The Inbox Diaries is a series designed to help busy entrepreneurs keep up with all the latest news in small business, marketing, and social media. I'm scouring my inbox every day for interesting tidbits - so you don't have to.
This Week's Stories:
Facebook Releases Slingshot App
Facebook's much-rumored answer to Snapchat is finally here - and not all that much like Snapchat. Sure, Slingshot lets you casually share candid moments with friends, but Slingshot is more different from Snapchat than it is similar. Here are a few key features of the new app:
- Users can add text and rough illustrations to the images they send ("shots")
- Unlike Snapchat, Slingshot comes with the ability to send to multiple users
- Upon receiving a shot notice, a user must SEND a shot in order to view it
This last feature will probably turn off a lot of potential users (myself included). People want to view something when they get notified of its existence - not whenever they have time to stop what they are doing and send a response. TechCrunch points out that this app thrives on curiosity, which will hopefully work out for Facebook - instead of just creating throngs of frustrated ex-users.
The Yo App Is Real, and Brands Should Take Note
Once upon a time, a CEO asked an iOS developer to create a simple app that would allow him to summon his assistant without having to type out a whole text message. The designer told him it was a silly idea, but eventually ended up creating the app. That app was called Yo, and it's suddenly gained a lot of popularity - and financial backing.
For anyone feeling like they've previously experienced a technology that allows you tell someone they need you without telling them why, you have: it was called a pager. Personally, I would put the people who use Yo in a mental category with people who call and don't leave voicemails. Now I have to wonder what you needed until I take the time to call or text you myself (and I AM going to cave and do it).
And while using Yo for personal interactions does not appeal to me personally, I do not share some people's confusion about why investors are throwing money at it. To understand the potential they see, look no further than the app's current trick: users can add "WorldCup" to their user list to receive a Yo every time a team scores. It doesn't take a psychic to see how this could be offered to brands in the not-to-distant future.
LinkedIn Makes Job Searching Simpler
While most of the readers of this blog either own or aspire to open a small business, that doesn't mean job apps don't apply to you (pun intended). You might be looking for a part time job to supplement your income while you grow your business, or you might be looking to add some employees once it becomes a success. Either way, the new LinkedIn Jobs app might appeal to you.
The app, introduced on June 19th, is intended to serve as a one-stop shop for job seekers. It's streamlined, beautifully designed, and fully customizable to your searching needs. If you are offering a job instead of seeking one, you'll benefit from LinkedIn Jobs because it lowers to the barriers to qualified candidates finding your listing.
Have you tried any of these new apps? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
The post Inbox Diaries: The New App Roundup Edition (Yo, Slingshot, LinkedIn Jobs) appeared first on Marketing Mojo for Small Business.