Nothing stands still in the social media world for long, that’s part of the reason we love it so much – there’s rarely a dull moment. But, just when you thought the trend of here-today-gone-tomorrow content was done with, along comes Twitter with its oddly named Fleets. 

A squished-up version of ‘fleeting moments’, Fleets last just 24 hours, and are to Twitter what Stories are to LinkedIn and Instagram and, more recently, Vanish mode is to Messenger and Instagram. Or what they all are to Snapchat. 

Confused? Let us explain. The boffins at Twitter wanted to give new or shy users the chance to dip a toe in the platform’s conversational waters, without getting bogged down in likes and retweets. 

With us so far? Jolly good. Now, this is where Fleets come in. Users can post text, or reactions to tweets with the tweet attached, as well as photos and videos, all of which can be personalised with snazzy backgrounds or fonts. 

Here’s where you can go a bit cross-eyed if you don’t pay attention. You can reply to Fleets by sending a private Direct Message, but only if you follow the person you’re contacting and they follow you OR if the person you want to reply to has their Direct Messages set to open.

“We’ve learned that some people feel more comfortable joining conversations on Twitter with this ephemeral format, so what they’re saying lives just for a moment in time,” wrote Joshua Harris, director of design, and Sam Haveson, product manager, in a blog. 

We’ll have to wait and see if Fleets bring a host of new blood to the platform, but the feature certainly has got its work cut out for it with the sudden rush of short-term competition. Tell us which are your favourites and we’ll tell you ours… 

We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community and the Organisation for Responsible Businesses. If you’re feeling all fingers and thumbs with your online marketing, use our hands (and hearts and minds) to get extra digits on your bottom line. Book your free strategy call here.

In October, Egyptian archeologists made headlines around the world after they uncovered more than 100 perfectly preserved ancient sarcophaguses, buried over 2,500 years ago. 

History lovers may be drooling at the discovery, but when it comes to making things that last, social media seems to be heading in the opposite direction. Take Facebook, for instance, and its new Vanish mode.

Developed for its Messenger and Instagram platforms, it allows users to write messages that automatically delete after they have been read and the recipient has left the chat. 

“We designed Vanish mode with safety and choice in mind, so you control your experience,” said Bridget Pujals, Messenger Product Manager, and Manik Singh, Instagram Product Manager. 

The tool, which is scheduled to come to Europe after its US debut, can be activated by swiping up on a smartphone in an existing chat thread. To go back to the original messaging mode, simply swipe up again. 

One feature we particularly like is if anyone takes a screenshot of a chat in Vanish mode, users are automatically notified.  Stalkers, take note.

Messenger and Instagram aren’t the only ones jumping on Snapchat’s here-today-gone-tomorrow concept. Facebook recently enabled WhatsApp messages to disappear after seven days, LinkedIn launched Stories, as it aims to shed its stuffy image, while Twitter’s Fleets, which the platform said “help start conversations” also last for just 24 hours.

Our takeaway: ‘time’ to make your first impression count,

We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community and the Organisation for Responsible Businesses. If you’re feeling all fingers and thumbs with your online marketing, use our hands (and hearts and minds) to get extra digits on your bottom line. Book your free strategy call here.

As a business owner, time is as precious a commodity as money, and combining both to the best effect when creating ads can sometimes feel like trying to turn water into wine. To make sure you end up with a lip-smacking Chablis rather than a vin de table you wouldn’t use as petrol, here’s our top 10 creative apps to make your content sparkle, as recommended by Facebook. 

Ripl

They say: Layer animated templates on top of photos

We say: This creative app not only makes videos from your own photos (so you get the shot you actually want), it’s customisable, can be linked to all your social media accounts and enables scheduled posting. What’s not to love?

Videoshop

They say: Combine photos and videos, experiment with stop- motion, resize and edit videos

We say: Embrace your inner Steven Spielberg with this smart editing tool. Add your own soundtrack or sound effects, include subtitles or merge several videos into one, and then share them across your social media contacts. 

Unfold

They say: Create stories with multiple photos

We say: If you want to give your ads and videos a sophisticated edge, then look no further. Unfold offers a range of cool templates and curated fonts. There are filters and effects too, but think Vogue rather than Snapchat. 

Mojo

They say: Create stories from video templates

We say: It’s the only one on our list that’s NOT Android compatible, but the easy-to-download, customisable creative app comes with more than 50 templates and text styles. They’re updated every month, so your content will always have a fresh feel. Like the others, you can share your creations to all social media platforms. 

Adobe Spark Post

They say: Transform photos with design and animation templates

We say: Even if you’ve never held a video camera in your life, you can make smart ads using your own photos or animated stickers from GIPHY. There’s a range of customisation options available, so you can play around and find the effect that best suits your business. Boooooom.

