Instagram Introduces New DM Features to Enhance User Connections
Photo Credit: Meta
November 25, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) — Social media company, Instagram, has announced new features designed to enhance direct messaging (DM) experiences for users. According to the company, these updates include over 300 new stickers, customizable nicknames, and location-sharing capabilities.
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The new sticker packs aim to make messaging more expressive, offering a range of options to capture moods or reactions. Users can favorite stickers from chats, reuse stickers shared by friends, or create their own using cutouts.
“Nicknames” is another feature allowing users to customize the names of friends or themselves within chats. Nicknames are visible only in DMs and can be changed at any time. This feature is intended to simplify lengthy usernames or add a personal touch to conversations.
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Instagram has also added location-sharing to make meet-ups more convenient. Users can share live locations for up to one hour or pin specific locations on a map within group or one-on-one chats. The feature is designed for coordination during outings or events and includes privacy controls to ensure user safety. Location sharing is currently available in select countries.
Source: Meta
Instagram Introduces Trial Reels for Testing Content with Non-Followers
Photo Credit: Instagram/Meta
December 17, 2024 (VSNewsNetwork.com) – Instagram has announced the launch of Trial Reels, a new feature that allows creators to test content with non-followers before sharing it broadly. The feature is designed to help creators experiment with new formats, topics, and storytelling techniques without impacting their existing audience.
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Trial Reels are displayed exclusively to non-followers, providing creators with insights into how their content performs before deciding whether to share it with their followers. After 24 hours, creators can access engagement metrics such as views, likes, comments, and shares. Additionally, Instagram provides performance comparisons with other trials to help creators evaluate the content's success.
Creators can enable the feature by toggling the "Trial" option during the reel creation process. Trial Reels are not visible on a creator's profile grid or Reels tab unless they are later shared with all followers. Instagram also offers an automated option, allowing Trial Reels to be shared with followers if the content meets certain engagement thresholds within 72 hours.
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Trial Reels have been in testing with select creators earlier this year. Instagram reports that feedback has been positive, with creators finding the feature effective for reaching new audiences and refining their content strategies. The feature is now rolling out globally to eligible creators.
For more information about Trial Reels and eligibility requirements, visit Instagram’s Help Center at www.help.instagram.com.
Source: Instagram
Meta Introduces New Educational Resources to Boost Engagement on Threads
Photo Credit: Meta
October 21, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) – Meta has announced the launch of new educational resources designed to help users of its platform, Threads, improve engagement and visibility. According to the company, these resources aim to provide users with best practices, data-backed tips, and content examples from successful creators to enhance content creation and drive conversations on the platform.
In the announcement, Meta highlighted several insights already helping users grow their audience. For example, replies account for nearly half of the views on Threads, suggesting that joining conversations can increase reach. Additionally, posting frequently—at least 2 to 5 times per week—has been linked to higher impressions per post, and humorous content has shown to receive more views. According to Meta, combining text with video or images, and posting during weekends, can further boost engagement.
The new resources are available on the Threads website and include detailed advice on how to create more engaging and discoverable content. Topics that generate high levels of replies include TV and movies, fashion, sports, and travel, among others.
"We created Threads because we think everyone has something worth saying, and we want you to be able to create a community around your best ideas and most interesting thoughts," the company stated. Meta plans to continue adding more insights and stories from successful creators in the coming months.
To read the official announcement, click here.
To learn more, visit the official Threads website.
Source: Meta
Snapchat Introduces Sponsored Snaps and Promoted Places for Advertisers
October 11, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) – Snapchat has announced the introduction of two new advertising formats, Sponsored Snaps and Promoted Places, which are now being tested with launch partners Disney, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell. According to the company, these new placements are designed to enhance how businesses engage with users across two widely used features on Snapchat: the Snap inbox and Snap Map.
Sponsored Snaps allow businesses to deliver full-screen vertical video messages directly to Snapchat users. The Snap appears in the user’s inbox, distinct from other Snaps, and is opt-in, meaning users can choose whether to view the message. If a user does not view the Sponsored Snap, it will be removed from their inbox. Businesses can include a call-to-action link in the Snap, allowing users to respond directly or visit a designated webpage.
Promoted Places, the second new feature, highlights specific locations on the Snap Map to help users discover businesses they may want to visit. The Snap Map, which is frequently used for exploration, will showcase these places of interest, potentially increasing foot traffic. According to Snapchat, their internal data shows that marking a location as a “Top Pick” on the Snap Map results in an average visitation lift of 17.6% for frequent Snapchat users.
Snapchat is also exploring future enhancements to these features, including potential integrations with CRM systems and AI chatbot support to facilitate easier interactions between businesses and customers.
