What Newsrooms Should Expect From Social Platforms In 2017

What publishers can expect from social media platforms in 2017, and where are their resources best used? Our new report has all you need to know. 
At the start of 2017, publishers are turning their attention to what may lie ahead this year in their relationship with social media platforms.
Our new report on what newsrooms should expect from social media this year are now on our blog.
Featuring the views of experts from social media editors and audience development specialists, as well as other editorial roles, this report has what you need to know for the first few weeks of 2017. From Artificial Intelligence in the newsroom to analysing the right measurement metrics, this report covers plenty of ground.

Download your 2017 predictions report here.

Here were some of the talking points from the report.

Fake News

“Even before the outcry over ‘fake news,’ AP’s Fact Checks and full interview transcripts regularly topped our engagement data; now stories directly debunking false claims are performing just as strongly. In 2017, expect the demand for such content to grow as platforms grapple with the proliferation of fake news, and give Fact Checks and ‘debunks’ more weight in news feeds.” Mark Davies, Global News Manager, The Associated Press.
“We might see some kind of ‘trusted’ flag developing but I’m intrigued to see how much that can counterbalance the huge appeal of sharing a very strong opinion or convenient piece of ‘news’ with your friends on Facebook… who probably agree with you.” Chris Moran, Strategic Projects Editor, The Guardian.

New Formats and Platforms

“Podcasts are now a hugely important content type, but it is hard to distribute them on social media, especially Facebook, the world’s biggest social platform. We produce five podcasts per week, featuring the voices of our correspondents and editors. We want them to reach as many people as possible. And we want to convert more people into podcast listeners. Facebook would seem to be a perfect place to do that.” Adam Smith, Deputy Community Editor, The Economist.
“Whether addressing the audience in a Facebook Live, posting a video to Snapchat, using Instagram Stories, setting up an interaction on Kik or creating a Messenger bot, news organizations are getting personal. I expect publishers to continue to build one-to-one relationships with their audiences in 2017.” Sarah Marshall, Audience Engagement Editor EMEA, The Wall Street Journal.

Metrics and Measurement

“Amidst all the new tech and platform innovations, data will still reign supreme. There’s nothing more powerful than knowing who your customer is, what they are interested in, and how to reach them in a targeted way.” Katie Hollenkamp, Global Business Integration Director, TBWA/Nissan United.
“The challenge will be for each social network to distinguish itself among competitors that are increasingly similar in their offerings. I also believe that publishers will demand better measurement tools. That is, platforms will feel more pressure to provide performance data and the like.” Meena Thiruvengadam, Head of Audience Development, Business Insider.

Download the full report here.