Founders of Vine hit back with ‘Hype’
Vine founders’ Hype app blends live video into a rich multimedia mix https://t.co/uoGbBoYaJh
— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) October 31, 2016
Days after Twitter announced it was pulling the plug on Vine, the co-founders are bouncing back with a new video streaming app called Hype. The live video service will allow users to share content while streaming, something unique to this platform. Hype will be up against Facebook Live, Go Insta and Twitter’s own Periscope, but Hype creators are confident their innovative approach will give them the edge.
Branded Content is no longer just for Verified Pages
.@Facebook Moves Celeb, Influencer Profiles Under Branded-Content Policy (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/KVukdPcFpx
— Variety (@Variety) October 26, 2016
Facebook Verified Pages have been able to share branded content since April, and this week, the social media platform extended the feature to Verified Profiles. Celebrities, athletes and influencers can now tag their sponsorship deals, so long as they follow Facebook’s guidelines. Although a great step towards transparency, the decision may truly stem from Facebook’s desire to make money off these posts, hoping brands will pay to promote the content.
Instagram is about to make mobile shopping a whole lot easier
Instagram is making a bigger push for online shopping with new mobile tools https://t.co/dRlRKURRCo pic.twitter.com/n0CA9R9l10
— Forbes Tech (@ForbesTech) November 2, 2016
Instagram is launching a new feature next week to make it easier for users to shop within the app. The social media platform is partnering with several brands for the release; tapping on a photo will tell users about the product and its cost, and the ‘Shop Now’ link will lead directly to the business’ website. With 84% of US smartphone users browsing products on their mobiles, Instagram acknowledges behavior is changing and believes e-commerce is the way to go.
If you stream it, they will come
2.1m watch table tennis on Facebook Live #digisport https://t.co/kd46BXHdm0 pic.twitter.com/pf10cckyF6
— Digital Sport (@DigitalSportUK) November 3, 2016
Who knew the world loved table tennis so much? Table Tennis England teamed up with The SPORTbible to broadcast England’s European Championships qualifying match on Facebook Live, and 2.1 million people watched. Even more impressively, the stream aired at the same time as a Champions League football match between Manchester City and FC Barcelona, once again proving the power of live video on social media. With new sports broadcasting deals popping up with the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Hulu, it seems companies are ready to embrace audiences on a digital platform.
