Given how rapidly the social world continues to grow and shift, digital marketers are well accustomed to staying on their toes and chasing all the latest trends and advertising opportunities for the top social platforms.

To simplify the search, we’ve compiled a few highlights of the top new advertising opportunities released over the last year on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.

Advertising Opportunities on Instagram

According to Instagram, 90 million users tap on a shopping post every month to learn about new products. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that advertisers are looking for more opportunities to reach shoppers on the influential platform.

Instagram’s latest features for advertisers include:

● Product Tagging in Stories
This year, Instagram introduced the option for businesses to tag products in their Stories, rather than page posts alone. Since Instagram’s algorithm changed in 2018, some brands have experienced challenges in maintaining high post visibility.

Tagging products in Instagram Stories is a great solution to get your products in front of consumers through a feature that is better suited to discoverability.

● Shop via Explore
Another recent addition is a new shopping channel on the Explore page. As brands explore new ways to reach consumers on Instagram who don’t already follow them, the opportunities have grown beyond the standard paid ad and influencer marketing strategies of the past.

Now, Instagram is adding a designated shopping category on the Explore page to provide a new avenue for users to discover and purchase directly from the platform.

To see more of Instagram’s advertising opportunities, you can review the recap on their site.

Advertising Opportunities on Facebook

In the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, many advertisers have been on high alert when it comes to distributing ads on Facebook. In response, the social media giant has made many updates to improve the safety of user privacy while maintaining its popularity among advertisers.

Facebook’s latest features for advertisers include:

● Ad Placement Insights
A growing concern for social advertisers is how to ensure brand safety. As a result, Facebook is now offering the ability to see a complete list of possible placements where their ads might appear. And, once the ad is placed, advertisers can also receive a list of where the ad really did show up.

● From Canvas to Instant Experience
Facebook recently launched Instant Experience, a reboot of Canvas. Instant Experience builds on Canvas’s existing ad templates with some all new capabilities, including:

○ Instant Storefront: For businesses to sell products in a grid format.

○ Instant Customer Acquisition: For businesses to drive customer engagement by displaying special offers and a clear CTA.

To see more of Facebook’s advertising opportunities, you can review the recap on their site.

Advertising Opportunities on Snapchat

While some advertisers were quick to ignore Snapchat, it still remains the most popular app among teens in the US, beating out both Instagram and Facebook. Though some speculate it can’t keep up with Instagram in the long run, the app continues to surprise us all with innovative features that users just can’t ignore.

Snapchat’s latest advertising features include:

● Like What You See? Use Snapchat to Find It on Amazon
Snapchat’s latest visual search feature feels very futuristic in that it allows users to scan a product or barcode using Snapchat’s camera to discover it on Amazon. After scanning, users are then directed to the Amazon app or mobile site to finalize their purchase.

● Lights, Camera, Snapchat 
Most recently, Snapchat announced Snap Originals. Snap Originals are a combination of scripted series and reality shows that air exclusively in the Snapchat Discover tab. Here, advertisers have the opportunity to run unskippable 6-second ads that will air 2-3 times during each episode.

To see more of Snapchat’s advertising opportunities, you can review the recap on their site.

What’s next for the future of social advertising and one-tap shopping? We’ll have to stay tuned and stay social to find out!