In October, Facebook reported that the social network’s average referral traffic to media sites, such as those reporting current events, was up 170% since 2012. In response, Facebook will be incorporating such media reports into users’ news feeds.

On December 2, 2013, the social network released the blog “News Feed FYI: Helping You Find More News to Talk About.”  Varun Kacholia, Engineering Manager, and Minwen Ji, Software Engineer, explained that “high-value” articles will become more prominent than memes, as keeping up with the world is a growing priority for Facebook users. When a link to the article is activated, related articles will appear beneath the original, furthering users’ knowledge.

As user’s friends comment on the article link, the article will be bumped up to the top of the newsfeed.  Kacholia and Ji expect this will start conversations between users, keeping the article on the news feed longer, thus gaining more views and more activity.  This is another way to get users to interact with each other while keeping them up to date with current events.

Mashable, “the top resource and guide for digital culture,” posted the article on their Facebook page at 11am, and it has been receiving less than positive feedback.  A middle-aged male user of Austin, Texas, best sums up the response: “Stupid, unnecessary, and certainly NOT geared to what we want to see in our feeds. FB long ago abandoned our own preferences to focus on their stock price.” A younger female user writes: “People don’t come to Facebook for news… This is supposed to be a ‘social’ site, intended for people to connect and ‘socialize’ with friends.”  Some users neglect the fact that although Facebook is labeled a “social” network, it is a business that hosts other businesses, all with the aim to generate sales.  This new update is a business tactic for Facebook to give the majority of users what they want, and to stay ahead of its close competitor, Twitter.

It’s no surprise that users are up in arms about unrequested content showing up in their newsfeed.  It’s safe to assume that such comments are not generated by those who tripled Facebook’s average referred traffic to media sites. Despite this reaction, there’s no reason to believe that Facebook’s users will go on strike! Just as when advertisements made their way to our sidebars, users who are not looking forward to this change will quickly block out the “noise” and continue to “LIKE” as many memes as possible before those become obsolete.

~JV

The first thing we do in the morning is log into Facebook and carouse the Trending Topics column. Don’t lie, you do it too. It’s a pretty fantastic tool and it’s a great way to stay on top of what people are talking about. From a business standpoint, it’s a great way to get involved in the biggest social media conversations. Simply type the topic title in your status update and you’re in. We can’t deny the convenience of this particular innovation but it’s also got us wondering – are Facebook Trending Topics a reflection of what’s important to our society and our culture? If so, we have some thinking to do.

Flash back five months to February. Harold Ramis, an extremely popular actor/director/writer for many years, died of vasculitis. Naturally, Harold Ramis was the number one trending topic on Facebook – at least for that day. Everyone was talking about him, mourning him, trying to figure out how he died, expressing their sorrows. For that particular day, it felt as though the trending topics served as a tool of unity. Fast forward to literally the next day. The number one trending topic on Facebook was Taco Bell’s unveiling of their breakfast menu. That was solid in the top three for at least two days, while Harold Ramis plummeted to the end of the list. It was so interesting to us to see how quickly people’s focus can shift from such an extreme to another.

Currently, about half of the trending topics are pop culture-related. While those topics are arguably a little bit MORE important than Taco Bell, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has reached new and scary heights.. We’ve heard nothing about that anywhere and quite frankly, we’re very surprised it hasn’t hit the trending topics even slightly. Does this mean nobody is talking about it? If so, WHY is nobody talking about it? Perhaps it’s not important enough.

On any given day, the top trending topic is usually pop-culture related. Yesterday, it was Solange Knowles who FINALLY made a statement about the infamous elevator fight with Jay-Z. We get the curiosity and we understand people just have a thirst for gossip. Then that pesky little (HUGE) Middle Eastern conflict sneaks up on us and we can’t stop asking why.

We’ve come to a few conclusions: 1) Our culture has a knack for disregarding the important things in our world and have perfected apathy and naiveté. 2) Our culture is profoundly resilient and knows how to make the best of the most daunting situations by focusing on the little things in life. 3.) Facebook trending topics isn’t as important as we think it might be and it doesn’t actually or accurately reflect the sentiments and feelings of the masses.

While we decide which conclusion makes the most sense, we’ll look forward to seeing what makes the cut tomorrow.

