Facebook profits soar despite slow user growth
Facebook now boasts 1.4 billion daily users (up 2.18% compared to Q3), but the world’s largest social network just experienced its slowest quarterly growth ever in Q4 2017. Mark Zuckerberg attributes this to fewer viral videos (really?!?), leading to less time being spent on the channel. Time spent on Facebook has fallen by roughly 50 million hours every day – or 2.14 minutes per daily-user per day. Time for a change? We heard you Zuckerberg!
Facebook’s news feed algorithm has been tweaked… again
Facebook is now prioritising posts from local publishers in an attempt to address feedback from users who ‘want to see more local news on Facebook’. However, this is a drop in the ocean compared to the bigger changes Facebook is undertaking to ensure users are ‘seeing less public content like posts from businesses, brands and media’. It’s going to be an algorithmic juggling act.
So Facebook told you life was gonna be this way
Think of your closest friends. Is there someone who always has your back? Someone who never forgets your birthday? That person who likes even the most banal of status updates? Well on February 4th Facebook allowed you to show gratitude for all the important people in your life by celebrating ‘Friends day’. No, it’s not a day of appreciation for people who inexplicably still like Ross. Facebook added three new camera filters dedicated to celebrating ‘Friends days’ and allowed you to post a personalised animation on your wall – so go show your friends some lovin’.
Get creative with Instagram’s new type mode
Instagram introduced its new “Type” mode in stories, a new way to share your inner monologue or showcase virtuoso copy craft with creative text styles and backgrounds — no photo or video required. It’s an exciting ‘new’ storytelling format for brands and publishers that throws back to the written word and typography as medium du jour.
Instagram tests carousel ads for stories
Instagram Stories have become a huge success since they launched last year, with over 300 million users creating and watching stories on the platform daily. Last week, the platform announced that it had started testing carousel ads for stories with a handful of advertisers including Coca-Cola, Netflix and Paramount. The new format would mean that stories are no longer limited to one piece of media and shows just how quickly they have become a hit with users. It’s time for brands on the ‘gram to get a presence in the story section.
Snapchat all the gear… but no idea?
Snapchat just launched a branded merchandise store, signalling a slide into e-commerce for the social network. Apparently the goal isn’t to make money (yet), but it proves the potential for an in-app commerce platform for other brands. Last week the company opened the Snap Store, which lives in the Snapchat app’s Discover section and lets you buy Snapchat merchandise like a $20 Dancing Hot Dog Plushie or a $30 Dog Lens T-Shirt. In the past, Snapchat has struggled in attracting ad revenue to the platform – so could a move into e-commerce provide the answer?
