More changes for Facebook, meanwhile Twitter going to copycat the carousel ad format, and LinkedIn is now Microsoft property. These are some of the stories in the news this week.
Messing with Messenger Again
Facebook just can’t stop tinkering, and its latest changes may not be welcomed by everyone, then again, it seems no change is universally loved?
The largest social media platform revamped its messenger app to provide even more connectivity to your friends online. Among the more prominent changes is what Messenger’s David Marcus calls an initial “reinventing of the inbox.”
Some of the new features include a reveal of who is currently online and a new “home” button that will take you back to the initial screen. It appears that Messenger will be the place for all of your action on Facebook, and the main feed may soon become secondary.
Twitter Wants The Same Carousel Ride as Facebook
Facebook says that it is getting 10x the clickthroughs on its carousel ad platform verses static photos. That’s enough to entice Twitter into testing the waters of the same type of advertising.
Twitter announced that the newly promoted Tweet Carousel allows advertisers to group Tweets in a swipeable format that allows businesses and users to better tell a story in advertising.
The format, which loosely mirror’s Snapchat’s stories, would allow advertisers to blend videos, images, and text from their tweets into one cohesive message for the audience.
Advertisers will be able to include up to 20 tweets in a carousel, but it appears the optimal number to be in the 5-7 range. The way it is setup now, Twitter will allow advertisers to use anybody’s tweet, meaning brands will be able to tell stories with some or all user-generated content.
Microsoft Buys LinkedIn
Microsoft took a big step forward in the social media world, purchasing LinkedIn for $26.2 billion dollars. The world will watch to see what the software giant does to enhance the platform, used globally by 400 million users.
The so-called social media platform for professionals, LinkedIn excels in showcasing the professional skills and work histories of its users. At the center of the deal is cloud computing and LinkedIn’s ability to get Microsoft in as a major player in the online world.
The user shouldn’t notice much change, as initially LinkedIN will retain its branding and product but will just be a part of Microsoft’s business and productivity arm.
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