There is only so many users that social networks can expect to sign up at a point. There are populous regions of the planet that simply don’t have sufficient Internet to find new users. As a result, user engagement has become the focal point of Facebook, Twitter and others as they look to further monetized their platforms.
Mark Zuckerberg’s “secret” apps on his “yellow app” phone
It shouldn’t come as a terrific surprise that Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, gets to try out apps not yet rolled out to the public and he has a phone full of these “yellow” apps.
Recently, during a video streaming event focused on the launch of Facebook Live, the smooth-skinned, baby-faced tycoon and Facebook founder pulled out his iPhone and showed those watching the event the “yellow” version of the Facebook Live app. His position in the world and on Forbes’ Billionaire list already inspires envy, so all of us “green” people watching hardly had a problem watching him demonstrate something we may never see, but rather a potential build that showed the possible future.
Apparently, and hardly a surprise, the 20-something CEO gets to try these things before they are, or are never, released to the public (if only in the U.S. to start).
Unlike on my phone, your phone or your friend’s phone, the “What’s on your mind?” space on Zuckerberg’s phone really wants to know. It’s always open and he touches it, a wealth of options are opened up for him to chose from going forward as he tells the public “what’s on his mind.” It was really something to behold; it was equally beautiful, practical and provided no shortage of app envy.
That single tap provided the Zuck with the options to colorfully (selections are color specific) start a Facebook Live broadcast , change your status or simply share a photo among other options.
Facebook wants engagement
Little changes profoundly affect how we view something new. Even if it’s the same as before with no more than a few cosmetic changes, that’s often enough for our brains to think something is new. Hell, that’s how my cats do it. I generally ask for a box when I go to the grocery store as a box is more suited to the floor of my scooter than bags that dump the contents on the street. While there are often a number of boxes stacked in my kitchen, my cats don’t care.
But, two cats that hate each other can be found sleeping together in a box the same night it arrives in my house more often than not. Then, no interest in boxes from either until the next arrives.
And that’s what Facebook is after, stripping its app of monotony so you share more.
Quite simply, Snapchat users create and share more than your average Facebook user who is more inclined to simply share others’ content. Hence, Facebook Live and whatever else Mr. Zuckerberg has hiding on his phone.
It’s rumored that Zuckerberg and Facebook are working on something revolutionary when it comes to music sharing but until we see it, well, it’s just a rumor isn’t it?
GIF posting is also in Facebook’s future if rumors are to be believed. Twitter and Snapchat make it easy and Facebook surely won’t want to be left behind in this arena.
In a report by The Information, Facebook users sharing declined by 5.5% between the warmer months of 2014 and 2015, while people also seemed to be waking up to the fact that posting personal information could cost them both a present and future job.
Zuckerberg pointed out that he’s not just being a twat showing you what he has and you don’t.
“Not everything there’s gonna launch. Some of it will over time,” he pointed out after showing those in “attendance” his phone.
Live from Facebook HQ for the Live video launch!
Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday, April 6, 2016
