Midweek Media Breakdown #13

Get the latest social media insights through a digital marketing lens – Here’s your weekly roundup, courtesy of The Graygency 👇

⬇️  #instagram brings back chronological feeds!

Remember the good ol’ days, when we were all posting blurry pictures of our brunch and pouty selfies? Back when our biggest problem was choosing which filter to use, Nashville or Mayfair? Well, looks like the good ol’ days are back… sort of.

In a nod to its early days, Instagram has finally reinstated chronological feeds. Users can now choose to see content only from their followers, or an even more specific ‘Favourites’ list, displayed in chronological order. However, this feed will not be the default—you’ve still got to manually select this viewing option each time you open the app. 

The move has stirred up quite the debate online, with many welcoming the change after six years of Instagram running an engagement-based feed. Smaller creators faced difficulty growing their audience, with their own followers often missing their posts. However, others have questioned if without a sophisticated algorithm, high-performing quality content will lose out on engagement, simply due to posting time. What type of Instagram feed do you prefer? Maybe it’s time to bring back some old trends to honour the revert to chronological feeds… brunch anyone? 

👻  #snapchat acquires NextMind 

Snapchat is well-known for its fun and wacky filters, however, it looks like the company is making moves to develop AR that does more than give you dog ears or makes you vomit rainbows. Snapchat has just acquired NextMind, a Paris-based neurotech company, in its efforts to develop new augmented reality tech. 

Prior to joining Snapchat, NextMind was known for developing ‘non-invasive brain-computer interface technology,’ enabling users to complete hands-free interactions with their devices. Basically, they built a headset that lets you control your devices with your mind…! 

By monitoring your neural activity, their system allowed you to push a virtual button, simply by focussing on it. Snapchat has reiterated that this technology does not ‘read’ thoughts or send any signals to the brain, but we can’t help but wonder if the writers of the next BlackMirror season are watching… 

♾️  #meta pushes 3D ads for Facebook and Instagram

In their latest move towards the Metaverse, the tech giant has announced a new partnership with social augmented reality company, VNTANA. Soon, advertisers will be able to upload 3D content on Facebook and Instagram, giving customers a more immersive shopping experience in the Meta marketplace. 

Using VNTANA, brands can upload 3D designs and have them easily converted to Facebook and Instagram standards. Customers will be able to view products from all angles, interacting with items as if they were in a physical store. Would you buy more online if you could shop in 3D?

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