There aren’t many social platforms with “one billion monthly users” in the world, so when the opportunity arises for social media marketers to create and target ads on such platforms, they practically drool. That’s exactly what’s happening as Facebook begins “very small” testing in Thailand and Australia to implement targeted ads inside Messenger itself.

Picture this: You’re sitting at the doctor’s office, patiently waiting to be seen. After an hour, you need a pick-me-up so you pull out your phone and head to Buzzfeed. Lucky for you, there’s a list of the most Instagram-worthy travel destinations. And just a day prior, you told your partner you had to get out of town for a week.

Hoping to travel to one of these newly-found destinations, you copy the URL and paste it into your Facebook Messenger. Off it goes to do your convincing for you (you hope). Guess what? Your action just became a part of “dark social."

Think about the last time you had a dull, disappointing meal. Did it seem like something was missing? Perhaps it wasn’t spicy enough, or maybe it could have used dash more garlic? The point is, if the proper seasoning had been added, the meal might have been better.

The same goes for the use of visuals in social media. A brand can easily come across as boring or dull without the use of consistent imagery and video. But with a dash of visual appeal and a touch of excitement, a brand’s social media marketing effectiveness can skyrocket.

Ever needed a friend’s opinion on which shirt to buy? Maybe you want to see their reaction to one of your witty comments? Well, now there’s (another) way to video message your friends—and this time, it’s even simpler. Facebook launched a visually-focused feature that they say will bring life and authenticity to your text conversations—through seamless instant video.

UPDATED: March 31, 2017, 11:21 AM

What’s all the chirping about Twitter? A little (blue) birdy said that changes are coming. There are always mixed feeling when it comes to any social media platform establishing new rules, and Twitter is no different. As marketers, we know that the social media realm and its rules change faster than a chameleon changes color and, that’s only half the battle.