Read the full press announcement here.
Source: Snapchat
Reddit Expands Machine Translation Feature to 35 New Countries
Photo Credit: Reddit
September 30, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) – Reddit has announced the expansion of its machine translation feature to more than 35 new countries, allowing users to translate their Reddit feeds, including posts and comments, into additional languages. This feature, which was initially rolled out to users in France earlier this year, is now available to Redditors in countries such as Brazil and Spain, with plans to extend to Germany, Italy, the Philippines, and several nations across Latin America in the coming weeks.
According to Reddit, users can now access the translate icon in the overflow menu of the app to translate content into their preferred language. This function enables users to participate in discussions and contribute to communities in their own language, while posts and comments will be automatically translated into the native language of the community.
The new feature will be available across mobile web, apps, and desktop platforms, providing a seamless experience for users regardless of the device they use to access Reddit. For example, a user in Spain who typically uses Reddit in Spanish can now follow and engage in French-language discussions by translating the content into Spanish.
As part of this rollout, Reddit will also make it easier for people to discover content in their own languages through search engines. Translated Reddit content will begin to appear in search engine results, further broadening the platform's accessibility.
This machine translation feature is expected to enhance user interaction and community engagement on Reddit by breaking down language barriers and encouraging diverse conversations.
View the official announcement here.
Source: Reddit
Instagram Launches Teen Accounts with Enhanced Safety Features
Photo Credit: Meta
September 17, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) – Instagram has introduced a new feature called "Teen Accounts" to enhance safety and privacy for teens using the platform. The update aims to provide built-in protections for users under the age of 16, addressing concerns about who teens interact with and the content they see online. The new feature also includes parental oversight, ensuring a safer and more age-appropriate experience for young users.
Instagram Teen Accounts automatically apply privacy settings that limit interactions and content exposure for teens. These protections include private accounts by default, restricted messaging options, and sensitive content controls. Teens will also be able to choose topics of interest for a more personalized and positive experience on the platform. To ensure responsible use, notifications will remind teens to log off after 60 minutes of daily use, and a sleep mode will mute notifications between 10 PM and 7 AM.
Parental involvement is a key aspect of the update. Teens under 16 will need parental permission to modify any of the built-in protections, and parents will have access to additional supervision tools, including setting time limits for daily Instagram use and blocking access during specific times.
Instagram’s Teen Accounts will be implemented within 60 days in regions such as the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, with plans to expand to the European Union and other Meta platforms in the future.
For more information on Instagram’s Teen Accounts click here.
Soure: Meta
YouTube Introduces Contextual Notes Feature for Video Content
Mock Display: For Illustrative Purposes Only ● Photo Credit: Youtube
SAN BRUNO, Calif., June 17, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) - YouTube has announced the launch of a new feature aimed at enhancing the viewer experience by adding contextual notes to videos. This feature, which is currently in the testing phase, allows users to provide relevant and timely information directly under video content to help clarify and contextualize what viewers are seeing.
The initiative builds on YouTube's previous efforts to add context to videos, such as information panels and requirements for disclosing altered or synthetic content. The new notes feature is designed to address various scenarios, such as indicating when a song in a video is a parody, alerting viewers to the availability of new versions of a product, or clarifying when older footage is being shown as a current event.
Initially, the feature will be available on mobile devices in the United States and will be presented in English. YouTube plans to learn from the pilot phase and refine the system based on user feedback. The company anticipates that there may be some mistakes during the test, such as notes that may not be fully relevant or contain inaccuracies. However, these issues will be addressed as part of the learning process to improve the feature over time.
During the initial rollout, a limited number of eligible contributors, chosen based on their adherence to YouTube's Community Guidelines and their active participation on the platform, will be invited to write notes. These contributors will help test the feature and provide feedback for further development. Viewers in the U.S. will start seeing these notes appear on videos in the coming weeks.
In this test phase, third-party evaluators will rate the usefulness of the notes. These evaluators are the same individuals who provide feedback on YouTube’s search results and recommendations. The evaluation will help train YouTube's systems to better identify and display helpful notes. Over time, YouTube plans to expand the feature and allow more users to contribute and rate notes.
The notes will be publicly visible under videos if they are deemed broadly helpful. Users will have the opportunity to rate the notes as “helpful,” “somewhat helpful,” or “unhelpful,” and provide reasons for their ratings. The feedback will be used to improve the feature and ensure that the most valuable information is displayed.
YouTube's new contextual notes feature aims to provide viewers with more relevant information and help them better understand video content. The company is looking forward to receiving feedback from users, contributors, and creators to enhance the feature and support overall information quality on the platform.
Source: YouTube