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Meta Announces the Closure of Facebook Campus, its School-Aligned Social Network Experiment

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Meta Announces the Closure of Facebook Campus, its School-Aligned Social Network Experiment

While it was interesting to see Zuckerberg getting back to his college roots, it comes as little surprise to report that Meta has now decided to shut down its ‘Campus’ internal school network experiment.

Originally launched in September 2020, Campus was essentially designed to function in a similar fashion to Facebook Workplace, with separate, enclosed Facebook networks for each college campus, enabling better connection and community-building among students.

Membership to each campus network was only available to those with a verified college email address, and the idea was to create a social space for students to help keep them socially engaged, particularly during the pandemic.

But evidently, it hasn’t caught on as Meta might have hoped.

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As explained by Meta (via TechCrunch)

“We’ve decided to end our pilot of Facebook Campus. We learned a lot about the best ways to support college students, and one of the most effective tools to help bring them together is Facebook Groups. We’ve notified students in the test schools that Campus will no longer be available, and have suggested relevant college Facebook groups for them to join.”

Those who have signed up to Campus are also now seeing this notification in the app:

As noted, the closure is no big surprise, given that students already have a range of options to connect in various social apps, including dedicated Facebook Groups, while the fact that Campus is part of Facebook, which doesn’t have a great reputation for privacy, may have also played a part in its limited take-up.

According to TechCrunch, Campus has been made available in 204 US colleges and universities in total.

The closure will likely have limited overall impact on Facebook engagement, but it is interesting to note, in a broader context, how this aligns with Meta’s narrowing focus as it looks to the next stage of social connection.

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Facebook has shut down almost all of its app experiments, which had been launched by its New Product Experimentation (NPE) team over the past few years, while it’s also now re-aligned the NPE team around a new goal of building for and with communities that have “historically been overlooked, underestimated, and undervalued by our industry”.  

“We’re expanding from our current US footprint to build with and for communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and scaling what works there across the globe. We need to be more intentional about building with proximity to how the world looks today, and how it’s going to look tomorrow. In time, this is how we’ll learn to identify universal experiences.”

The NPE team will subsequently be less focused on trends (i.e. identifying the next TikTok or Snapchat before it can gain traction) and more on understanding different communities, and the uses of social apps, and creating new economic opportunities in developing regions.

It seems that Meta is moving on from challenger mitigation, in line with its metaverse shift, which really is the big focus, in developing new apps and experiences that can tie into the next stage, as opposed to stemming the flow of users away to other apps.

In some ways, that could be seen as a concession, with apps like Snapchat and TikTok already gaining a foothold in its key market, and reducing its overall presence. But then again, Meta’s reach is unmatched, and with Facebook usage declining in developed markets, maybe now it makes more sense for Meta to focus on new uses, in new regions, as it looks to play a more significant role in the framework of the digital transformation in these nations.

Which will then enable it to connect more people into its metaverse experiences, and shift away from traditional apps.

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That, overall, seems like the biggest impetus, re-aligning its development focus on the next stage, as opposed to tracking app trends and trying to beat out emerging players in the market.

Because the market itself is about to change, and within that, apps like Campus just won’t matter as much in broader context.




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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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