If we asked you where you got the latest breaking news story, what would you say? We can bet Facebook or Twitter would be a solid answer for many of you. Lately we’ve realized that social media is pretty much a virtual newspaper…complete with obituaries and all.

We’re not trying to ruin your day or be completely morbid but we’ve been around Facebook long enough to notice certain trends. One we picked up on was the “RIP so and so” status update complete with pictures and quotes about moving on. When someone dies nowadays, especially someone young, literally everybody knows about it. The news spreads so fast and so efficiently that we often wonder how we would find out about such tragedies without Facebook or Twitter. It’s safe to say we could rely on a phone call in the earlier days of technology…but who even does that anymore? It’s either a curse or a blessing…we haven’t decided yet.

Because of the virality – and sheer tragedy – of these situations, we are curious as to whether all of these death-bandwagoners are sincerely heartbroken or they just want to be part of the disaster. So many times we notice the death of teenager or 20-something contains phrases like, “We haven’t spoken in nearly 10 years but we were best friends in 4th grade.” …Really? Why even bother saying anything at all? Because they want everyone else around them to know that they lost someone who sat a lunch table kind of close to them in elementary school. They want attention. It’s not about who died, it’s about who can give them the most sympathy. Harsh, we know. But it’s also borderline nauseating.  If you notice, the people closest to the person lost aren’t the ones posting nonstop. They’re the ones who get quiet because they’re the ones who are actually in mourning. It’s not a trend for them.

Fast forward to like a week after a person dies. Naturally everything fizzles out for most people because the trend is over. Here comes the sprinkle of people who write on the deceased’s Facebook wall or tag them in a status saying they’re at a restaurant together. We haven’t decided if it’s good or bad but we can kind of understand it. Social media is the only way of communicating with someone after they’re gone. It brings a sort of normalcy to the situation, as if for maybe that split second nothing has changed and they’ll reply to your post. But then reality hits you and it’s back to the loss. We say if it makes people feel better, even for a minute or two, then have at it. It’s still weird to see on your newsfeed though.

This may possibly be the biggest question of them all. What exactly should happen to their Social Media accounts? How long should they exist? Does Facebook know when a user passes away? Should friends and family have access to their accounts? It’s weird. And it’s eerie. In some odd way, it’s as if Facebook preserves their soul. Users can scroll back to before when the person was alive and read their old statuses and remember how it used to be. We haven’t figured out if that’s healthy or not but again, if it helps…then we give you a major green light.

Now that we’ve actively served as the rain cloud on your day, go watch some cat videos on Youtube to cheer yourself up.

Sunday, The Wall Street Journal reported that in an effort to market Budweiser to the 21-27 year old demographic, Anheuser-Busch would be dropping the Clydesdale! Long-time consumers responded quickly and harshly on the King of Beers’ Facebook page! WSJ got it wrong, though!

Targeting a younger demographic doesn’t mean the end of the iconic horses at all, as the company clarified on Facebook Monday evening. This received another wave of comments that can best be summed up as a collective “phew!” We will still see Clydesdales in holiday ads for responsible drinking, and they’ll make an appearance in Super Bowl commercials, too. In addition, Anheuser-Busch will market to millenials using what they think would be of the greatest attraction!

The latest campaign from Budweiser, Holiday Buds, still has that traditional, vintage feel. The ad can be found on YouTube before videos and customizable online music stations like Spotify and Pandora. These are the kinds of services that the 21-27 year old demographic use often. In the short video, 20-somethings speak to viewers as if they are old friends who should reconnect over bottles of Bud. It’s not a high-quality product, but a montage of consumers’ own videos recorded either on webcams or smart phones. This kind of advertising to the millenials seems like the best approach based on the Facebook outrage to the proposal of using “zombies & Jay-Z” in their ads! Holiday Buds touches on the trend of selfies, video chats, and staying in touch with family and friends even when we’re not physically close enough to touch them!

For now, we can expect Budweiser to be everything we’re used to, and everything we expect of them during the holidays. What about after the Super Bowl, though? With the waves of negative feedback they got from the *WSJ slip, we’re hoping Anheuser-Busch will listen to the consumers rather than corporate marketing on this one, and rethink their approach to reaching their target demographic.

*How often does The Wall Street Journal get it wrong? If this was really just a tactical invite for consumer feedback, well played, Anheuser-Busch! Well played!

