This morning, Instagram announced a new feature for the platform called Checkout. Checkout makes it quick and secure for users to buy the products they discover on Instagram. Online shoppers watch out, this new feature is targeted towards you!

Over the last year Instagram has introduced a number of updates simplifying things for users who love to shop, including in-feed product tags, product stickers in Stories and a shopping destination in the Explore feature. Instagram users revealed that they wanted more time and space before buying so Instagram made it easier to save and share products. Checkout enhances the shopping experience by making the purchase simple, convenient and secure. Users no longer have to navigate to the browser when they want to buy. Instagram has made it so each user has protected payment information in one place, so they can shop their favorite brands without needing to log in and enter their information multiple times. You now have the ability to just scroll through your Instagram feed, see something you like, then within just a few clicks it’s headed to your home. You don’t have to leave the app or visit some other site, it’s all right there.

Over the course of the coming weeks, people in the US will be able to use Checkout with brands such as Adidas, Burberry, Nike, and Warby Parker. Brands partnering with Instagram to utilize Checkout will be charged a selling fee. Being able to partner with Instagram on Checkout, will offer an elevated, seamless shopping experience for their audiences.

This is only the beginning for Instagram in terms of becoming a full-blown commerce business, they revealed that Checkout is just one part of their long-term investment in shopping and that they are excited to introduce even more ways for people to enjoy shopping on Instagram this year.

If your brand is interested in Checkout, reach out. We’ll get you set up!

Happy shopping!

In case you have been looking for the little magnifying glass on your Twitter’s Explore tab and you were wondering who let it loose, the answer is Twitter. What’s the reason? It was confusing for many people to see the magnifying glass both on the Explore and the Search tabs. To make it easier to distinguish between those two tools, Twitter decided to replace the magnifying glass on the Explore tab with a hashtag! What’s more Twitter than a hashtag, #amIright?

Because details matter pic.twitter.com/42UK2BL6Wu

— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) February 13, 2019

Now, that’s not all the news. They also developed an improved way of checking out user’s profiles or following them without having to leave your timeline, but only on iOS. All you have to do is tap the Twitter handle and boom! A profile pops up on the bottom of your screen and allows you to take a sneak peek at the user’s account and to follow them if that’s the move you are going for – it’s okay if you’re just stalking. Once you are done, just swipe down on the little window, and you are back on your timeline!

We’re testing an easier way to check out profiles on iOS without leaving your timeline! Simply tap any @ handle in a Tweet, take a peek, follow, and get right back to it. Let us know what you think! pic.twitter.com/dIUFxI2r4C

— Twitter (@Twitter) February 13, 2019

Additionally, in celebration of Valentine’s Day, Twitter has created a very cute animation to go with your affectionate – or not – Valentine’s Day tweets.

Roses are red,
Twitter is blue,
Like this Tweet
For a #Valentines treat,
(You know you want to) pic.twitter.com/sIAJAgrHvQ

— Twitter (@Twitter) February 13, 2019

“If I could turn back time

If I could find a way

I’d take back those words that hurt you…”

Cher may have said it best, but it’s been the cry of our Internet-obsessed generation for ages.

You’ve heard it before – “what happens on the Internet, stays on the internet…forever.” Once that message is sent, there’s no going back. Until now.

Facebook announced this month that users are now able to retract previously sent messages in Messenger within a 10-minute window. Email service providers like Gmail and Outlook have had this feature for a while, as well as social platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, but it looks like Facebook has finally gotten on board. Thank you, Mark Z.

The process is fairly straightforward. After sending a message – and as the regret starts to set in – simply press and hold the text you’d like to delete (or for desktop, click the 3 dots to the left of the message). Click “Remove” and you’ll be presented with an option to “Remove for Everyone” or “Remove for You”. Choosing the first will delete the message for everyone in the group, the second will only remove the message from your feed, but everyone else will still see it.

Before you go deleting all those drunk mistakes from last night, there’s a few things you should know:

1. Act fast! You’ve only got 10 minutes to delete the message. After that, you’ll only be able to choose the “Remove for You” option.
2. The evidence remains. Everyone in the conversation will be alerted if you delete a message, so you won’t be able to delete all evidence of your mistake.
3. Not for Business Manager. Unfortunately, at this time it doesn’t look like this feature is available for Business Pages users. Once you’ve sent that private message to a customer, there’s no going back. But you’re already proofreading that message before you send it…right?!

So, go forth, giveth and taketh away your messages! Delete mistakes with no limited evidence and stop blaming autocorrect for your errors.

For more information on the new Facebook Messenger feature: https://bit.ly/2MQnkye

Drumroll, please! Facebook recently dropped Premiere, which is Facebook Live plus all the benefits minus the shaky spontaneity of a live video. Forget about an impromptu stream – Premiere is yet another step towards carefully curated content designed to reap engagement, and that’s always a good thing in our book. With Facebook Premiere, brands can now debut exciting event announcements or videos without all of the stress and unpredictability of a live stream. Of course, you could just post or schedule your video – but trust us, this new feature can be your hypeman. Did we stutter? Facebook is giving you the option to send notifications and countdowns on social in addition to having users tune in and comment versus just posting and hoping for the best (like in the good ol’ days, ha). Why worry about ensuring things go off without a hitch when you can post content that’s pre-approved AND allows users to interact as they watch?

Fidji Simo, Facebook VP of Product for Video, puts it simply: “People will be able to experience Premieres of videos like movie trailers or new content from their favorite creators, alongside other fans together in real time — just like watching a Facebook Live video.”

So spread the word – tell your friends, tell your fam. Who doesn’t want to tune in to see how something plays out? Loyal viewers can subscribe to notifications so they won’t miss out on your Premiere video. Don’t forget, your video should be at least 30 seconds long and scheduled at least 10 minutes in advance. And if you’re into time management, you can schedule your Premiere at most 7 days ahead. When it’s all said and done, the video will live on your page like a published post. Good looks, Facebook!

For a full list of Premiere requirements, click here: http://bit.ly/2KBkxI7

Sources: Digital Trends and Marketing Land

On Wednesday (July 11, 2018,) Twitter announced that they’re finally going to deal with the locked accounts that have plagued follower counts for years – being dubbed the “Twitter Purge.”

If you’re not exactly sure what I mean by a locked account, it’s a handle that Twitter has flagged for sudden and drastic changes in behavior. Twitter, supposedly reaches out to the owners of said locked accounts to request validation and a password reset – which if that’s not followed through, the account remains locked.