In a significant announcement, Meta has declared the impending shutdown of CrowdTangle, a beloved social media analytical tool, by August of this year. With this development, the question arises: What will replace CrowdTangle? We delve into the potential successor, SOMAR, and what it brings to the table. Here's what Digital Marketing Expert Anish Thapar has to say.
An Expert's Insight: Anish Thapar on SOMAR
Anish Thapar sheds light on the potential replacement for CrowdTangle, stating, "SOMAR will most likely replace CrowdTangle, which is set to be shut down from August 14, 2024. However, it is too early to comment on whether SOMAR will be better than CrowdTangle."
What is SOMAR?
According to SOMAR's official website, it offers the Meta Content Library and Content Library API, providing comprehensive access to the entire public content archive from Facebook and Instagram. Researchers can delve into detailed documentation to understand how to utilize these products effectively. Whether you're a digital marketer, researcher, content creator, or social media marketing company, SOMAR's offerings empower you to extract valuable insights from the vast pool of social media content.
Key Features of SOMAR:
Meta Content Library and Content Library API offer near real-time public content from Facebook and Instagram.
Details such as post owner, number of reactions, shares, and post view data are readily available.
Meta Content Library encompasses Facebook posts shared to and information about Pages, groups, and events.
Instagram data includes posts shared by and information about business and creator accounts.
Additional insights like geographical data (available for most countries and territories) aid in comprehensive analysis.
Accessing SOMAR:
The Meta Content Library is hosted by Meta Platforms, while the Content Library API resides within SOMAR's secure Virtual Data Enclave. Researchers can utilize SOMAR's secure environment to access and analyze public data from the API. To apply for access, interested parties can click the "Apply For Access" button on the SOMAR website.
Wrap Up
As Meta announces the sunset of CrowdTangle, the arrival of SOMAR signals a new era in social media analytics. With its robust features and access to real-time public content from Facebook and Instagram, SOMAR promises to be a valuable tool for researchers and marketers alike. Stay tuned for further developments as SOMAR prepares to revolutionize the landscape of social media analytics.
