Daily Minute Master Series – August 28, 2019
Social Media
Facebook is Testing a New Listing of Post Reactions in Your Notifications Stream
Facebook is testing out a new way to highlight Reactions to your Facebook posts, with a new notification format within your Notifications listing that would display a small tile of the post, with respective Reactions overlaid. That could help spur engagement and response – for one, the more visual notifiers stand out, though you would expect the effect of such would diminish over time. But they might also show a Reaction you weren’t expecting, or signify posts that are seeing a lot of response. It would be a small addition, in relative terms, but you can imagine it having the desired effect – while for brands, it could help to highlight key posts that are sparking emotional response, and get you responding faster to maximize that engagement.
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Instagram is Developing a Separate Messaging App Called ‘Threads’
After shutting down its standalone messaging app ‘Direct’ earlier this year, Instagram is reportedly working on a new iteration of the same, which aims to put more focus on maintaining connection between close friends. According to The Verge, Instagram’s latest weapon on this front is a new messaging app called ‘Threads’ which will look to focus on building stronger, more constant connection between smaller, enclosed groups. The aim, as noted, would be to make Instagram more of a rival for Snap, in regards to keeping close friends more connected, as opposed to broadcasting in your main feed for all to see. That could help Instagram build stronger bonds with younger users – or it could, as Direct did, fall flat.
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Instagram is Doubling Down on Stories Ads
Instagram is literally doubling down on stories ads in a test that will show back-to-back ads to some users. Instead of showing the usual one ad between stories, Instagram is testing how users will respond to two ads from different brands. A spokesperson tells AdWeek that Instagram is simply gathering feedback for now, and the focus of the app will remain on the user experience. No further details were provided with regards to how many people are part of the initial test group.
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Marketing
Yelp adds new personalization features in bid to regain local momentum from Google
Yelp is betting big on personalization. Soon, new screens will allow users to select preferences and favorites that will be used by the company to offer better recommendations and personalized search results. Yelp says that it’s using reviews content, photos, business attributes and other data to match consumer interests and businesses or activities. Yelp says the new features will be rolling out soon to iOS users and in stages for Android users, with the “full experience” available early next year. The company also teases that these new capabilities are “the beginning of major product changes the company is undertaking to significantly evolve and improve the consumer experience.” Yelp faces intensifying pressure from Google and GMB’s increasing transactional functionality. The company needs to make changes that differentiate its experience from what Google is doing. It needs to regain growth and momentum or face an eventual sale, to private equity or someone else.
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