between someone’s true thoughts about a product and endorsements has become blurred. Continue reading →

Over the past few weeks, brands have been experimenting with the see-now buy-now strategy. For fashion shows in both New York and London, some designers have had their featured clothes ready to purchase immediately after the show. This allows designers to translate the excitement brought on by their shows in to sales. Continue reading →

Snapchat is making its way into the ad-targeting world. The Snapchat ad targeting options will allow companies to use user’s emails and other data sources. The ad options challenge snapchat’s anti-creepy advertising stance. The company is introducing three new ad-targeting options.
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Living in a world where social media is so prevalent, it’s hard to believe there was once a time when social media was viewed as a “fad”. Social media’s impact on the business world is remarkable. There are currently 1.96 billion social media users in the world. That number is expected to increase to 2.5 billion in 2018. It’s becoming impossible for business and social media to not mix. Businesses are starting to realize social media’s impact and how to use it to their benefit. Jump on board the social media bandwagon by creating a social media strategy for your business. Continue reading →