SOCIAL
Pinterest Adds New AR ‘Try-On’ Tools for Eyeshadow, Expands Product Tagging Within Pins
With eCommerce on the rise, Pinterest is looking to facilitate more capability in assessing and comparing products, with the expansion of its AR ‘Try On’ tools to better replicate the in-store shopping experience.
After launching its lipstick Try on Pins with selected brands early last year, Pinterest is now expanding its AR overlays into eyeshadow as well, with new, shoppable eyeshadow Pins showcasing products from Lancome, YSL, Urban Decay, and NYX Cosmetics.
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Courtesy of Pinterest
As explained by Pinterest:
“With eyeshadow Try on, powered by Lens, Pinners can tap into visual search and AR technology to try on and shop beauty products right from the camera on their phone. Simply click the camera icon in ‘Search’ and start browsing different shades of eyeshadow, try on in-stock shades, and purchase products.”
As you test out different shades, Pinterest will highlight relevant Pins to match your choices, helping you find the right product aligned with your look.
The new eyeshadow Try On pins can also be viewed in conjunction with the existing lipstick Try On tools, so you can test out variations of both make-up types within the same process (you can see this in the second image above).
Pinterest says that the new virtual eyeshadow experience is now live across more than 4,000 shoppable shades, while its lipstick Try On experience is active with more than 10,000 color options.
“Eyeshadow Try On is also integrated with skin tone ranges, so Pinners filter results by makeup that best matches their skin tone, and can visualize results on others with Related Looks recommendations.”
It’s a good addition, which aligns both with the noted rise in eCommerce, and with the emergence of AR tools to provide more engagement and interaction options. Indeed, Pinterest notes that
“Pinners try on an average of six lipstick shades and are 5x more likely to show purchase intent on Try on-enabled Pins than standard Pins.”
AR, overall, is set to see significant growth in 2021, with the likely arrival of AR-enabled glasses and more advanced visual effects options facilitated by developments like Apple’s LiDAR technology in latest model iPhones. Snapchat’s also working to incorporate more product-related AR functionality into its camera, with scannable bar codes and logos to activate additional features.
Pinterest, which saw big growth in 2020 as a result of more people looking to shop for products online, has been developing its AR and visual recognition tools with a specific focus on product promotion – which leads into the next announcement: an expansion of its product tagging tools.
“In October we announced updates to make product tagging more seamless with a new design and functionality for retailers to tag their own scene images with specific products, and now we’re starting to open the feature in beta to a growing number of advertisers. In the coming months we’ll launch product tagging to creators to tag in-stock products in their own Story Pins.”
Story Pins could soon get a lot more focus in the app, with a current test that sees the addition of a new Stories bar on the home screen of the app.
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That could make product tagging within Story Pins even more valuable, while the expansion of product tags into more elements will also provide increased capacity for item promotion within your Pin efforts.
In some ways, Pinterest replaced the physical shopping mall for many users during the pandemic, providing a simple option for browsing a wide range of artisan products, in order to find exactly what you’re after. The dedicated focus on shopping discovery has made Pinterest increasingly relevant in this respect, and with increased usage (Pinterest is now up to 442 million MAU), that’s also seen the platform used for an even wider range of shopping and discovery behaviors. That now includes people searching for new cars, the latest tech items, and even financial planning advice.
Aligning with rising trends like AR and Stories can only further benefit the platform in this respect, while it also provides fresh considerations for marketers seeking additional avenues to connect.
SOCIAL
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.
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.
SOCIAL
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.”Â
“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.
“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.
SOCIAL
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.
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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