June 10, 2016
From viral sensations to new updates on some of the biggest social platforms, the web was full of interesting news this week. Here are some of my favorite finds from the past week:
- Chewbacca Mom gets the last laugh – The internet sensation continued to steal the spotlight this week after it was revealed that she has received an estimated $420,000 in gifts as a result of her viral Facebook Live video and has reportedly started charging $20 for her autograph.
- Publishers snap back – Snapchatgot another update this week and this time, it’s focused on attracting brands and publishers. The update merges the app’s “Discover” and “Live Stories” features in hopes that people will view more content from publishers alongside user-generated content. This change comes after publishers complained that their paid content was only receiving a small portion of traffic from Snapchat’s 100 million users.
- Gone (web)surfing – New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic shows that there are now more Americans working for online publishers and broadcasters than for newspapers. The report also shows that employment at newspapers has fallen by nearly 60 percent since 1990.
- Can you hear him now? – Sprint made a bold move earlier this week when they launched an ad campaign with their newest spokesperson – the beloved “Verizon Guy” who spent years asking America, “can you hear me now?”
- Twitter Insiders – Twitter launched a new hub where brands and agencies can go to fill their research needs. Dubbed “Twitter Insiders,” the new network is comprised of 12,000 users who are available for brands to test creative ideas, gather honest input and uncover market insights.