Facebook Messenger Hits Major Milestone: What’s Hot in Social Media?
June 9, 2017
This week, Facebook Messenger reached a major milestone. In the first two months since launching Messenger Reactions, the social network announced the feature has been used more than two billion times. Meanwhile, Snapchat looked to improve its ad data and added new Bitmoji functionality in hopes of differentiating itself from the competition.
More details on why this matters, and what else is happening in social media below.
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Facebook Messenger Reactions Used 2 Billion Times in First Two Months
In March, Facebook added the ability for users to respond to individual messages within a Messenger thread with reactions. Reactions have proven to be popular on Messenger. Facebook reports that since launching in March, there have been over two billion Reactions sent.
Why does this matter?
In context, Facebook has previously released that over 300 billion Reactions have been used in their main app on page posts and comments. That equates to around 25 billion uses per month. Facebook marked the milestone by releasing a new infographic breaking down Messenger Reaction use. The heart eyes emoji is overwhelmingly the number one most-used emoji in Messenger.
Snapchat Improving Ad Data, Adding New Bitmoji Functionality
Snap is working to improve the visibility of its flagship platform. Snap is looking to be a more appealing prospect for advertisers, while also looking to boost the functionality of key features. In addition, Snapchat also added several new fun Bitmoji features.
Why does this matter?
While Bitmoji may not appeal to everyone, it is one differentiator that Snapchat has to its own advantage. The platform is looking to separate itself from Facebook and Instagram.
Publishers Using Facebook’s Instant Articles Can Share More Ads
Earlier this year, Facebook announced it would allow publishers to include more ads in their Instant Articles. Facebook began testing ad units at the bottom of Instant Article pages in March. All publishers will now have full access to the test.
Why does this matter?
The test involves placing a native ad unit in Instant Articles. The unit shows readers a relevant ad from Facebook’s advertisers. The initial test saw an incremental increase in revenue for participating publishers.