Even the best fall down sometimes.

The Walking Dead committed quite the social media faux pas on Sunday after the East Coast premiere of their mid-season finale. Barely even 30 seconds after the episode ended, The Walking Dead official Facebook page posted which major character died during the finale. The episode hadn’t even premiered on the West Coast so it was pretty much ruined for a solid portion of the fan base. Naturally, nobody really held back about how they felt and they were even calling for TWD social media team’s termination.

This is just one of those things. As a fan of any show, you can expect spoilers from your friends on social media. You know who to avoid, you know whose posts to hide. But you never really expect such a major spoiler from the actual TV show. While the argument has gone both ways, it can be safely said that The Walking Dead should’ve further considered that nearly half of their United States audience did not yet see the episode. It really comes down to knowing your audience and actively thinking about what you’re writing before you post it.

Mistakes like this can’t happen – no matter if you’re of The Walking Dead status or you’re a mom and pop shop downtown. At Cote Media, we strive to be mistake-free for every one of our clients and we can safely say we would’ve never let that happen. Know your audience, know your message, and know your goal. Most often, it comes down to those three things. If there is any shred of doubt in what you’re about to post, there’s probably a reason for it. There’s nothing wrong with a double and triple check! We’re a big fan of those at Cote Media. A little extra effort goes a long way!

Speaking of effort, The Walking Dead did exactly what should be done after a mistake like theirs.  They normally do a pretty great job with their social media and despite their mistake, they stepped up to the plate and offered an apology to their fans. Apologies are a great and often humbling way to gain back what you may have lost during a media mishap. People like apologies. People like humility. People like to know they’re being heard. We can bet The Walking Dead won’t make a mistake like that again!

#RIPSpoiler

The holidays can sneak up on shoppers.  Don’t let it sneak up on your business!  When consumers are on social media, it’s your job to let them know that it’s the season of gifting!  How?  At Cote Media, every month is led by a calendar of social media posts, each created with and approved by your business.

Some of our clients have 3 or 4 sales going on for the holidays and want each one to be in the spotlight.  Not a problem; we know the best ways to go about it!

• Schedule the sales that are on a deadline FIRST and FOREMOST! This could mean doubling up the posts about that two-for-one sweater sale that ends December 15. If one sale complements another, mention them together. For instance, promote those “Buy one, Get one half off button-ups” and end it with “Top them off with our two-for-one sweaters!”
• Sprinkle the sales throughout the week! Rather than standing them all side by side, holiday sales should be split up with more personal posts. Invite your audience to know your business with some history, employee bios, and pictures from the office. That touch of insight could sway them your way when the competition is fierce.
• Create a hashtag for your holiday sale! End all promotion posts with a unique holiday hashtag.  This makes it easy for your audience to search the hashtag and find a list of all the sales on one result page.  This is more impactful than scrolling through your feed.
• Target your local audience! Facebook now reaches consumers within a 1-mile radius of your business! When in your area, shoppers will find your sales on their news feed. Seeing what they need so close and on sale will make your doorway irresistible!

These four tips are vital to boosting your season!  We know that the holidays can be hectic… without us! You have a lot to be on top with keeping up inventory and satisfying holiday frenzied customers without trying to perfect the art of social media marketing! We’ve got it covered for you! Want to see what your holiday calendar would look like? Contact Cote Media!

With each ball drop comes New Year Resolutions.  A lot of people plan to get in shape and be healthy.  Others vow to try new things, see new places, and meet new faces.  A few just want to avoid the drama.  In 2015, we all want to be happier.  Isn’t that what every resolution boils down to?  So this year, share your resolution with others to keep yourself on track and make every day a #Motivation day!

Since the creation of MySpace (remember that?), everyone has learned a thing or two about photography; or at least how to snap a picture.  Despite the funeral selfie, most pictures are of positive moments, things we want to remember.  So this year, let’s keep our social networks clean of negativity, and keep our profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Rooms, etc.) positive with updates of our goals!

Plan to get in shape? Get a jump start in January with a picture and status update each day in order to gain, what we like to call, resolution sponsors!  Post a picture of your healthy meal, the gym equipment you use most often, and the workout routine you hope to build up to! If your life gets busy and you fall off track, your resolution sponsors will be there to remind you of your goal!

