Instagram Stories can now be shared on Facebook Stories
If you’re a fan of creating Stories, Facebook has made an update that will help you get your content to a wider audience, more easily. In a new feature currently being rolled out, Facebook is allowing users to share their Instagram Stories to their Facebook Stories. The feature isn’t available to brands, as brands can’t create Facebook stories, and it doesn’t work the other way round (i.e. sharing from Facebook to Instagram) – though Facebook hasn’t ruled out allowing this in the future.
Instagram introduces polls to Stories
Here’s a handy new social media feature for anyone who struggles with everyday decisions. Instagram has introduced a polling feature to Stories, where users can write their own questions, along with two answer options. Those kind enough to respond will be rewarded with the current results as soon as they answer, and users will be able to see who voted for what in their Stories view count page.
Instagram and Shopify make in-app shopping easier
Instagram is looking to make in-app purchasing easier ahead of the Christmas rush. The platform is rolling out a version of its shopping tags tool through an expanded integration with Shopify. Brands selected by Instagram and Shopify will be able to start tagging their posts with products in Instagram’s apps, with those tags enabling users to make purchases from any Instagram post, within the app.
Instagram’s sunglasses face filter shows off global locations
Another Instagram update… the platform’s on a roll this week. The sunglasses face filter allows users to choose from multiple frame styles, each containing a different lens reflection, and includes Parisian streets and an island in Japan. I’m not sure why my hometown Swansea didn’t make the cut. Perhaps next time.
Messenger Lite rolled out to new markets
Facebook’s no frills app Messenger Lite allows users to access Messenger in areas with rubbish connectivity, and it’s now being rolled out in US, UK, Canada, and Ireland. The app has proven popular with Android users (it’s not available on iPhone) who want to avoid Messenger’s fancier features like stories, selfie lens effects, or games.
eMarketer lowers Snap’s global ad revenue estimate
It seems Snapchat isn’t quite living up to eMarketer’s expectations. The research firm has lowered its predictions for Snap’s global revenue for the second time this year, this time from $900 million to $774.1 million. The reasoning isn’t complete doom and gloom – it seems that marketers like Snapchat and give it “high marks for its creative possibilities”, but many still see it as experimental.
Snapchat launches AR art exhibiting feature
Snapchat has launched a new augmented reality art exhibiting feature in collaboration with renowned artist and Snapchat fan Jeff Koons. ‘ART’ showcases digital artwork in geo-tagged physical locations across the world that users can see as a Lens inside the Snapchat app. The project has already started debates on the ownership of physical digital locations, and sparked some creative hacking when a group of New York-based artists mocked-up a ‘vandalised’ version of Koons’s AR Balloon Dog.
LinkedIn rolls out geo-filters for events
LinkedIn is feeling Snapchat vibes this week, with the roll out of a new video feature that allows event attendees to add filters to videos they create within the LinkedIn app. The filters, which made their debut at the Grace Hopper Celebration conference, are location-based and form part of LinkedIn’s in-app video creation feature, allowing users to record and share videos directly from the app.
