Facebook launches a new tool to measure the effectiveness of its ads
In a move to help businesses better understand the impact of their advertising on its platform, Facebook has announced the launch of ‘Creative Compass’ – a new tool that “will evaluate ad creative by looking at key elements and ranking them on a scale from low impact to high impact”. The programme will analyse elements such as brand fit, message comprehension and emotional reward to help businesses understand how likely their target audience is to see their ad. Creative Compass is currently being tested with select partners, but there are plans to roll it out to all marketing partners in 2019.
Facebook expands Instant Forms for wider campaign objectives The social network has extended its Instant Forms feature – formally know as Lead Forms – so that brands can now include them on any ad campaign with brand awareness, reach or traffic objectives. The feature enables actions such as newsletter signups, registrations and more, and it will be available on Stories as well as traditional ad formats. The update also comes with a new platform reporting functionality “which enables marketers to determine whether Instant Forms were submitted via Facebook or Instagram as a way to help them determine which channels are most effective for their campaigns”.
Facebook Groups go big with new 250-person chat feature
Facebook has begun rolling out a new functionality for Groups that will enable members to launch group chats about specific sub-topics that up to 250 members can join. Video and audio calls are also available, but with a 50-person limit. And instead of automatically receiving thousands of notifications for each new message in each new chat, Facebook will simply send users one notification to join a new chat once it’s created and then provide options on which notifications they would like to receive. It’s hoped that this integration of Groups and Messenger will help make the platform’s discussion forums more real-time and engaging for users.
Facebook uses AI to roll out 3D photos
After its initial announcement at this year’s F8 Conference in May, Facebook has finally begun to introduce its new 3D photos capability to add “make-believe depth to iPhone portrait mode shots”. To take one of these snazzy new pics, simply tap the new ‘3D photos’ option in the Status Update section, select the chosen portrait mode image, and share. The new update then uses AI to do the rest, and Facebook will be rolling it out for all users in the coming weeks.
Instagram looks to speed up the feed
Here’s a story I love, and not just because my last name has ‘tap’ in it. Instagram is testing a new way to sift through photos by tapping posts, much like you would on Stories. Rather than risking carpal tunnel while mindlessly scrolling @BasicBrittany’s boozy brunches or @MeatheadMike’s post-workout selfies, you can now breeze past them all with a quick screen click. Basically, it’s Stories – sans the 24-hour limit. Instagram is testing this new feature in the Explore tab with no plans to implement it in the main feed…yet.
It’s also unclear how widely the test will be rolling out. My main question is, does this mean I’ll risk “hearting” every post in my feed? What distinguishes a tap from a double tap, especially after a couple of beers (which are served from a tap…)? Tap lightly, Grammers, or risk looking like an over-eager Insta creeper.
Wall Street worries about Snapchat Concerns grew on Wall Street last week that Snapchat was unprepared for life as a public company. Analysts continue to reassess their forecasts for Snapchat as it’s showing slower user growth and revenue then previously predicted. It’s now becoming likely that it will need to raise capital as early as mid-2019 as cash reserves continue to dwindle. Despite naysayers, Snapchat Chief Executive Evan Spiegel is determined to turn the platform profitable in 2019, calling out its “excitement to innovate” as a reason for losing focus on what made it successful in the first place. At the time of the announcement, Snapchat’s stock was down more than 60% from its initial public offering on 2nd March 2017.
Snapchat announces 12 daily scripted Original shows
In its latest gambit to fend off competition from Instagram, Snapchat has announced a new line up of a dozen scripted “Original” video shows that will be broadcast daily on the platform’s Discover section. Snapchat will also be introducing a new dedicated section for Shows, “as well as new permanent Show Profile pages available through Snapchat Search, where users can sign up for push notifications when each episode is released”. The platform will also be introducing Reaction Lenses and Show Portal Lenses to help fans engage with and share the content they love most. The move comes as “time spent watching shows on Snapchat has tripled this year alone”, according to Snap’s VP of Original Content, Sean Mills. But is this enough to save Snapchat in Wall Street’s eyes? We’ll see!
Snapchat releases new Filters … for cats
Tired of winter? Rain keeping you inside? Well now you can make it look like your cat is wearing glasses! Despite uncertainty in the Stock Market, Snapchat must be feline good, as it has launched its first set of Filters fit for kitties. These include devil wings, glasses, unicorn horns, flower crowns and animal ears (in case they’re tired of their own….?). Previously, the platform’s Filters only recognised human or dog faces, but now they’ll work for cats, too.
Personally, I think cats should only have one option – devil horns – but that’s just me. #DogsRule #CatsDrool #OkDogsDroolTooButAtLeastTheyreCool
Twitter calls time on Moments. And that time is 23rd October Twitter’s Moments feature will no longer be able available as of October 23rd the platform has announced, citing low usage as the cause of its demise. Despite the introduction of Sponsored Moments in January, which gave Moments a boost in-stream, it wasn’t enough to drive people to use the three-year-old feature.
Nike’s Jordan Brand uses a Facebook Messenger Bot to deliver content Nike has teamed up with artificial intelligence platform Snaps to create a Facebook Messenger Bot for its Jordan Brand that “delivers content from the Air Jordan blog, Jordan News and Jordan.com via weekly updates”. Fans can customise when and what day they hear from the Bot and will get personalised responses to specific phrases and requests. While it’s not the brand’s first experience with Messenger Bots, it’s hoped that this new addition will create a two-way conversation and connect fans in a more meaningful way.
Renault sells limited-edition SUV with Facebook Messenger Chatbot
Renault Italy is releasing 100 of its Captur Tokyo Edition – a limited-edition SUV – and will be selling them for the first time on Facebook via a Messenger Chatbot. Fans of the brand will be able to converse with the Chatbot to pre-order one of the limited-edition cars. The carmaker introduced the SUV with its own Instagram Stories series, “Tokyo Stories”, conveyed through classic anime storytelling, which includes a ‘mysterious character’ who will become the basis for the Chatbot’s persona when engaging with consumers online.
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