Facebook is testing out a new format for users' timelines in Canada and Brazil that looks a lot like Snapchat's default screen. The Olympic-themed setting opens up to a camera when the application is accessed on a mobile device. That's not the only new aspect, the social network is also adding in animations, stickers and filters for user images; right now many of these aspects are Olympic-themed with flags and even facepaint. What's interesting is that just a day prior to this Facebook change, Instagram (who's also owned by Facebook) incorporated a 'Stories' feature that replicated Snapchat.
The direction of social sharing and content creation has changed from simple text-based formats, once seen on Twitter and Facebook statuses, to more visual formats. Apps like Instagram, Vine, Snapchat and Periscope have led the way when it comes to incorporating and encouraging quick real-time images and videos created by users.
Selfie-Focused Social Feeds
Facebook's New Feed Features an Olympic-Themed Camera as its Focus
Trend Themes
1. Visual-first Social Feeds - The shift towards more visual formats in social media feeds presents opportunities for businesses to create visually appealing content and engage with their audience through images and videos.
2. Real-time User-generated Content - The popularity of apps like Instagram, Vine, Snapchat, and Periscope highlights the demand for real-time user-generated content, providing businesses with an opportunity to leverage this trend by encouraging user-generated content and leveraging it for marketing purposes.
3. Emphasis on Augmented Reality - Facebook's addition of animations, stickers, and filters to user images, particularly with an Olympic theme, demonstrates the growing emphasis on augmented reality in social media, creating opportunities for businesses to incorporate augmented reality features and experiences into their marketing strategies.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - The trend of selfie-focused social feeds presents an opportunity for social media platforms and management tools to enhance the visual features and capabilities of their platforms, allowing users and businesses to create and share more visually compelling content.
2. Advertising and Marketing - The shift towards more visual social feeds and real-time user-generated content provides advertising and marketing professionals with opportunities to create innovative campaigns that leverage visually engaging content and tap into the power of user-generated content to increase brand awareness and engagement.
3. Augmented Reality - The emphasis on augmented reality in social media feeds opens up opportunities for companies specialized in augmented reality technologies to collaborate with social media platforms and brands to develop interactive and immersive augmented reality experiences for users.