This week’s top stories included Snapchat spurning Facebook’s $3 billion offer, significant platform updates from Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest, and a first-of-its-kind Spotify partnership from BRAVO. Find out more below and check out some of our other blog entries this week in the recap at the bottom of this post.
Snapchat Holds Out on Facebook’s $3 Billion Cash Offer
Per reports published earlier this week, Facebook allegedly offered $3 billion in cash to buy popular photo app, Snapchat, but the app’s CEO, Evan Spiegel, turned down the proposal. According to sources, Snapchat is waiting until 2014 in hopes of a better offer.
Snapchat’s growing popularity among the teen demographic makes it a real contender in the social media arena. With Twitter’s market capitalization of $25 billion after going public a few weeks ago, and Facebook’s known worth of over $100 billion, it should be interesting to see how the app evolves – especially when it comes to future brand opportunities.
BRAVO and Spotify Partner to Create Storyline Inspired Playlists
In the first US TV Spotify deal ever, 360i client, BRAVO, has partnered with the music sharing-app to create playlists for shows premiering this month. Along with the much anticipated premieres of shows like “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Vanderpump Rules,” the network has released playlists to complement each episode.
The playlists will evolve to reflect how the storylines unfold throughout the season, being updated weekly by a deejay following each episode. The songs will be available on BRAVO’s Spotify page via mobile and desktop apps. And for entertainment brands with strong followings, this opens up a new way of delivering content and engaging fans.
Just Salad Geo-targets on Foursquare
Salad restaurant chain, Just Salad, became one of the first businesses to try out Foursquare’s new ad option: a sponsored listing in the Explore tab. With more and more web traffic coming directly from mobile, brands are being presented with even more options to reach new audiences. A major benefit of Foursquare Ads is that the advertiser is only charged when a customer takes an action after seeing the ad, promising better ROI measurements. Additionally, the location-focused platform allows brands to track how many check-ins their ads are generating.
Photo via Mashable
Platform Updates This Week: Twitter, YouTube & Pinterest
This week brought several major updates across key players in the social space. First, Twitter unveiled its new Custom Timelines feature on the heels of a recent visual overhaul to Twitter’s timeline. Custom Timelines allow brands to easily curate content without the help of a third-party technology.
Second, YouTube announced that it will now require users to log in with a Google+ account prior to commenting on videos. More than just improving the quality of YouTube comments, this move hints at Google’s bigger desire to more deeply integrate Google+ within its other properties. Read our blog post on the update to learn about the major brand implications.
Finally, Pinterest has just unveiled its public API, allowing web developers to embed recent, trending and most-clicked pins (ones which update regularly according to what users are pinning). This update brings a more seamless user experience, allowing users to pin content directly from websites. Some initial partners include Zappos, Target, Wal-Mart and BuzzFeed.
Browse more headlines from the 360i blog:
- 5 Best Practices When Creating Facebook Content for Hispanics
- Brand Journalism Tips: How to Find the Right Voice for the Right Audience
- Ben & Jerry’s Debuts Short Form Social Responsibility Content Series
Cover photo via Business Insider
