Sherrilynne Starkie
When it comes to social media, the changes keep coming fast and furious. This week we see innovations for brands, advertisers and agencies. Users get new and interesting ways to connect and interact on several social media platforms too. New features and functions from Facebook, SnapChat, YouTube, Google and Instagram
Mark Zuckerberg's key note address kicked off the conference which started yesterday. He explained how Facebook is taking a broader view of its responsibility to ensure its tools are used for good. He discussed the social network's responsibility to bring people together in meaningful new ways across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Oculus. And he summarized how its going to happen
New Snappables are augmented reality AR games where people use touch, motion and facial expressions to compete for high scores or in multiplayer match-ups. Snappables live alongside Snapchat’s other Lenses and new games will be released each week.
YouTube announced several initiatives to help advertisers reach TV screen viewers. The company is now making YouTube TV programming part of Google Preferred, its premium video advertising program. Google has created a new audience segment in AdWords called “light TV viewers.” The audience can be targeted across screens.
Google has announced a few improvements aimed at making it easier for agencies and partners to manage Google listings with Google My Business—including updates to the Google My Business API, a new Google My Business agency dashboard, and the launch of a Partners program.
Instagram now allows users to share directly to Stories from other apps such as Spotify and GoPro. Brands can now create unique interactive effects such as face filters and stickers for Instagram users. Instagram Explore introduces topic channels. And video chat is coming soon.
