In 2013, messaging apps became a hot topic in the mobile sphere, but there is still no hands-down dominant service in the U.S. Facebook upgraded its offering in the text messaging space by revamping the two-year-old Messenger app, adding free calls and stickers, following the lead of Asian messaging leaders Line, Kakao Talk and WeChat. The service also added real-time statuses to allow users to tell if their friends are online or on mobile, and phone number-based messaging to allow connections to non-Facebook users. While Messenger might not be as full-featured as its Asian counterparts, don’t write it off just yet, as Facebook’s 1.2 billion active users could serve as a starter user base for the service to become as dominant a player in mobile messaging as it is in online social messaging.
Tag: messaging
Brands Tackle Snapchat’s Discovery Problem
Snapchat is more brand-friendly than many assume. While content is made available for 24 hours at best through Snapchat Stories and there are no paid reach opportunities, the limited nature of the platform fosters exclusive. The 1:1 messaging creates an unparalleled intimacy as users feel like they are receiving a private message, unlike a Facebook status which could be seen by the world.
The main issue will be discovery given the rudimentary search functionality. Some brands have become very savvy about leveraging Snapchat exclusives to grow a user base and doing so through other media platforms. Take Acura, for example, which introduced its NSX prototype in a 6 second video to the first 100 people who added them or 16 Handles which uses the service to deliver exclusive coupon offers.
MTV Promotes Upcoming Show On Snapchat
Brands and Snapchat don’t go hand in hand, but that’s not stopping racier companies from joining in. The latest to jump onboard is MTV who is using the temporary messaging platform to release “Hangover-style” photos and videos promoting their upcoming show, Geordie Shore. With 200 million messages sent per day, Snapchat could be a cheeky way of distributing content among a younger audience.
Burn Note’s Self-Destructing Messages
Mobile app, Burn Note lets users discreetly share messages that self-destruct after a selected period of time. In a world of privacy concerns, Burn Note’s communication is increasingly in-demand whether sharing passwords or secrets.
Facebook Tests “Self-Destructible” Messages
Have you ever wanted to send lewd pics on Facebook, but worry about them getting into the wrong hands? Now your fears may be over as Facebook has begun testing a messaging app that supports impermanent photo sharing. Similar to popular mobile app, Snapchat, the photo messages will automatically delete in a matter of seconds. Facebook’s latest experiment represents a move toward more intimate one-to-one communications that’s definitely got our attention.
