Doug's Rant #9 Keep It REEL on Facebook (?), and A Missing Rule of THUMB
Doug’s Rant #9
Keep it REEL (?)
In another one of the myriad of unanswered and seemingly unthought-out features on Facebook, let’s take a look at Reels for brands there.
One of the best features to help grow your community on Facebook for years now has been the “Invite” button to invite folks to “like” your page. If you boost a post (spend a little money to get it into more newsfeeds and in front of more users) you are likely to get people liking that post who don’t follow your page. When that happens Facebook gives you the opportunity to invite them to like your page right after they’ve taken a positive action to engage with your brand. A very valuable tool!
So when I posted a video recently for Detroit Jerky, Facebook told me I’ve actually started a Reel since my video is under 90 seconds. I can continue to make it a Reel and get more views or “switch back” to a normal post. Against my better judgement I said okay let’s roll with a Reel. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this and went ahead with the Reel, it’s just the first time I’ve stopped to really think about it. First red flag was that in my description of the Reel I wasn’t allowed to tag the other brand I was highlighting as a partner (Fresh Rootz). I don’t like that. But okay I figured let’s keep going and see if there’s a benefit. The next option was publish which I did and I then tagged “followers” and Fresh Rootz in a comment. I got a couple of likes BUT - and here’s the part I REALLY don’t like - I couldn’t click on the likes and see who I have previously invited to like the page and therefore I have no option to invite anyone.
Would I rather have 1000 views with no ability to invite anyone if I get 40 likes on the post? Or would I rather have 300 views and 20 likes with the ability to invite all of them who are new to my content?
I know what my answer is. What’s yours?
If you say make the Reel because of some magical benefit you get with the content as a Reel I’d love to hear what that is. Let me know in the comments.
A Missing Rule of THUMB
The fact that heading into 2025 there are still apps that don’t allow for one of the KEY features to be available in the mobile version is just ridiculous. Looking at YOU LinkedIn. The ability to select your own thumbnail for a video is a great feature on the desktop version. It doesn’t exist in the mobile version. Why? You can pick the cover for a livestream in Instagram with a very simple and obvious user interface. The option is right there in the mobile app immediately after you finish a livestream.
That’s clearly NOT a thumbnail I’d want - just me with a seemingly blank stare. So all I have to do is slide the little blue window along the length of the video to find a thumb I like, or I can upload one from my camera roll. Simple. LinkedIn AND Facebook are missing this feature on the mobile app whether it’s for a livestream on Facebook or just an uploaded video on LinkedIn. WHY even offer the option to upload a video at all if you can’t choose how it will be represented in the feed? Am I missing something? It’s ridiculous.
Okay. End rant. Let me know what you think in the comments.
M10 Social is owned by Doug Cohen in West Bloomfield, MI and provides social media training and digital marketing services from the Frameable Faces Photography studio Doug owns with his wife Ally. He can be reached there at tel:248-790-7317, by mobile at tel:248-346-4121 or via email at mailto:doug@frameablefaces.com. You can follow Doug’s band Vintage Playboy at their Facebook page here. You can also visit our other business Detroit Jerky at the website www.DetroitJerkyLLC.com!