We Are Social’s Monday Mashup #313

Mashup
laura.muldoon
Nearly one-third of the world to use social networks regularly this year
A new eMarketer report claims 2.34 billion people will access a social network regularly in 2016. This is has mainly been attributed to greater access to the internet, particularly through smartphones. The most growth is expected to be driven by mobile phone users in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

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Facebook algorithm to prioritise friends and family content
Facebook has announced that it is adjusting its newsfeed algorithm once again to de-emphasise publisher and brand news in favour of posts from users’ families and friends. The company explained in a blog post that the change had been made to address feedback that people are worried about missing important updates from the friends they care about. Looks like the days of free reach for mags are over, but at least now my mum’s series of gardening updates will get her the exposure she truly deserves. ?.

Facebook promotes money sending on Messenger in the US
As if I needed any other route for money to evaporate out of my account after payday. Facebook is now highlighting the fact that people can send money on Messenger as part of a US trial. Facebook introduced peer-to-peer payments in Messenger early last year but it’s been hidden away under a menu of “more” options in the app. Now, when people click on “Send or Request Money” in the main Facebook app they will be handily redirected to Messenger where they can splash their cash more quickly.

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Facebook launches human-curated events lists
Starting initially in 10 U.S. cities, Facebook is launching hand-picked (by actual humans!) events listings. The chosen curators will pick each city’s top top art, entertainment, family, festival, fitness, food & drink, learning, community, music and sports events which have room for extra people (e.g. NOT your mum’s next book group). The chosen events will appear on top of your regular events and have enough lead time for you to gather a group of friends together to go with. My money’s on the fact that a LOT of them will feature street food and trendy things like that.

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Facebook rolls out Slideshow movie-maker
Slideshow was originally launched back in August as part of Facebook’s photo-sharing companion app Moments. The service automatically composes a slideshow, combining photos and videos with themed music and transitions. From now on, if you have taken more than five photos or videos in the last 24 hours it will suggest you make a slideshow. Also when viewing a friend’s slideshow it may politely suggest you “try it”. Just a little try! Give it a try!

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RIP Paper (Facebook’s newsreading app) Jan. 2014 – July 2016
Facebook has sent a message to the users of Paper saying that it will be closed down on July 29th of this year. The app was loved by design nerds and people who enjoyed an ad-free experience but alas, it was not enough to keep it in the 1,500 most-downloaded apps list since December 2014. Goodbye Paper, I wish I’d known you better (or at all).

Twitter lets users add stickers to images
Users of Twitter are now able to add stickers to their photos and also search stickers to see how others have used them. For the moment, the stickers are generic – but it is rumoured that branded ones will be rolled out before the Olympics. I’ve attached an example of sticker use below as a guideline in case you also would like to demean any large mammals with hipster sunglasses. Or you can just plonk them on Nigel Farage, up to you!

Twitter releases a stand-alone dashboard app to help small businesses
Twitter has launched an app called Twitter Dashboard designed specifically to help time-poor small and medium businesses to make rich content and engage with their customers. Social Media Managers can use the app to schedule tweets, track what’s being said about them and brainstorm ideas. The new service also aims to attract new users to the platform by making it more accessible.

Pinterest launches shopping cart and visual search function
Everyone’s favourite pinboard app has announced new features designed to transform it from the place you daydream to the place you shop. Shoppers in the US will be able to run a visual search for lookalike items, select the one they like and then add them to a shopping cart on Pinterest’s website and mobile apps. The cart allows users to buy multiple products from different merchants at once, similar to Amazon’s checkout page. Pinterest is also expanding Buyable Pins—Pinterest’s version of a buy button—to the web and outside of the app itself.
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LinkedIn launches programmatic display buying
Advertisers can now buy display ads for LinkedIn via programmatic auctions or LinkedIn’s private auctions. LinkedIn’s said the move was aimed to provide advertisers with more flexibility in their programmatic buying.