In 2016, Microsoft announced that it had acquired the social business network, LinkedIn, for a staggering $26.2 billion. The site’s design has been given a total overhaul and optimized for content and conversations. The move makes sense as Microsoft aims to integrate LinkedIn into contact management platforms and inside its own Office 365 service. Either way, it will absolutely affect the way you conduct business online, but did it hit its mark?

More details on why this matters, and what else is happening in social media below.

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LinkedIn Desktop Redesign Puts Conversations and Content at the Center

LinkedIn released their first major design overhaul since their 2002 inception. Smarter messaging and streamlined navigation are some of the major enhancements to the platform.
Why does this matter?
On the surface, the new LinkedIn redesign can be seen as an improvement over its previous version. Insights have been added to give greater detail into who and from where your content is reaching. However, a closer look at the messaging function, simplified design, and search makes it feel like a ‘suited up’ version of the other social networks.

Snapchat Launches Universal Search to Simplify Navigation

Snapchat released a new update that allows users to search within the app to find friends, Discover publishers and Our Stories, and navigate through the app. The universal search will be available across every screen in the app.
Why does this matter?
Snapchat has received pushback in the past for not being a user-friendly app, assuming users knew how to navigate between messages and stories by swiping. It wasn’t until 2016 that Snapchat updated the app with navigation buttons. Snapchat also created “Quick Chat” suggestions to help connect users to both users and brands easier, letting you get back to snapping faster.

Twitter Loops All Videos Under 6.5 Seconds As Vine Shrivels into a Camera

Twitter has begun looping all short videos, whether from Vine, Snapchat, or another app. The adjustment comes on the heels of Vine shutting down and impacts all past and future short videos.
Why does this matter?
As Vine closes down, Twitter is now positioned to be the hub for short videos. With attention to Facebook’s algorithm and YouTube’s pre-roll ads, Twitter is seen as an attractive option. Brands will have the ability to create engaging content in real-time without the distractions.

It’s Now Much Harder To See If Someone Edited A Facebook Post

Facebook seems to have nixed the ‘Edited’ label from published posts. The move makes it more difficult to see if a post has been modified after being published to a Facebook page.
Why does this matter?
The roll-out of the change has been slowly released in the last year but Facebook has now acknowledged the move to hide the label. Users that want to check a post’s edit history have to click the down arrow in the post. Brands should find this as an opportunity to make fewer published mistakes and act with an increased sense of transparency.

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