We Are Social’s Monday Mashup #559
Instagram announces ‘Collabs’ feature
Collaboration is king, according to Instagram. The platform has announced a new feature named ‘Collabs,’ which lets two users jointly share ownership of a single feed post or Reel. That means you and your bestie’s post or Reel will appear jointly to one another’s followers, sharing the same comment thread, as well as view and like counts. Other product announcements revealed by the platform last week also include 3D lyrics, as well as the ability for users to post from their desktop browser (social media managers, rejoice).
Instagram helps creators better collaborate with brands
On a roll with the updates (well, Christmas is coming I suppose) and continuing with the theme of collaboration, Instagram also announced last week that it’s testing new tools for creators to work more seamlessly with brands. Creators who are part of its native affiliate program can add a digital storefront to showcase products or collections within the “view shop” button on their profile and earn a commission on sales. This is an extension of Instagram’s existing native affiliate tool, which launched in June.
Pinterest launches ‘Watch’ tab and ‘Takes’, PayPal eyes acquisition
With video content finding its way onto most social platforms, it’d be rude for Pinterest not to get involved. The site has launched a ‘Watch’ tab to showcase Pins in a more TikTok like format. Users will be able to experience a full-screen of Idea Pins, which they can scroll through vertically and engage with, by leaving likes or comments, or by saving the Pin for later access. ‘Takes’, another new addition to the platform, allows creators to respond to someone else’s Idea Pin with one of their own, where the response is linked back to the original. Kicking off the feature are some big names, including Jenifer Lopez and Megan Thee Stallion. Savage!
On the subject of Pinterest, it’s been reported that financial company PayPay has set its sights on acquisition of the platform with a deal worth $39bn. Watch this space!
Twitter opens Spaces to all users
No longer an exclusive club for those with more than 600 followers, now anyone can host Spaces on Twitter. For anyone unfamiliar with Spaces, it’s Twitter’s audio chatroom feature. Kicking one off is simple enough – below is a handy guide to get you started.
the time has arrived — we’re now rolling out the ability for everyone on iOS and Android to host a Space
if this is your first time hosting, welcome! here’s a refresher on how pic.twitter.com/cLH8z0bocy
— Spaces (@TwitterSpaces) October 21, 2021
WhatsApp is making it easier to shop
Shopaholics, you may want to look away now to avoid temptation. WhatsApp is launching ‘Collections,’ making it easier for users to shop for items using categories. The new feature allows businesses to organise items in their catalogues by category, meaning customers won’t get sore thumbs scrolling endlessly through lists of items to find what they’re looking for. With ecommerce bringing in major money over the past year, this is a savvy move from the Facebook-owned app that will win praise from businesses looking to connect with their customers.
Snapchat is planning ‘family engagement’ tools
Snapchat is set to put worried parents’ minds at ease with a new set of ‘family engagement’ tools. The tools are designed to give parents better visibility into how their teens are using the app, including who they’re chatting to and their privacy settings. The aim is “to help educate and empower young people to make the right choices to enhance their online safety and to help parents be partners with their kids in navigating the digital world.” A launch date has not been unveiled yet but the platform has announced that more details will be coming soon. Watch this space.
Social media users pass the 4.5 billion mark
The Digital 2021 October Global Statshot report was released last week, packed with impressive milestones from the last quarter. So what’s in store for data fans? There are now 4.88 billion internet users, 5.29 billion mobile phone users and 4.5 billion social media users worldwide. Other interesting stats includes insight into the growing popularity of VPNs and podcasts, as well as details of TikTok’s active user base. Get in the know and read our October statshot here.
