Hardly an hour goes by without something happening in the world of social media. In our social media news roundup we look at the best stories from the past seven days.
Facebook continues Snapchat feature-pinching tirade with WhatsApp Status
Hardly a week goes by without Facebook repackaging one of Snapchat’s features as their own. This one was no exception. This time it is on the part of their messaging subsidiary app, WhatsApp. The major new feature is marketed as a substantial update to the originl text-only “status” feature – the one where users would have statuses along the lines of “out to lunch” or “busy” beside their profile.
WhatsApp Status is very much in the vein of Instagram Stories – which itself is an almost identical clone of Snapchat Stories. For this reason, the features will come as no suprise. WhatsApp Status lets users take photos, add stickers, text, drawings, and shares them to their contacts for 24 hours after which time they dissapear.
Twitter makes direct messaging with brands more personal
Twitter are attempting to make connecting with brands via direct messaging more personal with the addition of custom profiles. This means that when a user reaches out, businesses no longer have to respond with just their company name and can instead insert that of a customer service agent along with their photo. They believe this will help users feel more at ease knowing that they are talking to a person and not a bot.
Custom profiles are currently available through Twitter’s Direct Message API, which is currently in private beta – but verified brands can be whitelisted by filling out this form.
Instagram rolls out multiple photo uploads
Instagram have rolled out a major update in the shape of multiple photo uploads. For the first time users are able to post slideshows of up to 10 pictures. Multi-picture posts have been available to ads partners in the past and have now been rolled out to the public. Users can swipe left and right to flick between photos, however comments and likes will apply to the post as a whole.
Multiple photo uploads are available on Instagram version 10.9 for iOS and Android. Full details of how to post a slideshow are included in this article by the Telegraph.
User bags herself Instagram cruise dream job
Do you remember that incredible paid-internship that Royal Caribbean International were advertising for? In case you’ve forgotten, the chosen intern would have the opportunity to sail around the world for three weeks, snap three Instagram photos a day and get paid £3,000 for the privilege their work.
Well, after 75,000 applications the position has been filled by one Ciara Flynn, a tour guide from Dublin. She was chosen by judges after she submitted a photo of two young monks in Kathmandu. Congratulations Ciara – it’s safe to say almost every social media manager in the UK is incredibly jealous proud of you right now.
