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His Reaction Was Priceless!! 😂😂

He paid attention at first but then this happened...

Your best friend has just sent this crazy message to your girlfriend! 😰😰😰

^These are all examples of the type of video title that will now result in negative distribution on Facebook.

The announcement from Meta was aimed at members of the media in particular and emphasizes the desire to “foster a healthy ecosystem of high-quality content and publishers.”

Now, Meta’s systems are being configured to flag watchbait automatically. If your post or video titles get flagged repeatedly, your content risks reduced distribution across the board.

What is Watchbait?

The “baity” tactics that Meta’s systems will attempt to detect include:

• Withholding key information to create “an arbitrary curiosity gap” so users have to watch the video to understand the full story

• Sensationalizing with enticing “exaggeration and extreme language”

• Misleading or deceiving viewers about the true “payoff” of the video’s content

Here are some tips shared in the Meta Business Help Center to help avoid being flagged for Watchbait:

Do

• Post titles and descriptions that set appropriate expectations; accurately describe the video someone is about to watch.

• Use informative headlines and captions so people get a clear understanding of your video.

• Use thumbnails that display actual content from your video and represent the content accurately.

• Add your own voice to help drive genuine conversation. This helps establish originality and authenticity in your content and enables people to decide how they want to spend their time with your post.

Don't

• Don’t rely on missing information to lure viewers into watching; avoid intentionally omitting key details.

• Don’t exaggerate or sensationalize the topic. Avoid excessive capitalization or excessive use of emojis in the title and description or text overlay.

• Don’t use thumbnails with exaggerated or photoshopped scenes or reactions that are not actually present in the video.

• Don’t present fake or staged outrageous or dangerous incidents as real CCTV video or “caught on camera” recordings.

Why it Matters

In order to improve your metrics and prove your success, sometimes it can be tempting to turn to employ “blackhat” tactics like watchbait or clickbait. The payoff can be short-lived, though, as you risk not only this new wrath of the social media algorithm but also the resentment of your audience.

That’s why the best long-term strategy is to treat social media as a social medium. Treat your audience with respect, first and foremost.

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Here are a few more shareworthy items we’ve been reading this month…

Channel Updates & News:

• You can now search your Twitter DMS by keyword (@TwitterSupport)

• Meta Renames Ad Automation Tools (Social Media Today)

• New Tools to Help Group Admins Manage Misinformation (FB News)

• Snap buys brain-computer interface startup for future AR glasses (The Verge)

• Auto-generated captions coming to IG Feed videos (Instagram FB Page)

• Pinterest now lets you share Idea Pins (Pinterest Newsroom)

• Building a better Birdwatch (Twitter blog)

• “Wave Bar” lets you see and message online friends in Clubhouse (Clubhouse blog)

• TikTok nears Oracle deal in bid to allay US data concerns-sources (Reuters)

• Twitter Rolling Out New Image Alt Text Badge with Expandable Captions (Social Media Today)

• Twitter is Working on a New Podcasts Tab (Social Media Today)

• TikTok launches a music distribution platform, SoundOn (TechCrunch)

Stories & Analysis

• Facebook Advertisers Unexpectedly See Recovery After Apple Mess (The Information)

• Twitter Wants to Reinvent Itself, by Merging the Old With the New (NYTimes)

• Meta, TikTok Lead App Download Charts, While Snapchat Sees More Attention (Social Media Today)

• Snapchat turns off public 'heatmap' for Ukraine (The Verge)

• Guide: Turn Your Employer Brand Into a Growth Driver (LinkedIn marketing blog)

• Find the Top Skills by Role with 'Future of Skills' Data Tool (LinkedIn Talent Blog)

Looking for More Social Media Help?

The expert team at Dooley Social Studio helps brands get attention by being thoughtful about how they give it. Our goal is to make every social interaction with your company a remarkable one. Get in touch to find out how a partnership with Dooley Social Studio can grow your brand.

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