The 2016 calendar year ended with a flurry of updates from around the social sphere, with the majority of the conversation centered around community care and live video. These moves align with platforms’ consistent efforts to create a positive, authentic, and immersive experience for their users.
The following is a birds-eye view of the evolving social media landscape. For a more in-depth look, be sure to check out our full report. Now, here’s what went down in Q4 2016.
Quality Control
Fake news became a primary focus for Facebook. The platform announced a partnership with Snopes to address the issue, creating a fact-checking team to aid in the process. The power of labeling and identifying fake news, however, lies in the hands of its users.
Once again, Twitter and Instagram took measures to combat abusive content, introducing features to assist in feed filtering and comment moderation.
Go Live
From a product view, live video dominated the headlines, as every major platform made activations around the feature. Facebook launched a massive IMC, urging users to ‘Go Live’. The social giant also went live from ‘Mars’ to debut it’s live-360 video feature. In response, Twitter launched live-360 video just weeks later.
Additionally, Instagram added expiring live content to its stories and discover sections.
 As social platforms continue to drive the immersive experience, brands who stay up-to-date on products and wearables will hold the edge in campaign development.
Producing Media
Twitter opened the door in Q3 with live broadcasts of Thursday Night Football. Jack Dorsey’s team also launched live event coverage, talk shows, and news broadcasts. Other platforms are following suit. Facebook has announced that it will also move into live programming. Additionally, it has been rumored that Google will be looking into the same, potentially launching a live streaming service through YouTube.
Snapchat joined the conversation as well, launching its first live TV activation in a deal with Fox’s Rocky Horror Picture show. The platform ran Snapcodes when leaving or returning from commercial breaks.
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Thanks for reading, and as always, be social!