Social media platforms came out firing in Q1 with major announcements that are sure to make waves across social media over the coming months. From Facebook launching copycat features in its ongoing quest to be everything for its users, to the marketing world converging on social media, marketers will (or at least should) start reevaluating their current social strategy.
The following is a birds-eye view of the social media landscape. For a more in-depth look, be sure to check out our full Social Media Trend Report. Now, let’s take a closer look at the key themes from Q1.


It’s Facebook vs. the World.
The “Facebook Copies Snapchat” tag appears weekly. The same search on Google returns over 9.7 million results in less than 0.4 seconds. It’s been well-documented. What’s previously been a smaller conversation, Facebook has declared its’ one-versus-all, launching lookalikes against any and all successful platforms. From fundraising to job postings to garage sales, it’s clear that Facebook wants to be the Internet, an all-in-one, one-stop-shop for its users.
Internetters beware. If you’re doing something well online, Facebook won’t be far behind with a copycat feature, especially when involving groups of people.
It’s all coming together.
For years, marketers have viewed TV advertising, digital marketing, and eCommerce as separate focal points. Those days may be numbered.
With YouTube launching a TV subscription service, Twitter showing promise in live events, and Facebook continuing to expand its capabilities as a media company, cable companies are being forced to adapt to the social age.
Following calls for transparency in metrics and reporting, Facebook and Google are squaring off, each aiming to be the top player in the digital space.

Instagram took leaps in improving its business functionality, announcing appointment capabilities, shoppable posts, and improved analytics. As in recent quarters, the platform continues knocking down purchase barriers that have previously plagued the eCommerce world. Additionally, Pinterest hopes that visual search is the key to translating its purchasing power into real-world impact.
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Thanks for reading, and as always, be social!