Every two weeks, Vanguard distills hundreds of digital media headlines into the best “byte”- sized pieces of useful information. Each edition has news ranging from the latest Facebook algorithm changes to best practices for email marketing. Share Digital Bytes with your organization to keep your digital strategies ahead of the pack.

Digital Bytes

It must be reporting season! Two big internet trend reports were released this week that are worth a look to make sure your digital strategies reflect the reality of current user behavior.

• Silicon Valley released its Internet Trends 2018 report. It’s a doozy at nearly 300 slides, but the main takeaways are that people are spending more time consuming digital content, smartphone prices are dropping globally and sales are plateauing, and voice-controlled products à la Amazon Echo are surging in popularity. Read Recode’s full analysis.
• Pew Research Center issued a report about teens’ use of social media. The report confirmed that Facebook is losing popularity and that YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram rule the land. Another interesting finding is that about half of teens are never offline — they are constantly using a phone, laptop or other internet-connected device. This finding in particular continues to make me question the concept of “online” and “offline” identity.

In other news …

• There are a lot of buzzwords in the digital/tech space. One you may have heard a lot about lately is “blockchain.” If you need a primer on it, read Lifehacker’s article explaining the technology.
• Reddit has become the third most visited website in the U.S.
• Twitter is now identifying candidates running in the 2018 midterm general election.
• Annoying Instagram brands take note: Instagram has a mute button!

Fun Resources

• Something the Vanguard Digital Team has been discussing recently is the importance of a strong social media data and analytics report. This type of report can translate complex data into actionable, relevant recommendations for social optimization. Read Social Media Today’s 7 Steps to Creating Effective Social Media Reports for more helpful tips.
• Twitter is helping marketers out with its very own editorial calendar! From the CMA Awards to Father’s Day, check out what the Twitterverse will be talking about in June.

Finally …

While General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rollout was technically last week’s news, all the email privacy reminders are making people realize just how many technology services they use. Go through all your privacy emails and notifications while jammin’ to Spotify’s I <3 GDPR playlist!