The great thing about social networks is that you control who follows your progress and who can leave words of encouragement.  You can easily block anyone who is trying to discourage you with negative comments.  Share your New Year Resolution with a select group of friends using direct messages and private settings.

This is the fun part: Be sure to create a hashtag that ends every post so you can easily search for them on December 31, 2015! Start with something simple like “#NYR15,” but keep it unique like “#CoteMediaNYR15.”  Social networks, like Rooms, also make it possible to seek out others with the same goals by searching a general term that sums up your resolution, like “body building” or “healthy eating.”

You don’t have to have a solid resolution to take part in this project, either.  Each day, update your status with something that made you smile, then add a picture that does the same.  Maybe you’re reading a new book or you discovered a new coffee shop!  Snap a picture of the book cover or your favorite drink or BOTH! Keep the pictures in a Facebook album or under the same hashtag so that on December 31, 2015, you can look over the great year you had!

If your resolution is to jump start your business, ring in the year with us! Our resolution is to make 2015 outshine 2014!

Wednesday, I went through my daily routine of opening my (digital) mailbox and my social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  The first thing that caught my attention: a tweet reading “My prayers are with Paris.” The tweet was from a celebrity so I figured it wouldn’t reach me; maybe said celebrity has family or friends in France. Throughout the day I saw a few more tweets and status updates about an attack on the city.

The pictures were the ones that got some information across, rather than prayers. Another post told me that cartoonists were involved. By the end of the day, a Facebook friend changed their profile picture to an icon reading “Je Suis Charlie.” Who or what is Charlie?

Thursday, a close friend of mine updated his Facebook status: “The fact that my opinions, beliefs, abilities, and sense of humor are different from yours should not make me a target for violence.” That caught my attention! When someone who I know as kind hearted and intelligent makes it a point to speak up about a topic, I look into it.

From social media posts alone, before reading any articles, I gathered that a dozen cartoonists were killed by a terrorist attack in Paris.  That’s like saying someone walked into open-mic night, and no one came out alive.  There had to be a valid reason for this act, like maybe the hit men walked into the wrong office, and they were really looking for a drug cartel or a human trafficking leader.

After reading The Globe and Mail (http://bit.ly/1xWdDUw), and other articles, here’s what I gathered about “Charlie.” The paper often skews public figures and some are icons that groups look to for guidance.  The illustrations can be graphic, no pun intended.  Also, this wasn’t the first attack they’ve experienced; their office was firebombed in 2011, and in 2006 the then-editor was slammed with a (unsuccessful) lawsuit for “inciting hatred.”

This isn’t about right or wrong, but what we take from Facebook status updates and tweets versus what we can fully gather from doing our own research.  Before, all I knew was that people in Paris died in a terror attack.  Now, I know that this wasn’t a random attack on people who tell knock-knock jokes. Just as Charlie Hebdo wasn’t slowed down in the past, publication will continue. Next Wednesday’s issue will contain 8 pages rather than 16, but the usual 60,000 copies has increased to a circulation of 1 million!  The issues are not published on the Charlie Hebdo website, but I expect an image of the cover will be a hot topic this time next week.

Facebook welcomes brands, from independent to corporate.  The social network caters to the people who may or may not consume what these brands have to offer.   In 2015, brand pages won’t only battle for consumer attention against other brands (or kitten videos).  In order to reach a wider audience, they will have to do it without being “too promotional,” as per request from “the people.”

Depending on the number of friends a user has on Facebook plus the number of pages they LIKE, a news feed could be endless! If every post were displayed in the order they were posted, you may see some profile updates multiple times, and others never! Based on past activity and surveys, Facebook displays what users are more likely to click.

According to people surveyed (by Facebok), there are some consistent traits that make organic posts feel too promotional:

1. Posts that solely push people to buy a product or install an app
2. Posts that push people to enter promotions and sweepstakes with no real context
3. Posts that reuse the exact same content from ads

While some brands may be rolling their eyes because they have to recalculate their posts in 2015, it’s nothing new to Cote Media! Our clients’ posts reach your News Feed because we create unique content catered to a specific audience when fans are actively online! How you’re your brand make sales without being “too promotional” this year?  You don’t have to think twice about it! That’s our job.

To learn more about reaching your audience amongst the competition, call us at 855-COTE-MEDIA