The Week In Social: Maps, VR180, and Influencer tools

Snapchat location sharing

Touted as, “a whole new way to explore the world“, Snapchat launched their new location sharing feature this week. Users can share where they’re at with all their friends, a sub-group of friends, or go into “ghost mode” to hide their own location. More interestingly, snap has included an activity heat map. While in map view, users can see areas where the largest number of snaps are being shared. The map also includes local attractions and venues that have public snaps associated with them.

Read more at TechCrunch

Facebook tools for Influencers

Facebook will launch a new Influencer-focused app later this year. Designed for creators smaller than media companies, but larger than the average user, the app will provide tools that make sponsored content easier to produce. Called the Live Creator Kit, it enables easy integration of intros, outros, frames and more. The app will reportedly give creators user data, “to optimize future broadcasts.” This is the feature to watch. If social platforms provide standardized reporting specifically for influencers, expect that brands will require that reporting to evaluate campaign value.

Read more at Variety

YouTube: 1.5 Billion monthly users

1.5 Billion logged in users per month is a huge number, even if you don’t ask if that’s unique visitors or re-logs. In addition, YouTube reports that the average user spends more than an hour per day watching mobile content. Compare than 1 hour to the 4 hours of TV the average American watches daily. What YouTube didn’t report is the breakdown of content types that are being consumed. The question of YouTube’s viewership of UGC, brand content, and YouTube syndicated/sponsored content will determine how they compete with the likes of Hulu and Netflix.

Read more at Fortune

Forbes top influencers

Lily Singh, Brian Kelly, and Mark Fischbach made the notable list in Forbes quarterly report of top social media influencers. Naturally, their areas of influence cover broad demand: gaming, lifestyle, and entertainment. These influencers are getting their best traction exactly where you would expect: YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. However, their standout status lies in their ability to monetize other platforms such as Musical.ly and Twitch. The most successful Influencers can adapt to new platforms, and bring their audiences with them. That flexibility is translating into Hollywood partnerships and 7 figure campaign deals.

Read more at Forbes

FB’s new mission statement

The social platform’s reach and magnitude continue to stir questions of what part Facebook plays in how we come together. Zuckerberg announced this week that Facebook will go beyond providing tools that enable people to connect. Zuckerberg added, “We have a responsibility to do more, not just to connect the world but to bring the world closer together.” The proof in the pudding will be how Facebook prioritizes bringing people closer in a meaningful way, versus its business in media sales.

Read more at TechCrunch

Instagram Stories hits 250M users

Big companies report big numbers when closing out the quarter. Instagram reports 250 Million daily viewers are using Stories, compared to 100 Million daily users reported last October. The growth of users widens Instagram’s lead over Snapchat for mass popularity, and Instagram is seeking to keep the edge. With the new number comes the announcement that Story creators can opt to leave a live video as re-playable for 24 hours after the broadcast. This will keep the sense of urgency to tune in to creator channels, while opening the window for potential views of content.

Read more at TechCrunch

Facebook’s Creative Hub

You can focus group your TV ad. You can present boards to illustrate campaigns. But, to launch a Facebook campaign often means a lengthy back and forth of mockups, decks and emails. Then, to optimize a campaign, you must pull the performance metrics and evaluate strengths and weaknesses over multiple ad buys. Facebook wants to change this with the Creative Hub. The first step announced will be for easier ad mockups that can be shared with multiple stakeholders directly through the app. Facebook strongly indicates this could grow to include user testing in the future, a feature we would love to see.

Read more at Facebook

YouTube VR180

For many, 360 video is a bit much. It’s not just hard to capture, it’s difficult to consume. In reality, to fully enjoy 360 video, you need a VR rig, and open space, and a swivel chair. YouTube reports that 75 percent of users that watch 360 video are focused on the quadrant directly in front of them. In answer, the company is announcing VR180. It’s half the view, half the data, and far easier to consume with your Daydream or Playstation VR. The takeaways we see from this: If you’re going to go to 360 video, how are you using the full field of view effectively in your story telling?

Read more at TechCrunch

Social Celebrity? There’s a degree for that

Yiwu Industrial College near Shanghai is offering students the tools they need to become famous on Social. Courses include makeup, cultural literacy, and aesthetic cultivation. China has 700 Million people consuming content on mobile, and the market is competitive for would-be Wang Hong (social influencers). Of course, when your kids ask to major in Social Celebrity, recall your own parents face when you told them you would major in Classical Literature.

Read more at Mashable