3 New Social Media Features to Consider for Your Brand

Implementing new features on social media can be an intimidating task to take on. The moment you see that buzzworthy headline about a new feature on social media during your morning coffee, you’re likely asking yourself the following questions. Could this work for my brand? How much will this cost? How will my audience react? Is this why I’m getting snaps of puking rainbows?

We’re here to tell you that 1) everything will be okay, and 2) these new ways for brands to use social media are here to add value to your pages and your brand, so while they may seem out of reach at first, don’t be too hesitant to embrace them. These features could be a benchmark for future content, trends, and social communication. Here are a few of our favorites, and how you could implement them for your brand.

Facebook 360 Video

If you’re looking to step up your brand’s content game in a big way, consider 360 video. 360 video is created with a camera system that records all 360 degrees of a scene at once. Viewers can pan and rotate to watch it from different angles (360 angles, to be exact). By now you’ve likely seen big names like GMC and GoPro take advantage of this new way to use social media, along with many others. 360 video puts the user in the driver’s seat, and allows them to navigate and soak in the video as they choose. With 360 video, you’re allowing the users to customize their content and drive what they see. Putting the control in the user’s hands = a big win.

Consider Facebook 360 Video if your brand is:

  • Opening a new retail location and you want your audience to be able to see the space
  • Launching a new product that your audience will want to scope out from every angle
  • Showcasing a feature in your store, hotel, property, or of your product

Facebook Live

You may think this feature is only reserved for glamorous red carpet events for beauty brands or adorable footage of puppies for animal shelters, but think again. Facebook Live is a creative way to give your audience an up-close and personal look at your product, event, and brand. It doesn’t get any more raw and real than this on social, so careful planning is key. That said, this is a feature that you can have some fun with. Don’t get too concerned about a perfect execution, as some of the best moments on social media are unscripted.

Consider Facebook Live if your brand is:

  • Conducting a Q&A or press conference
  • Doing a demonstration of a product or service
  • Having an experiential event with an influencer
  • Hosting an exclusive event, contest, or giveaway

Snapchat Geofilters

This feature has only been out a few months, but it should already be considered a must when you’re planning an upcoming event or announcement. Not to be confused with Snapchat lenses, Snapchat Geofilters are specific to a certain location, and place a custom overlay over a user’s snap.

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Price varies by length of time and square footage, but if you’re looking at a specific event in one location, this should be a more affordable option for your brand than lenses.

Consider Snapchat Geofilters if your brand is:

  • Opening a new location or releasing a new product offering at a retail location
  • Hosting or attending an event
  • Celebrating a brand milestone, holiday, or community
  • Executing a seasonal campaign

If you’re ready to start planning instead of pausing, give us a shout. From budgets to filter designs to the final execution, our expert team is here to help.



Ignite Social Media