Policing social media sites is no easy task, because users can post almost anything they want, often without consequence. Other users can report inappropriate content, but it's not possible for social networks to remove every post that violates their guidelines.
Avid Instagram users love the photo-based, social-sharing site for its cool filters and image-editing tools. However, some odd features and a lack of important functionality degrade the overall experience and limit creativity. Here are five simple things Instagram could do to vastly improve its social network.
Among all the talk of rookies, holdouts, fresh starts and, of course, the never-ending Deflategate conversation, there's buzz around a new topic at NFL training camps this year: virtual reality (VR). Several teams in the NFL are testing VR during summer practices in hopes of giving players new perspectives, in-depth data during film studies and a leg up on the competition.
Millennials challenge many of today's traditional business practices, so it's not surprising that they are also disrupting corporate leadership. The millennial generation isn't attracted to the money or recognition associated with leadership positions. Rather, they want to be leaders to inspire others, make a difference in the world and lead companies that care about more than the bottom line, according to a new survey from Virtuali and Workplacetrends.com. Nearly half of the 412 millennials surveyed (47 percent) say they are motivated to be leaders because they want to empower others, while only 10 percent care about legacy, and 5 percent say they'd take a leadership job for the money.
After traveling all day, the last thing you want to do is wait in a long line to check into your hotel. And when you finally get to the front desk, it seems like the hotelier has to type a million keystrokes into the computer before finally handing you your room key.
Pinterest is comprised entirely of static images, making it a slam-dunk destination for businesses pitching products that lend themselves well to photos. But companies that sell services – such as financial, insurance or utility companies – can also find marketing success on Pinterest. They just have to think a little more creativity, but it's worth the effort. Pinterest is the fourth-largest social network and is projected to have 50.7 million users in 2016 (almost half of them millennials), according to eMarketer.
Many social media apps have features that show up when you swipe in different directions, or functionality that isn't visible at first glance. But Snapchat might have ‘em all beat because it has a handful of hidden features and gestures that are only discovered through frequent usage or word of mouth. Frequent users of Snapchat may have noticed several places within the app that display numbers and emoticons, but most people either don't know these features exist or don't know what they mean.
Yahoo, a trailblazer in the world of online fantasy sports, recently released a daily fantasy service, and the company plans to use its experience to compete with pioneers such as DraftKings and FanDuel in the daily fantasy market. It was a natural move for the fantasy sports mainstay, which launched its first offering in the late 90s, but it required technology innovation.
Consumers increasingly rely on smartphones and social media to discover and research products of interest, but relatively few people go on to make mobile purchases, according to new research from Synchrony Financial. Specifically, 45 percent of respondents performed shopping-related tasks via mobile, up 4 percent since last year, but only 18 percent of browsers went on to purchase a product using a mobile device. Mobile discount offers are also popular, with 66 percent of respondents regularly using them, but that number is down from 71 percent last year, Synchrony says.
Today it's easy to transfer money, make payments, and buy goods and services in countless ways outside the walls of a bank or retailer. In fact, physical visits to banks are down 30 percent since last year, and the use of mobile banking apps is up 33 percent, according to a new survey from Chase. Banks are embracing new technologies and evolving consumer habits to engage the next generation of customers.
Millennials, now the largest generation in today's workforce, think mentoring is the most effective and most desired type of career development training, according to a November 2014 Virtuali survey. However, millennials generally aren't satisfied with corporate training programs, including mentor opportunities. Companies need to be more creative when structuring formal programs and also encourage their millennials to seek both internal and external mentorships.
Millennials are more willing than Gen Xers and Boomers to pay for premium loyalty programs, such as Amazon Prime, but these older generations are also beginning to see value in paid programs, according to a LoyaltyOne Consulting survey of more than 1,000 consumer respondents ages 18 to 65. Specifically, 76 percent of millennials would consider joining a fee-based rewards program from a favorite brand, compared to 61 percent of Gen Xers and 48 percent of Boomers.
Marketing via "influencers" used to mostly mean professional athletes pitching expensive shoes or supermodels selling slick sports cars. Today, some brands put products in the hands of "Internet influencers," many of whom have even larger audiences and more reach than the brands.
When millennials encounter problems with products or services they typically try to solve issues on their own, but if they need customer service or technical support they want a rapid response via online chat or social media, according to a recent survey performed by Kelton Global for Salesforce's Desk.com. These self-service, on-demand expectations are beginning to rub off on Gen X-ers and Boomers, as well, and they're resulting in wake-up calls for many companies.
The ways millennials use technology are changing how companies brand themselves to attract young talent. However, according to a new study from the CMO Council and Executive Networks, most marketing and HR leaders don't have brand strategies that align with millennial preferences.