New way to feature tweets
Twitter is known as a fast-moving platform. Content comes and goes in just a few seconds or minutes. So, a while ago Twitter added the “pin tweet” feature to keep your best tweet in the limelight for longer.
But now, Twitter is taking a step further. They have been testing a new section on profiles called “Featured” tweets, as you can see from this screenshot taken from IFTTT Twitter account. In this section, you can add and keep your important tweets so that they don’t disappear on your timeline. You can add as many tweets as you want – a useful addition for brands willing to listen to their customers.
Twitter now supports larger GIFs
After increasing its video size limit from 30 seconds to 140 seconds, Twitter has announced this week that it is increasing the GIF size limit from 5MB to 15MB. Unfortunately, the feature is an exclusive to desktop users. For both mobile and desktop users, photo uploads stay at 5MB. The change follows the company’s recent attempts to loosen media limitations on the platform and make it easier to post non-text content. So, Twitter now allows the posting of longer GIF’s or high quality GIF’s.
Twitter increased gif upload limit. Now I can finally share the entire Matrix movie in a tweet! (cc @KingJames) pic.twitter.com/xpxNvm835b
— Ian Chan (@chanian) July 12, 2016
Instant Articles on Facebook Messenger
Facebook has declared that Instant Articles will no longer be limited to the main Facebook app. Only available in the latest app update on Android, Facebook Messenger now lets you view Instant Articles directly in the app. The feature will appear on iOS smartphones in the coming weeks.
Instant Articles are quick-loading versions of articles that Facebook users can view directly in the social network’s app where before they had to click on the link to see a preview or read the article. An Instant Article is indicated with a lightning bolt symbol on the top right corner of links shared in Messenger.
Facebook’s Instant Articles are heading to its Messenger app https://t.co/sVl03gLTfhpic.twitter.com/PsJ6if69qX
— Engadget (@engadget) July 14, 2016
First dual lens campaign on Snapchat
To promote the new Ghostbusters reboot, Sony Pictures has bought one of Snapchat’s sponsored lenses. The one-day campaign is the first campaign on the app using both sides of a phone’s built-in camera lens.
With the iconic music running in the background, when a user presses their finger to the screen to apply a Snapchat lens to their face, a Ghostbuster-sponsored filter pops up. Using the front-facing camera, users can shoot the character Slimer from the film with a virtual proton pack.
The @Ghostbusters cast and director @paulfeig take on Slimer with the #Ghostbusters @Snapchat dual-lens! pic.twitter.com/FjZayt7w1b
— Ghostbusters (@Ghostbusters) July 7, 2016