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WhatsApp Tests QR Codes to Help Users Connect

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whatsapp tests qr codes to help users connect

QR codes feel like something of an underutilized option, a tool which does have significant potential value, but no social platform has really been able to tap into it as yet – at least not in western countries.

But still, there are plenty of QR code tools available – and this week, WABetaInfo has reported that WhatsApp has begun testing of its own QR code option, which will make it easier for users to share their contact info via QR scans.

WhatsApp QR codes

As you can see here, the new QR code option will enable users to either present their code for others to scan, which will share your WhatsApp contact info (and, WABetaInfo notes, your phone number), while there’s also a ‘Scan Code’ option to read other users’ codes.

Which, like all QR code options, is interesting – but is it really valuable? Are we utilizing QR codes as much as we, potentially, could be?

In China, QR codes within social apps are huge. As recently noted by Greg Geng, a VP at Tencent, which owns WeChat:

“In China, payment methods using QR codes have replaced cash and cards in just five years.”

Indeed, WeChat, which serves more than a billion daily active users, now facilitates some $14 trillion in mobile payments each year, while AliPay, another mobile app, handles almost $20 trillion. The two apps account for 92% percent of all mobile payments in the region, with much of that activity coming via QR codes, which users scan in at stores, train stations, bars – basically everywhere, immediately linking their online identity to their offline purchases.

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So why haven’t QR code options taken off the same way in the west? 

It’s difficult to understand the various market dynamics at play, but it seems that western users are more skeptical, and more concerned about data tracking and the like, which has limited take-up.

Facebook has tried – back in 2016, for example, Facebook added QR code-based offers, which would enable businesses to use unique QR codes to incentivize in-store purchases.

Facebook QR code

That seems like a good way to link on and offline purchase behavior – but they never became a major consideration, and we haven’t seen people subsequently rushing to scan in Facebook codes at stores.

More recently, in 2018, Facebook added new QR codes for Pages, in order to make it easier for people to connect with your business presence on the platform. 

Facebook QR codes

Facebook’s also tested QR codes for rewards programs, linking customer loyalty schemes more easily, but again, none of these options has really taken hold, despite the success of QR scanning within the Chinese market.

But it seems like it should work – it still seems like QR codes could be more valuable, a more utilized option among Facebook users. They’re just not seen as overly valuable as yet.

You know where QR codes could be helpful? Signing up to in-store loyalty programs. 

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Every time you go to buy something these days, the store assistant will ask if you’re a member of their loyalty scheme – which makes sense, as they want to sign you up so they can then retarget you with ads. And most of the time, if you’re like me, you say ‘no’ and ‘not interested’, not because you’re actually uninterested in their loyalty program, as such, but because who can be bothered going through the extra steps of giving over your details and/or waiting for them to look up your info on their system.

Maybe QR codes could help solve this – maybe, if QR codes could be used to immediately link your online info to the store loyalty program, that would provide a level of utility with the option that could make it more valuable. You just scan in a code, or provide your code to scan, at the point of purchase, then move on. 

Maybe, then, we’re looking at QR codes the wrong way, and retailers themselves need to see more utility in the option in order to enact such.

Or maybe they just won’t catch on. Either way, soon, you’ll be able to scan QR codes in WhatsApp, which could make it easier for more people to connect, more easily, within the app.  

Other options on business use may be worth investigating, based on the current tools available.  

Socialmediatoday.com

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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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