The week in social: Snapchat revenue, Pinterest Explore, and Vimeo profiles

Facebook Live now allows broadcast scheduling

For users who manage or own a verified Page, it is now possible to schedule a Facebook Live broadcast up to a week in advance. The purpose of this new feature is to allow an interested audience to build up over time, and users can join a lobby now up to three minutes before the broadcast starts. The link to a scheduled broadcast can also be shared on Facebook and send around via other means. The feature is accessed through Live API Publishing Tools.

More information on Facebook Media.

LinkedIn changes endorsements feature

According to LinkedIn, the endorsements, a feature where a colleague can highlight a skill that a user possesses, have been given 10 billion times. The company is updating this feature to make it more relevant to users who are browsing profiles. First, the endorsements that are most relevant to a user will be highlighted on a viewed profile. They will also see endorsements that are made to a particular user by those they are personally connected to, adding additional relevance. The feature is live on the mobile apps presently, and will be rolling out to desktop as part of the overall experience redesign later this year.

Instant Articles on Facebook now support 360 content

Instant Articles are Facebook’s method of hosting publisher content directly within Facebook itself, so that a user can load this content faster, and not have to be directed outside of Facebook via a mobile browser or separate application. To make the experience richer, Facebook is now bringing 360 video and photo, a feature previously saved for status update content, to Instant Articles. The content will function in the exact same way, and it offers publishers a chance to provide this content within long form editorial that Instant Articles calls for.

Vimeo introduces changes to profiles

Vimeo has made several changes to the way profiles appear in order to help the overall user experience. The new layouts feature less individual components to remove a previously cluttered feel, and instead of links, videos are now featured as clickable icons. Users can also now choose and order featured videos, something that has been available on YouTube for quite some time. Lastly, Vimeo has introduced cover videos, which function just like cover photos do on other social networks, but instead it is a video that loops silently at the top of the user profile.

More information on Vimeo Blog.

Instagram Stories are now part of the Explore tab

Instagram Stories was introduced as a real-time way of sharing content on the platform, in stark similarity to Snapchat’s Stories feature. Instagram Stories previously have appeared on the main home feed of the mobile application based on accounts that the user follows, but now, suggested Stories feeds are being shared on the Explore tab as a way for users to discover more content. A post from Instagram states that the suggestions are based on user activities and interests, and according to the post, more than 100 million people visit the Explore tab each day.

Pinterest introduces its version of an influencer program

Called the Pin Collective, Pinterest has introduced a new program whereby advertisers can be paired with expert creators on the network in order to create content that will help bring new audiences to their brands. The creators are hand picked by Pinterest itself, and for now the program is in a pilot with a small group to choose from. Pinterest has introduced options for users to contact Pinterest if they want get involved as an influencer creator, or if they are a Fortune 500 company who wants to become involved in the program as a business advertiser.

More information on Pinterest Blog.

Snapchat aiming to change its ad revenue with Discover partners

In a shift that mimics the ad revenue models from television and other traditional media, Snapchat wants to start buying its Discover content from publishers in the up-front, and keeping all the revenue generated from ads on those channels for itself. It would ensure that the publishers gain a specific about of money from selling their content, however scaled gains may not be possible due to the slightly unpredictable nature of ad performance. The new terms have been proposed over the last couple of weeks while the company prepares for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) to take place in 2017.

More information on Recode.net.

Pinterest is planning an Explore section fueled by publisher content

Pinterest is planning a new channel on its network, that will be fueled by publisher and advertiser content, not completely dissimilar to what Snapchat does with its Discover tab. Content on this section of the network will be multimedia in nature, with videos and other rich content. According to coverage in AdAge, a person close with the development of this section has stated that the content will be a place for users to discover content that is trending and popular. The prevailing rumor is that the section with be called Explore, similar to what Instagram has in place.