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This week communication is key. Facebook have released a new app which allows group video calls and Twitter is expanding tests of their in app chat feature. Remember, keeping on top of social media updates helps to keep your business’s content thumb-stopping! Marketers should also be considering using new features so their posts are seen by more people which extends their company’s reach.
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This week Facebook have launched a new app, CatchUp. The sixth experimental app from the NPE team, CatchUp facilitates group phone chats. It has been described as Messenger Rooms but for voice calls in that you can see who’s active and you can join group discussions that have already started. The app description reads “Keep in touch more, think about it less. Any time you’re free to talk, CatchUp!”. Will you be downloading CatchUp? Let us know in the comments!
Instagram rolls out new revenue streams for creators via IGTV ads and badges. In their recent blog titled “Doing More to Support Creators on Instagram”, the photo sharing site announced that there will be new ways for creators to make money on the app. New feature Badges will be available for users to purchase. Badges push users who comment on a live stream to stand out, placing an icon next to their name, and could be the key to unlocking additional features from influencers. Video ads are also coming to IGTV, with each ad having a limit of up to 15 seconds. The option to skip the ad will be available in a test version of the feature, but there is chance they won’t be skippable “to make sure the final result works well for people, creators and advertisers”.
Google is giving businesses the opportunity to provide digital alternatives to their services during the pandemic. Google has expanded its options to enable businesses to call on clients for donations on their Google My Business profile. Within Google listings, companies will also be able to promote gift card purchases, a feature which has been tested this month but is now rolling out to 18 countries. Google is also expanding on-platform appointment options, because “sometimes its not as simple as “open” or “closed”.” Appointment bookings for online services will be available to more merchants, particularly for those avoiding in-person interactions or an over-index of people in physical shops and stores. Thanks Google!
Twitter is expanding their test of a Messenger-like chat. The chat will be displayed in a sub-window and will pop up when you receive a new DM, similar to how messages pop up in your desktop Facebook app. Apparently Twitter have been testing this feature for a while, with the aim to make it easier for users to engage in conversation whilst consuming updates in their feeds. Currently, Twitter’s chat window feature is only in the testing phase through select accounts, but check out how it looks click here!
LinkedIn reportedly is considering new emotive responses to content during the pandemic. After a user proposed adding another reaction to the professional network, Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn CEO) referred the query to the Product Management Team. LinkedIn currently has 5 emoji responses to choose from, but none of these seem appropriate when reacting to COVID-19 news. It is possible that LinkedIn will add a sixth option, similar to the “Care” reaction from Facebook which was added last month. We’ll be keeping an eye out for new reactions on LinkedIn…
