30 Mar Social You Should Know: Biting the Brand that Feeds Them
Bloggers debate “biting the hand that feeds them,” while Google goes GIF and Facebook lets you reply in this week’s Social You Should Know.
“Don’t Bite the Brand That Feeds You”
KFC got embroiled in a bit of a social media firestorm this week when they invited bloggers to check out their new kids menu, which includes some healthier choices. Seems innocent enough, and the bloggers attending used a hashtag to share information about the meals. Other bloggers took offense at the general healthiness of KFC and hijacked the conversation a bit. Stephanie Schwab called bloggers out, warning that if they bite the hands that feed them, brands will stop working with bloggers. A very spirited conversation emerged in the comments to the post.
Facebook Adds “Reply” Feature to Brand Pages
You can now reply directly to someone else’s comment on Facebook, as long as you are replying to the brand page, not an individual’s profile page. This is helpful in that brands can reply specifically to customer questions, even if people have commented in the interim. In addition, the debate on a particular point can be grouped together, potentially making for a more interesting dynamic.
The G+ Profile Picture Goes All Harry Potter
Remember how in Harry Potter all the pictures on the wall moved? That’s the really cool version of an animated gif. Google+ announced an update this week that lets users change their profile picture to an animated gif. This has options for brands, too, who might find that motion in their profile picture increases engagement. Keep in mind that the repetitive nature of animated gifs also ensures that you run the risk of an annoying avatar — so tread lightly, lest your followers cry, “Expelliarmus!”
You’re caught up. Enjoy the weekend!
