Lots of sizzling summer updates on Social Media and AI ☀️

Want to achieve more in less time? I've got just the thing for you.

I'm hosting another FREE webinar on AI this month, An Introduction To AI – How To Be More Productive, on Wednesday, 14 August ✨ 

If you're looking to free up some time, be sure to register. Feel free to share the registration link or forward this email to any colleagues or contacts who might be interested.

On a personal note, I'm now training for the Cardiff Half 🏃‍♂️ in October. I'll be running for Age Connects again this year. If you can sponsor me with just £5, it would mean a lot - Support Age Connects.

As always, if you have any questions about social media or AI, or if you'd like a free demo of any of the new features mentioned below, don't hesitate to get in touch or reply to this email.

Let's get into it…

📈Meta ad revenue continues to rise

Meta announced its quarterly results this morning and increased its ad revenue once again. Businesses across the globe spent a staggering $38 billion over the past quarter on ads, up from $31 billion in the previous quarter.

Mark Zuckerberg said, “"We had a strong quarter, and Meta AI is on track to be the most used AI assistant in the world by the end of the year," said Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO. "We've released the first frontier-level open source AI model, we continue to see good traction with our Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, and we're driving good growth across our apps."

Insight: Clearly Meta ads are working for businesses otherwise they wouldn’t be spending these huge amounts of cash. Have you considered advertising on Facebook or Instagram and if you are, are your efforts being rewarded?

🎵Meta introduces text overlays and music for Posts and Carousels on Instagram

Meta continues to improve Instagram with two interesting updates: adding text to regular posts and music to carousel posts. These features aim to provide more creative ways for users and businesses to engage with their audience.

Add text to regular posts

You can now overlay text on your regular posts, making it easier to highlight key messages, add context, or simply add a personal touch to your photos.

Insight: This feature is particularly useful for businesses looking to emphasise important announcements, promotions, or captions without relying on separate text posts. When creating a regular post, select the 'Add Text' option to overlay text on your image. Customise the font, size, and colour to match your brand's style.

Music for carousel posts

Carousel posts just got more dynamic with the ability to add music. This feature allows users to set the tone and mood for their carousel images, enhancing storytelling and engagement.

Insight: Adding music can make your posts more immersive and memorable. You could showcase a product range, a series of event photos or a step-by-step tutorial. To use this feature, select the 'Add Music' option and choose from Meta’s library of tracks.

📝Instagram Introduces notes on Reels and Feed posts

Instagram has expanded its Notes feature to include Reels and Feed posts, providing users with a new way to engage with content. Initially introduced for inbox messages, Notes can now be added directly to posts and Reels. This feature allows users to leave short messages, up to 60 characters, that are visible for three days.

Notes can only be left by mutual followers, ensuring a more intimate and personal interaction.

Instagram has seen positive feedback from early testers who appreciate the ability to leave quick notes, especially on humorous content. This update is part of Instagram's ongoing efforts to create more meaningful interactions among users, particularly with their close friends and mutual followers.

Insight: There’s quite a bit of confusion about how Notes should be used but I’d recommend sharing casual thoughts and reactions in real-time both for personal and business accounts.

📺Samsung's new AI-enhanced video call features

Samsung continues to push the boundaries of technology with the introduction of AI-enhanced video call features on its latest devices, including the Z Flip6 phone. These advancements bring a new level of functionality to video calls on platforms such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Meet.

AI-powered video effects

Samsung's AI smarts offer a range of video effects designed to enhance the quality and professionalism of your video calls. Key features include:

• Background blur: Maintain privacy and minimise distractions by blurring your background during video calls. This effect ensures that the focus remains on you, providing a cleaner and more professional appearance.

• Auto focus: The auto focus feature keeps you in sharp focus, adjusting dynamically as you move. This ensures you always appear clear and well-defined, even if you shift positions during a call.

Insight: I’ve used these new AI enhancements on the Z Flip6 for both personal and professional video calls and they work well.

🔍SearchGPT: A smarter alternative to Google Search?

The landscape of search engines has been dominated by Google for years. However, OpenAI has announced SearchGPT which could shake things up. This innovative search engine combines traditional search capabilities with advanced GPT AI technology, promising a more intelligent and context-aware search experience.

When you launch SearchGPT, you’re welcomed by a straightforward text box with the prompt, “What are you looking for?” Upon entering your query, SearchGPT does more than just list results like Google. It organises, summarises, and makes sense of the information it finds, providing you with a more cohesive and comprehensive answer.

SearchGPT is being tested at the moment but to see the potential have a look at my video Google Search vs ChatGPT-4: Which is Best? where I see how ChatGPT stacks up against Google Search.

Insights: SearchGPT is positioned as a potentially smarter alternative to Google Search. Its context-aware nature aims to offer users a more relevant and streamlined search experience, making it easier to find and understand information. Could SearchGPT’s approach could revolutionise how we interact with the web?

🔍Huge change to traditional search with complete overhaul of Bing

In addition to SearchGPT there’s another change to traditional search. Microsoft has unveiled a major update to Bing Search, integrating AI to enhance search results.

The new Bing Generative Search will provide detailed AI-generated answers alongside traditional search results. These AI responses, created using large and small language models, will be placed at the top of the search page, with sources listed below. Traditional results will still appear in a sidebar.

This update aims to improve user experience by fulfilling search intent more effectively. Currently, it's available to a small group of users, with plans for broader rollout soon.

Question: Having been a Google user since 1997 I’ve now switched to Bing. How about you?

📖New free guide: Boost your sales with Meta Ads Manager

Want to make your ad campaigns more effective? Check out Meta’s new free Sales Objective Guide. You can learn how to find your ideal customers and optimise your campaigns in Meta Ads Manager.

Download now to take your sales and ad strategy to the next level.

📖New resource for small businesses selling on TikTok

Small businesses looking to sell products on TikTok now have a valuable new resource. TikTok has released the 2024 CPG Playbook, a comprehensive guide designed to help businesses navigate the platform's unique selling environment.

This guide offers practical tips, insights, and strategies to maximise your reach and sales on TikTok.

Insight: If you're new to TikTok or looking to improve your existing strategy, this playbook covers everything from creating engaging content to understanding TikTok's shopping features. There are also case studies of successful campaigns to inspire your approach and learn from.

🤖Help from AI to make you more productive

Join me for the latest free AI webinar I’m presenting for NILC Training. Feedback from the latest course including the following from GovPD, a training company for whom I’m now going to be presenting AI training courses:

“Really enjoyed the introduction to AI webinar earlier. Some amazing stuff that I wasn’t aware of.” Reuben Carr

Register now for Introduction To AI – How To Be More Productive (Free Webinar) which takes place on 14 August at 10am.

📝Read my latest blog post to learn about different types of hashtags and how to use them

📺Watch my latest YouTube video for NILC where I compare two AI tools: Copilot v Gemini

Back on 1 September…

That's it for this month’s issue. I hope you found it interesting and useful.

If you need any help with social media or AI, get in touch 😃

Best wishes 🙌

JP

📞 Call/WhatsApp: 029 2078 9139
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