We Are Social Tuesday Tuneup #467

Tuneup
Sofia Maddalena

You can now hide like counts on Instagram and Facebook
Loathe the stress of your like count? Well turn that frown upside down as you can now opt-in to hide your like count on both Facebook and Instagram. This is a feature that both platforms have been testing for a while now, finally settling on an opt-in option. You can either choose to hide all like counts on all posts in your feed, or decide on a per-post basis. Whilst some may find likes helpful to identify what’s currently trending or just as a way to boost their ego, others find it piles on the pressure. The new feature aims to please both of these audiences, giving greater choice to users. 

Instagram launches section for shopping product drops
Whether it’s trainers, tees or jewellery, drops are the best way to create a buzz around the launch of your latest product. This is something Instagram is tapping into, adding a new feature to help connect online shoppers to product drops. Drops will now have their own destination at the top of the Shop tab, where consumers can browse and shop all the latest product launches, as well as viewing upcoming drops. You can also sign up to receive reminders about products you’re interested in and buy from these launches directly through the app. For fashionistas that want to find the freshest releases, this will be a welcome addition to the app. 

Applications open for Pinterest’s second Creator Fund Group
Listen up creators! Pinterest has now opened up applications for the second round of its Creator Fund, which the platform introduced in April. Ten creators will be selected in the second cycle, with the chosen applicants undertaking a four-week workshop. This will feature hands-on training to help them succeed on Pinterest, receiving personalised consulting on boosting their Pinterest creative strategies, along with financial grants of $25,000 in cash and ad credits on the platforms. Following the first round, participants saw 2.9 times more Idea Pin impressions and 72% more monthly viewers than before taking part in the program. Not too shabby. 

Twitter pauses verification
It looks like the world is thirsty for verification. So much so that Twitter has had to pause its verification program due to the volume of applications it has already received. The platform opened the program for applications on May 20th, with the new system meaning anyone can apply to receive the coveted blue check, not just the rich and famous. So it’s no wonder people flocked to Twitter to beg for a blue badge. Missed out? Don’t panic, the platform has said that they’ll be opening applications again soon.

Twitter prepares to release Twitter Blue
The rumours are true. Twitter has listed a new subscription service called ‘Twitter Blue.’ Details around a release date are pretty ambiguous at the moment, with the platform giving no further details on the feature’s possible functionalities. It will be priced as £2.49 in the UK, with many suspecting that the service could allow users to “undo” tweets. Watch this space.

Poparazzi hits the top spot on the App Store
Watch out, there’s a new social networking app about. Poparazzi lets you create a social profile that only your friends can post photos to, making your friends your own paparazzi. It’s as if Instagram’s photo tagging feature had its own app, yet Poparazzi want to rebel against today’s social feeds filled with edited photos, encouraging people to embrace imperfect moments. And people are loving it, sending the app to the top of the charts. Could Poparazzi be the next big thing? Only time will tell.

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Ones to watch
Facebook Gaming is testing monetization tools for creators who focus on video-on-demand content.