We Are Social’s Monday Mashup #358

Mashup
ross.mctaggart
Facebook hits the 2 billion user mark

Somewhere in an air conditioned Cupertino office Mark Zuckerberg is fist pumping. Why? Because Facebook has finally hit the two billion user mark. Growth has been fuelled mainly by developing markets and the number of users logging on daily has risen from 55% to 66% since it first breached the one billion mark.

Facebook tests text overlays for cover photos
Facebook is testing a new feature which allows you to add text overlays onto cover photos. Word on the street is that it may add some SEO benefit to pages, but it may just be a way of helping brands say more about what they do. It seems we’re a long way off Myspace glitter backgrounds, folks.

Facebook launches household-wide ad targeting
Facebook is launching a new ad targeting feature which allows brands to target users who all live at the same address. It’s aimed at families, students or any group that might make a shared purchase such as a holiday or new vacuum cleaner.

The Champions League is coming to Facebook (US)
American soccer fans, raise a Bud Lite in celebration and high five your nearest bro. From September, Facebook will be streaming Champions League games as part of a partnership with Fox.

Facebook Messenger brings emoji overlays to video chat 🙂
Human faces can sometimes be so limiting when it comes to emotions. Thankfully, Facebook Messenger now lets you overlay emojis, filters, masks and screenshots to video chats so your complex feelings about Love Island contestants will never go unexpressed.


Messenger introduces Discover tab and M gets new features
Unless you work in tech or marketing, you probably have no idea what a chatbot is. That’s why those helpful folks at Facebook have introduced a Discover tab in Messenger which users can browse for brand or business bots. It’s like the Yellow Pages, says Facebook, but for automated robot correspondence. So yeah, similar…

Messenger’s helpful AI ‘M’ has also been upskilled with three new features. The handy assistant will now prompt users to save important content for later, give you birthday greeting reminders and also issue call prompts based on chat activity.

Haters gonna…get hidden!
Instagram has introduced a new setting that allows you to block offensive comments. The feature can be switched on in settings and will automatically hide any of that nasty shade that’s being thrown your way. Result!

Geo-whizz! You can now make filters in Snapchat
You can now design geo-filters directly in the Snapchat app rather than having to head over to the online studio. Although only available in the US for now, app-based geo-filter creator makes it easy to build filters directly on your phone. Thanks, Snap.


Twitter-streamed tennis? We’re in love.
Twitter has struck a deal with the All England Club to stream news live and direct from centre court at this year’s Wimbledon tournament. There is also a hashtag triggered emoji for tweets featuring the #wimbledon tag. Ace!

Bacardi X Major Lazer feat. well, YOU!
Rum brand Bacardi and dancehall banger purveyors Major Lazer have teamed up to create a set of Snap lenses that lets you make your own short music video. The brand and band plan to also feature some of the UGC in the group’s upcoming music video.