Joe Cronin brings us the 5 hottest moves, shakes and shocks from the world of social media.
Facebook expands shops globally
Facebook has expanded Facebook Shops globally after a testing period in the US. The update lets users buy products directly from a seller without leaving the app. For brands and retailers, a new tab in the mobile app named Facebook Shop has been introduced to facilitate these transactions. It's also added customisation features including 'new design layouts for featuring multiple products, real-time preview of collections as they are designed, the ability to automatically create Shops for new sellers, and new insights to measure results in Commerce Manager.'
Facebook calls time on its classic design
After it was first announced at Facebook’s F8 2019 conference last May, the platform’s extensive redesign of its desktop experience is due to become the only option, sometime over the next month. Changes in the new layout will include Dark mode, larger fonts, a more simplified layout, and easier access to sections – such as events, Facebook Watch, Groups, and Stories.
Pinterest tests 'labels' to bring more context to product Pins
New Popular and Bestseller labels are being tested on Product Pins so people can see which products are trending based on what other Pinners have been buying. Updated sale prices will also be added next to the original prices on Product Pins so users can spot deals. The company said aggregated product ratings will come from retailer websites. The Shopping Spotlights section has also been updated with more editorial options, including detailed information on articles so that publishers and influencers can lengthen article descriptions and better organise stories into sections and types of products.
Facebook helps users search Black and minority owned-businesses
Facebook has announced that it is adding a new feature that will make it easier for users to find Black-owned businesses on its platform. Soon, Black-owned business will have the option to self-identify as such on their Facebook Page, which will allow them to appear in the ‘Black-owned Businesses’ subsection on the platform’s ‘Business Nearby’ tab. Other minority-owned businesses will also be given the option to identify as part of their listings.
Facebook’s new AI dance choreographer can teach you some new moves
Facebook‘s AI team have developed a new system that creates original dance routines for any music that you feed it. The system creates entirely new routines that are “synchronized and surprising” — “the two main criteria of a creative dance,” according to Facebook. The company claims the system can vanquish the choreographer’s equivalent of writer’s block. Frustrated dancers need only play it a song, and the system will analyse the tune and spit back some original synchronized moves.
