The latest on Social Media and AI 🗞️

Hello and welcome to the November issue of Social Mind 👋

There was big news in the AI and internet world last night with the launch of ChatGPT Search, OpenAI’s rival to Google. Is it better than Google? My early impression is yes, it’s much better. Google has been a central part of the internet since the late 1990s so this could be a key moment in web history. Keep an eye on the NILC YouTube Channel for the video explainer which I’ve just recorded.

As well as a busy time providing social media and AI training before what I’m sure will be the usual quiet December, this month I’ll be running 10k every day. I’m fundraising for Age Connects and if you’d like to sponsor me you can do so via Facebook or JustGiving. I’m also looking for running buddies to keep me company, so get in touch if you’d like to join me 🏃‍♂️

On Thursday 21 November, I’m presenting Power Your Business with Microsoft Copilot 365 and AI, one day course which is for anyone who wants to learn how to use AI and specifically Microsoft Copilot 365 to transform their business.

New this month is Practical Pointer. In addition to the Insights under each news item I’ll provide an actionable tip that will improve your use of social media or AI. You’ll find this new section at the bottom of this newsletter.

If you have any questions about social media, AI, or any of the new features or news mentioned below, just reply or get in touch via my website.

Let’s get into it…

Meta launched Advertiser Success Centre 🎯

Meta have opened an online Advertiser Success Centre aimed at small businesses. It contains a large number of step by step guides and tips for advertisers. As Meta say it’s, ‘your all-in-one resource for levelling up your ad campaigns’.

Insights: This is an ideal guide for small businesses or Social Media Managers that are fairly new to advertising on Facebook and Instagram or for anyone who wants a refresher.

Threads could soon have Communities 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Meta's is working on a new Threads feature, called "Loops," which if launched could allow users to create or join small, interest-based community groups for discussions and tailored content. With Loops, Threads aims to blend the broad reach of social media with the appeal of private, interest-focused groups, encouraging user engagement by facilitating closer, more personalised connections.

Insights: Loops could be particularly appealing for brands or creators who want to foster a more engaged audience, build community around niche topics, or share exclusive updates. I’m a big fan of Threads and post every day - follow me there at threads.net/pollingersocial 

Carousels with music appearing in Reels tab 🤔

A confusing one this but as previously reported you can now add music to posts on the main Instagram feed. If you add music to a Carousel this will now be show under the Reels tab as well as the main feed, even though it’s not a Reel 🤔, but it’s another good reason to start creating Carousels.

Insights: Some reports, eg from Buffer, show that engagement on Carousels is now higher than Reels so this is another good reason to use the Carousel format on Instagram for even more engagement and reach.

Meta AI launches in the UK 🧠

Meta has introduced its generative AI tools to the UK market, featuring a chatbot and an AI image generation tool. While Meta AI has been available in other regions, the UK release marks an important step in Meta's global AI strategy.

Insights: While Meta's AI tools are now accessible in the UK, there's still no sign of them within platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp which could have a large impact. As things stand it doesn’t seem to offer anything more than ChatGPT or Copilot. I was lucky enough to access the US version and the image generation tool was brilliant with creation and editing done in real time. However, this has sadly disappeared for the UK version with images created in the same style as they are on ChatGPT or in Microsoft’s Designer.

Meta Search coming soon? 🔍

Not to be outdone by the launch of ChatGPT Search, Meta is working on an AI-driven search engine, aiming to reduce its reliance on Google and Bing. This move aligns with Meta's broader AI strategy, where the company envisions a future shaped by AI-driven insights and improved content discovery. The AI search engine could provide Meta’s AI with the ability to provide current news, sports and weather as well as knowledge based web content.

Insights: If successful, Meta’s AI search engine could significantly impact the digital landscape, altering how users interact with search and social media. For example, a good built in AI search tool could remove the need for people to leave Facebook and Instagram. However, it’s a big ‘If’ as Meta has been very poor at search since Facebook launched. Try finding some content using Facebook Search to see what I mean.ChatGPT now has Chat Search 🔎

You can now search your chat history in ChatGPT 🗣️

As well as the far more significant web search launched yesterday, OpenAI has introduced the ability to search your past chats (prompts). No longer do you need to browse through loads of chats to restart a conversation. Just use Chat Search and jump straight to the conversation you want to rejoin. The new search feature is available on desktop, desktop app (that’s new too) and the web.

Insights: Great to see this really handy feature introduced and good to see OpenAI act on one of suggestions 😁It will save me and others a lot of time.

Advanced Voice Mode now available on desktop app and ChatGPT on the web🎙️

OpenAI has now introduced Advanced Voice Mode on the desktop app and web version of ChatGPT, as well as the mobile app. Advanced Voice Mode provides a hands free, interactive, conversational experience to users who can speak to ChatGPT and receive spoken responses.

Insights: Advanced Voice Mode being available on all ChatGPT platforms makes it easier to explore topics verbally or brainstorm ideas on the go or in the office or at home, no matter what device you have with you. There are loads of applications: brainstorming, asking for insights, troubleshooting, presenting, learning a language (or any new subject), practicing public speaking or interviews or having ChatGPT read back drafted content.

Let us know if you've tried it, how you’re using it and what you think of this great feature.

👉Practical Pointer 👈

Practical Pointer: Creating Carousel Posts with LinkedIn Documents

One of the most engaging post types on LinkedIn is the carousel post. To make a carousel post save multiple images or pages together as a pdf file. Not only does this allow you to present bite-sized insights or visual stories in an interactive, scrollable format, but it also makes sharing easier than ever. Here’s how to maximise your carousel posts:

1. Flexible Sizing and Easy Navigation 

LinkedIn’s Document feature supports PDFs of various sizes, enabling you to design a scrollable presentation of any size, not just A4. Viewers can click to maximise the carousel and scroll forwards or backwards at their pace, creating an interactive experience that’s both easy and enjoyable.

2. Shareability Beyond LinkedIn 

One significant benefit of PDF carousels is that viewers can download them directly via a handy icon at the top of the document, making them shareable beyond LinkedIn. This is a great way to boost your content’s reach as followers can save, share, and refer back to your insights at any time.

3. High Visual Impact 

Carousel posts display beautifully on LinkedIn, so are ideal for visually-driven content like infographics, quick tips and storytelling. To keep engagement high, avoid overcrowding each page with text. Focus on one key point per slide to keep it simple and effective. Unlike an image file format such as .jpg you can add a title to your carousel making to clear to the reader what it’s about.

4. Simple Creation with Canva or Adobe Express 

You don’t need complex software to create carousel posts - you can save designs in both Canva and Adobe Express. Simply design, download as a PDF, and upload to LinkedIn.

5. Available for Profiles and Company Pages 

Carousel posts can be shared from both Profiles and Company Pages, making them versatile for personal branding or business promotion.

By using Documents for LinkedIn carousels, you not only create an engaging experience on LinkedIn but also increase the shareability and lifespan of your content, turning each post into a resource that followers can download and revisit.

If you’re using ChatGPT you need to setup Custom Instructions. In the blog post below, I explain how:

Here’s an FAQ on being more productive using AI:

📺Watch my YouTube video for NILC where I show you how to use ChatGPT’s new Canvas feature:

Back on 1 December…

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, you know what to do 😃

Best wishes 🙌

JP

📞 Call/WhatsApp: 029 2078 9139
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PS Don’t forget to sponsor me via Facebook or JustGiving 🙏