Facebook is getting rid of some location-tracking features due to ‘low usage’
Facebook will stop collecting data associated with these features on May 31st.
Facebook is discontinuing several services associated with tracking your real-time location, including Nearby Friends, weather alerts, location history, and background location this decision was made due to “low usage,” as spotted by 9to5Mac. In a notification sent to people who’ve used the feature in the past, Facebook says it will stop collecting data associated with these features on May 31st and will wipe any stored data on August 1st.
You can update your current Location History and Background Location settings in the Facebook App until May 31, 2022. After this date, the settings will be disabled. Facebook whoever said it will “continue collecting location information for other experiences” to serve up relevant ads and location check-ins in line with its data policy.
Instagram post-pinning feature in testing
You know how Twitter and Facebook Groups allow you to pin posts you want users to see at the top of your feed?
A similar feature is currently being tested on Instagram. Users with access to the feature will be able to pin posts to the top of their profile, making their favorite or most popular posts immediately visible to new followers.
Here is how to do it: Users who have this feature can access it by clicking on the three dots at the top right of a post and selecting the Pin to your profile option.
Wondering how brands and creators can take advantage of this feature? Here are a few ideas:
- Keep new product announcements at the top of the feed
- Make sure high-engagement opportunities (like contests) are immediately visible to users who view your profile
- Highlight user-generated content (UGC) that drives significant results
- Share top-performing content to engage new followers as soon as they visit your profile
Instagram Reel length now 90 seconds
Since the introduction of Reels in 2020, Instagram Reels have boomed in popularity and become an incredibly valuable tool for brands. Hootsuite’s experiment showed that using Reels can increase an account’s overall engagement and follower count.
The max Reel length has increased from 60 seconds to 90 seconds long.
Reels are the fastest-growing content feature on both Facebook and Instagram, this isn’t a huge surprise. Still, it will be interesting to see whether creators take advantage of the longer video time option. Many Reels don’t use the full 60 seconds as it is, knowing that sometimes shorter, more engaging videos may have higher video completion rates.
The longer time frames will likely be valuable for creators and businesses who share tutorial-style content, especially if they need that extra time to be thorough.
Chronological feed is back on Instagram
Hey, did you know that the chronological view feature has returned to Instagram, but not for everyone, only those who want it. The chronological feed view shows you content from accounts you follow in chronological order. It doesn’t use the platform’s overarching algorithm that takes your preferences and behaviors into account when arranging content on feeds.
If you select “Favorites,” you’ll see content from users that you consider to be your favorites. You can find these by visiting the home page in the app and tapping on the Instagram icon in the top left. The main feed, however, will use the same basic algorithm that prioritizes what you have engaged with in the past. There are no controls yet for Stories.