We Are Social Asia Tuesday Tune-Up #452

Tuneup
kristie.neo

Written by Genevieve Loh, Edward Cheong and Lisa Ng

Instagram’s Chief reveals plans to launch multi-participant live streams soon

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, live streaming has gained popularity.

With most of us still working from home and observing social distancing measures, we are consuming more digital content than ever. 

Instagram’s Chief, Adam Mosseri, recently announced that Instagram will soon launch multi-participant live video chats within the next few weeks. Instagram live currently enables live streaming with one other person but the new update will allow users to broadcast live with up to 3 other people.

Many businesses have been leveraging on live streaming to connect with their audience digitally. The new update could open up new possibilities and options for these businesses to create even more engaging content for their audiences.

Facebook launches Shops in support of businesses hit by the pandemic

Facebook has launched a new initiative which aims to support small businesses. Facebook Shops is a free feature that allows businesses to set up a digital storefront by integrating Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp all into one e-commerce system.

Shops will be displayed on Facebook pages and Instagram profiles, and are allowed to appear on stories as well as paid ads. Users will be able to purchase directly on Facebook or be directed to the business’s website.

This move comes as no surprise, with some Etsy entrepreneurs enjoying up to double the revenue compared to 3 years ago. With a global pandemic and lockdown ongoing, it seems like digital shopping is here to stay.

Not yet a part of the Clubhouse? Facebook’s copycat product might be an option for you.

Facebook is reportedly in early developmental stages of a Clubhouse copycat, the exclusive invite-only social audio app. This news comes only five days after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg joined Clubhouse and participated in a room to talk about the future of augmented and virtual reality, shocking fellow Clubhouse users.

However, this news comes as no surprise to most, considering Facebook has done a few imitations of other apps; first when the Stories function was added to Facebook and Instagram, which came first from Snapchat, and then when Reels came into play to mimic short-form video sharing app TikTok. 

Given that Facebook isn’t the first to jump on the social audio bandwagon, it’s safe to say that audio is anticipated to be an important format of communication moving forward, and people are trying to quickly mimic Clubhouse’s success before the trend fizzles out.

Disclaimer: Featured image taken from techcrunch.com