Blog

Subscribing to YouTube’s new service

Starting today YouTube are launching a pilot subscription fee on a small number of its channels. This development has long been muted by many technology commentators and places the video website alongside new social media startups such as Pheed in offering paid channels to its users.

Shows to Broadcast

Programmes that have already signed up to the new feature include Sesame Street and UFC. A subscription fee starting at $0.99 per month will apply to the content placed on these channels, with an option of beginning with a 14-day free trial.

The paid channel service follows on from the partner channel program which was introduced by YouTube early last year.

Focus on TV

Robert Kyncl, head of global content for YouTube has highlighted how the site is ready to take on TV as the main source for entertainment, saying that “TV is one-way. YouTube talks back… TV means reach, YouTube means engagement”. YouTube hopes to take TV’s mantle as the main entertainment channel for young people and it is not afraid to say it.

Summary

As the subscription fee service has just been launched on the site, it will be a number of months before we can properly ascertain if the new feature has been a success or failure. The chance to earn additional revenue may prove popular amongst channel owners and YouTube personalities but whether a significant number of YouTube audience feel the same way remains to be seen.

• Leave a Comment

Instagram playing tag

Instagram have just announced a new tagging feature for photos. Titled “Photos of You”, the feature allows Instagram users to tag one another, as well as products in photos uploaded to Instagram.com.

What’s new?

The tagging feature allows the creation of an archive of Instagram photos outside of the profiles which have created them. Although there has been trouble with tagging features on Instagram’s parent company Facebook, controls have been put in place on the photo-sharing site to allow users have a full handle over who can and cannot view tagged pictures of them.

Benefiting Marketers

The ability to archive photos looks like it may become a useful tool for marketers hoping to push their products on the Instagram platform. At the moment, no official paid adverts currently appear on the platform. Although products have been promoted by celebrities on the photo sharing application, Instagram receives no income from these activities.

“Photos of You” allows for brands to tag celebrities, athletes and even fans into gallery’s helping to increase exposure. The ability of users to now peruse photos all in the same place makes life easier for the casual Instagram member to engage with a brand.

Summary

Although not a huge leap forward, “Photos of You” does signal Instagram’s ambitions to become a leading social and marketing platform in its own right.

• Leave a Comment

Facebook turn a new page on mobile

Last week saw the launch of Facebook’s new Page layout for mobile. As nearly half of all Page views are now coming from mobile, Facebook have set about improving their Page profile UI to give both users and administrators a more streamlined and engaging experience.

New Look

Pages now have a cleaner and much simpler look. Relevant information is placed up front, making it easier to view on a mobile device. Prominent actions such as Like, Call and Share all now appear on the top of the page.

For page owners and administrators, new management capabilities have been added. Pinned posts created on desktop now appear higher on a page on mobile. Owners can also now switch between public and admin views directly from their mobile Page or by using the Pages Manager app (available for iPhone and Android).

The new mobile Page layout updates automatically and will be rolled out globally over the coming weeks.

Facebook’s focus is now “mobile first” and this new feature highlights Facebook’s commitment to mobile as their primary platform in the future.

• Leave a Comment