Adobe Photoshop Mix

They say: Cut and combine images

We say: Once you’ve mastered Spark Post, this is probably your next step. You can cut out and mash-up bits of different images, as well as blend layers and apply looks, whether you’re using an Apple or Android device. Excitingly, the app also integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud, giving you access to tools including Photoshop and Lightroom. 

Boomerang

They say: Create short looping videos

We say: There is so much fun to be had with this Instagram app, once you get started you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Simply film a moving object or take a video selfie, then hit one button and the software does the rest: creating a mini looped video from 10 photos that you can share on Facebook and Instagram. 

Plotaverse

They say: Add motion to still images

We say: WOW. There’s no other word for the stunning effects this app can help you create. It’s all about stopping social media users in their scrolling tracks with the hypnotic movements in ads using this app. If you’re looking for something completely different, this is it. 

Quik

They say: Animate your photos to music

We say: Well isn’t this nifty? You can combine up to 75 of your own images or video clips with your favourite tunes (or over 100 free songs from the app) and voila – instant shareable content. It’s customisable with text overlays, you can choose from 23 themes and it automatically turns on the audio when it hears voices. Smart. 

Facebook Ads Manager

They say: An all-in-one tool for advertisers of any experience level. 

We say: So, you’ve made your content, but now what? If you’re looking to run a campaign across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or Audience Network, then this is a good place to start. There’s help with everything from creating ad campaigns to monitoring how they’re faring.

But don’t worry. If it all looks a bit complicated, book a discovery call with us at 24 fingers and we’ll guide you every step of the way. 

A mere week into October and the month’s already off to a stupendous start. We’re talking vegan cheese, wacky Snapchat filters and Theresa May-inspired poems.

Without further ado….

NSFW

This edition of #WINS and #FAILS wouldn’t be complete without the throwback of all throwbacks to possibly the greatest thread in Mumsnet history.

This time six years ago, an inquisitive Sara Crewe took to the popular parenting website to ask fellow mums a monumental question —

With many left lost for words, others turned to law of physics:

The post became so viral that the website crashed. Will there ever be a Mumsnet thread that will top this one? No. Probably not.

Grate Marketing

After taking to social to promote their brand new coconut-based ‘cheese’, Sainsbury’s received backlash in the form of one very passionate, very frustrated cheese enthusiast: 

The Facebook soliloquy, with a calm and collected total of 13 cheese emojis, sparked perhaps the greatest riposte of all time.

Remembering that ‘the customer is always right’, Sainsbury’s decided the only way to resolve a completely legitimate request to call their vegan cheese “Gary or something” was by, well, calling it Gary. Literally. 

We bet Gary pairs great with Branston Pickle.

Kellogg’s Nouvelle Cuisine

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Someone tell Kellogg’s this.

A brunch recipe that even the hipsters of Hipsterdom would question, Kellogg’s avocado-feta-cornflake concoction took culinary experimentation to a whole new (nightmarish) level:

#becausenothanks #becausegross

We’ll stick to good old fashioned cereal….in a bowl.

Reunited and it feels so good

Social media can be weird (see above). Social media can also be wonderful.

A stroke of serendipity helped a Florida boy reunite his father with his mother who went missing in November and had been presumed dead, thanks to a YouTube video. You read that correctly.

Ten-year-old Evan Olsen said he was scrolling YouTube with a friend when he randomly clicked on a video of YouTube sensation Brooke Roberts feeding the homeless in Downtown Los Angeles and recognised one of the women as his own mother.

If this doesn’t make your heart warm and fuzzy, we don’t know what will.

Pawsitively Pawesome

Ever dreamt of what your life would be like if you were a dog? Dream no more.

The most recent Snapchat filter is a first of its kind, using facial recognition to add your features onto a moving video of a pug. 

(24 fingers’ Yvette didn’t choose the pug life. The pug life chose her).

It’s bizarre, it’s endearing, it’s borderline creepy…. and we can’t get enough.

What Rhymes with Theresa May?

The Twittersphere was abuzz on #NationalPoetryDay this Thursday, especially when things took a more political turn.

When #WriteAPoemAboutTheresaMay began to trend, many demonstrated an impressive way with words.

Like this man: 

and this lady:   

and, saving the best for last, this joker: 

For Theresa May, there’s lots to say.

Get the Goss

When news broke that Eighties heartthrobs Luke and Matt Goss are set to reunite after 24 years at a one-off gig next summer, the internet went wild.

So wild, in fact, that the #AskMattGoss hashtag became inundated with questions, the most pertinent being ‘when will I be famous?’: 

Matt Goss — till summer 2017, we’ll be patiently collecting our Grolsch bottle tops.