The week in social: Instagram zoom, Snapchat games, and Facebook instant video

Instagram adds zoom feature to photos and videos

A feature that has been long requested by users, Instagram earlier this week introduced zoom for photos and videos. All users have to do is pinch two fingers together and expand them and they can zoom in on whatever piece of content they are viewing. Instagram however has not increased the maximum resolution of content so images can appear pixelated when zoomed in. The feature is presently only available on iOS, and will be on Android in a few weeks.

Tumblr introduces new post sharing feature

In an effort to make content more easy to spread and share around, Tumblr has introduced a “quick send-a-post” feature for Android users. Users can press down the airplane icon on the post they want to send, and then choose which Tumblr account they would like to send it to. The feature is similar to the quick reblog feature, and while this is presently only available on Android, the feature is said to be coming to iOS soon.

More information on Social Times.

Facebook improves analytics for apps

Facebook introduced app analytics at its last F8, and based on some time in market, new features are being introduced to make the experience better for app owners. First, people insights has been introduced, which allows app owners to see detailed demographics about the people using an app, without even needing to implement the Facebook login feature. In addition, push notifications and in app notification have been introduced, which allow app owners to serve their audiences specific messages depending on the required context. Additional features include improvements to event trends, deeper ways to break down user data, and sharing insights, which allow app owners to see which stories got shared the most from a site to Facebook.

More information on Facebook Developers Blog.

Facebook introduces instant video to Messenger

The latest in new features on Facebook Messenger, the service has introduced instant video. Instant video works slightly differently than video calling, in that the IM chat window is maintained on the mobile device, and just a small video window pop-up appears on the top right corner of the interface. The videos start muted by default, but can have audio enables with a tap. In order to use the feature, both users communicating with instant video must have the latest version of Messenger installed on either Android or iOS.

Twitter improving how creators generate revenue from videos

Twitter is working to help creators find more ways to generate revenue with video on the platform, ultimately a move to drive more creative content, and more user consumption, which in turn helps the platform itself grow. One new feature that are introducing is pre-roll video, which includes a revenue share model, control over whether or not to opt in, and customize which posts will feature pre-roll. The other major introduction is the availability of Niche, a company that Twitter acquired in 2015, which works with creators to match brands and co-create content, which in turn provides revenue generation opportunities for the creators. Lastly, the introduction of Media Studio, is a new home for video content creators, where they can more seamlessly access all available publishing tools Twitter has to offer.

More information on Twitter Blog.

Snapchat begins adding games to brand Stories

In a first for a platform that is always seeking to expand the way users experience its content, Snapchat, through ESPN’s Discover channel, has released a tennis game during the US Open starring Serena Williams where players can recreate her matching winning points in 8-but style. Interested users can also play the game on the web, but seemingly the experience was built specifically for Snapchat due to its simple one-tap controls.

Instagram is quietly testing recommended Stories

The new feature on Instagram, Stories, has taken off as a highly used, and highly prioritized method of content consumption from the company, appearing on the top of the mobile feed. Starting from earlier this week, some users will have started seeing recommended accounts for Stories atop their Explore tab. This is Instagram’s first foray into recommended accounts, as it will serve Stories based on algorithms. Approximately 100 million people access the Explore tab everyday, which makes this area ripe for showing off new featured content.

More information on TechCrunch.

Snapchat introduces templates for geo-filters

The on-demand geo-filter, introduced recently by Snapchat, now has a new tool to make creation even easier. The new filter templates allow less time to be spent in overall creation, and come for a range of activities including birthdays, weddings, and other special events. Users can choose a theme and then select a specific design, in addition to choosing text style and colors.

Pinterest debuts engagement targeting for ads

Because Pinterest has proved to be a popular platform for users with buying intent, Pinterest has introduced a new ad format that allows marketers to target based on who has actually engaged with specific pins. According to Pinterest, 87% of people have gone on to make a purchase if they find a product they want on the platform. Another new ad type is the Pinterest tag, which allows users on Pinterest to be targeted with an ad based on specific actions taken on a website. Lastly, a feature to tap into the above ad type targeting has been introduced called the act-alike audience, which creates new audiences on the platform based on the actions of the users targeted with other ad types.

More information on Pinterest Business Blog.