The Week in Social: Live Instagram, Live 360, and Live Twitching

Facebook Live 360!

Not to be outdone by Google’s 360 announcement, Facebook partnered with NatGeo to broadcast a 360 live stream from the Utah Mars Desert Research station. The trick was, there were no VR headsets that could see it, no spatial audio, and no 4K resolution. Facebook has declared all users will have access to the feature in 2017. The important conclusion, Facebook intends to continue fighting tooth and nail for dominance in the coming landscape of social broadcast media.

Twitter Live Video!

Twitter has continually blurred the lines of separation between itself and Periscope. This leaves many to wonder why they continue to be two separate apps. This week, Twitter announced that users can broadcast natively from Twitter, no longer needing to switch over to Periscope. Twitter is hoping this addition will provide their influencers more ways to connect to their established audiences, while deepening Twitter’s position as the social network where live news happens.

Read more at Mashable

Instagram Live Video!

Instagram announced the addition of live video some weeks ago. This week, users across North America noticed the feature being rolled out in their apps. The addition of live video follows capabilities such as ephemeral messaging and story-format posts, all of which are features that have been well established elsewhere. This month has seen multiple social channels vie for continued live-broadcast competition, and we expect to see the feature battle continue through 2017.

Read more at Mashable

Twitch to broadcast IRL

Twitch kicked off in 2011, enabling video gamers from all corners of the world to broadcast while they play. Six years later, many of those gamers who have become adept a creating compelling content for their communities are asking for more. What do they want? The means to connect further with their viewers by letting them follow and view them in their every day lives. “In Real Life” will launch on the Twitch network in 2017, and will allow content creators to stream live from their Twitch mobile app.

Read more at Mashable

Instagram hits 600M users

Whether you love or hate the algorithmic feed, however you feel about their copying features from competitive apps, or whatever you think of the changes made in the last three months: Instagram is growing in a big way. Instagram increased monthly viewers by 200 million in the last year alone, and have grown 550 million monthly users since Facebook bought the company in 2012. Brands should be looking at whether Facebook will prioritize continued growth and stability, or opening the floodgates for paid media opportunities.

Facebook to buy its own shows

Facebook can’t win video viewing dominance with user generated content alone. This week, there have been murmurs that Facebook is looking to step beyond simple UGC and content partnerships. The new deals are rumored to be beyond the, “money for whatever you produce” model. In new direction, Facebook talking to TV studios to produce specific content series that will be exclusive to the Facebook network.

Facebook and the fake news

One of the biggest media focuses since November has been the impact of false stories being spread across social channels. Immediately following the election, many fingers pointed at Facebook. Zuckerberg initially deflected the issue by claiming that Facebook is a Technology Company, not a media company. Unfortunately, Zuck’s comment is the exact opposite of his comment from 2014 that Facebook should be a perfect personalized newspaper.

In the wake of the continued demand for more accountability, Facebook is partnering with outside agencies to flag its most popular but spurious stories. Snopes, Politifact, and the AP are among those tagged to contribute. Furthermore, Facebook has also announced it is hiring an executive to lead the Global News Partnerships team. The new position will serve as the voice for Facebook in the developing news ecosystem.

How Memes conquered our hearts & newsfeeds

Memes: they’re easy to create, simple to share, and quickly digested. Single images with a little text can convey a simple idea that makes us grin, laugh, or cringe. At a deeper level, memes help us quickly connect and comfort in a hyper busy world. Jaja Liao provides a wonderful metric and emotional insight into how the meme has become ubiquitous across our social channels.

61% of women will not engage with a sponsored post

We continue to watch as brands jump onto the influencer marketing wagon. The difficulty for marketers is that for every good influencer campaign out there, there are seven more that are garbage. Thankfully, women are saving us. A full 61% of 20,000 women surveyed stated they won’t engage posts that don’t feel genuine. Another 36% said they will not engage with a post they know was paid for by a brand. Consumers grow more savvy with every impression. As a result, it’s critical for brands to use influencers in a focused, relevant manner.

When Bill Gates is your Secret Santa

Fun Fact: Bill Gates puts his name in the hat for Reddit’s Secret Santa every year. This year’s package included: a new Xbox, a cajun cookbook, and a matching set of owner/dog mittens. The icing on the cake: a signed photoshop of the recipient with the world’s richest person.

Read more at Mashable