With September being back to school season, for social media it meant back to business! And for Instagram and Snapchat, the month was especially busy, with both platforms introducing ecommerce integration to make in-app purchasing easier than ever. Twitter also announced two initiatives to better manage user experience on both the front and backend of the platform. Online, Nike’s latest ad campaign sparked major controversy, but ultimately paid off for the company’s net worth. Continue reading to catch up on all the industry news you may have missed in September!
Social Media
Instagram Expands Shopping Features to Take on Amazon
This month, Instagram announced two ecommerce features for the app, including the ability to shop from Stories and dedicated shopping channels within the app’s Explore tab. Shoppable stories began testing in June, and to date is available in 46 countries globally. The Verge has even reported that Instagram may be rolling out a standalone app dedicated to ecommerce in the near future.
Snapchat is Partnering with Amazon to Let Users Shop Through Their Smartphone Cameras
Snapchat recently announced ecommerce integration with Amazon, allowing users to simply point, shoot, and shop! Users will have the ability to scan an object or barcode, bringing them to a screen showing the product or similar products to browse through. After perusing, users can click the product, directing them to their Amazon app or website browser for purchase.
Twitter Will Let You See Your Tweets in Chronological Order Again
Twitter users rejoiced earlier this month when the company announced it would allow users to view their timelines in reverse chronological order once again. The platform switched to an algorithmic timeline in 2016, which was not well received by users. The company reported that they are researching a way to easily switch between both types of timelines, an option that users may see being tested in the coming weeks.
Instagram Founders Resign to ‘explore our curiosity and creativity again’
Instagram co-founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, announced their resignation from Facebook, which bought Instagram back in 2012 for $1 billion. 2018 has been a less than stellar year for Facebook, as Systrom and Krieger join a list of seven other Facebook executives who have resigned over the past nine months.
Snapchat is Letting Users Register to Vote from its App
With over 100 million active North American users, Snapchat rolled out a new feature to easily allow users over the age of 18 to register to vote in the upcoming midterm elections. Users will receive a link within the app, launching a Snapchat-brand Turbovote site where users can easily register to vote. Additionally, Snapchat plans to release a push notification and highlight the feature in relevant news stories within the app.
Twitter Releases New Policy on ‘Dehumanizing Speech’
Later this year, Twitter is planning to implement a policy to protect users from “content that dehumanizes others based on their membership in an identifiable group, even when the material does not include a direct target.” Twitter has given users two weeks to participate in a survey, to receive feedback on whether or not the policy is clear and cohesive, before going ahead and implementing it.
Industry News
Colin Kapernick Pushes Nike’s Market Value Up $6 Billion, to an All-Time High
Honoring the 30th anniversary of one of the world’s most famous slogans, “Just Do It,” Nike revealed Colin Kapernick, the former NFL player, as the latest face of the brand. Kapernick sparked major controversy in 2016 for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism. The ad’s tagline emphasized, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Protests immediately broke out across social media, with angry customers burning their Nike gear. Initial reaction to the ad cost the company, however by mid-September, the company’s stock rose by over $6 billion, proving that the risk paid off in the long run.
