Brief:
- Facebook is rolling out a new in-app feature that lets users take 360-degree photos, share them with friends and use the images as Cover Photos, according to TechCrunch. The functionality will work on both iOS and Android.
- In addition, the social network will now allow the use of 360-degree images from any source as Cover Photos. The moves mark the first change ever to Facebook's support standards for Cover Photos, TechCrunch said.
- In a post on the Facebook 360 page, the platform indicated that the new feature was developed in response to user feedback. The company also said it is starting to roll-out zooming functions and spatial tagging for 360 photos.
Insight:
Facebook has quickly embraced 360-degree photo and video, a light form of virtual reality (VR) that's easier to integrate directly onto mobile devices. Expanding 360 photo to users in-app shows the format is only gaining traction; if users start to create and share more 360 photos, that means marketers and publishers won't be far behind, and some are already using the tactic to bolster social media efforts.
360-degree photo and video can drive engagement, letting users interact with media and pick and choose what to look at. Marketers including Pringles and Honda have created ad campaigns for Facebook using 360 presentations. More recently, healthy snack brand Kind let users explore a physical installation in New York City via 360 video hosted on its official page.
Photos and videos delivered via this medium can be more complicated for brands to deploy well, but there are benefits beyond interactivity, providing positive SEO boosts by keeping users engaged on a page longer.
