A lot can happen in a year, and in the world of social media it can be very difficult to keep up with all the changes to platforms, algorithms, ad options, etc.
Personally, 2018 was the year that I found out #ICYMI stands for 'in case you missed it', so in the spirit of staying up to date, we wanted to countdown our favorite, most informative and essential articles from Social Media Today in 2018.
Maybe you’ve already read a few of them, but #ICYMI, these posts contain some essential, the need-to-know info for the year ahead.
10. 'Should You Use Hashtags on Facebook? Here's What the Research Says'
If you’ve ever felt a little awkward using hashtags on a platform that didn’t even have them when you first started using it, you’re not alone. Read on to find out what the research tells us, and what to do with that insight from there.
9. '3 Social Media Marketing Tactics Which Need to be Retired'
It’s out with the old and in with the new - find out what has to go before your social presence starts to look (gasp) outdated to that coveted Gen Z audience.
8. '10 Reasons Why Your Instagram Audience Isn't Growing'
Hint: it' all about engagement - it's called social media for a reason, you know. Start brushing up on your Instagram social skills before midnight on the 31st for good measure.
7. 'New Study Looks at Latest Instagram Best Practices, Including Hashtag Use and Caption Length'
To video or not to video, long caption or short description? These were just a few of the key questions about our ever-growing Instagram presences in 2018. But this study answers them all, so you can start your 2019 ‘gram game on the right foot.
6. '5 Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2019'
Staying one step ahead in your social media marketing journey will make your marketing strategies that much more effective - in this post, discover what’s coming in terms of 2019 social media trends, and how it will affect your business here.
5. '8 Fascinating Facts of Social Media Usage in 2018 [Infographic]'
Because who doesn’t love a fun and informative stat? Find out all you need to know about the way people from different countries, demographics, and even specific industries are using social media before the new year even begins.
4. 'The Ultimate Social Media Image Size Guide for 2018 [Infographic]'
When you’re first starting to use a social media platform to promote your business, all the image size options can feel beyond confusing. This infographic outlines latest best practices for image sizes on each social network individually - say goodbye to the fear of learning this aspect of a new platform in 2019.
3. 'How to Combine Instagram Stories Highlights and Story Links to Increase Conversions'
Andrew said it best in this article:
“Stories use grew by some 200 million daily active users in 2017, now up to 300 million, surpassing its inspiration in Snapchat (178m DAU). As that momentum continues, you can bet more businesses will be looking to tap in. It might be best to get ahead of the curve.”
You probably used some aspect of the Instagram Stories feature as a part of your social media marketing strategy this year, but there’s a ton that even the most savvy Instagram influencers don’t know about. For instance, you can actually re-post the best received parts of any previous story and show it to your audience as a "new" post - with promotional links included. Find out how to do that and so much more with the Stories feature here
2. '5 Free Hashtag Tracking Tools to Try in 2018'
Whether you’re a hashtag tracking expert, or you're just now realizing that maybe a tracker could help your strategy, we’ve got you covered. Head over to one of our favorite stories from March to discover innovative hashtag tracking best practices for 2019. Don’t have a tracker yet? There’s also a list of some great tools for hashtag tracking at the bottom of the post.
1. '11 Facebook Updates You Need To Know for 2019'
You might think that you and the people over at Facebook HQ don’t have a lot in common. But think again - you’re both trying to create the best ads for the platform in 2019. This year, Facebook made it a lot easier for you to drive traffic for your business. Find out how you can implement these changes as your new year’s resolution here.
As noted, social platforms are always changing, always evolving, and it's important to stay up to date with the latest trends to ensure you maximize your efforts. And as always, we're here to help you do that, by publishing the latest news and expert insights to help translate the key updates and keep your business on track.
Thanks for reading in 2018, and we look forward to sharing more insights in the new year.