On April 12, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke at the company’s F8 developers conference. After opening with a moving speech about keeping everyone connected in an ever-changing world, Zuckerberg then unveiled Facebook’s bold 10-year plan. No stranger to innovating how we interact online, Zuckerberg has his sights set on a bright and bold future for Facebook and digital interaction.

Messenger: Chat Bots

A change coming in the near future is the introduction of chat bots into Facebook’s Messenger platform. Zuckerberg views this new feature as an opportunity for “you to message a business like you would message a friend.” Currently in beta testing, some businesses and brands, such as CNN, 1-800-Flowers, Health Tap, and Spring have implemented a chat bot into Facebook Messenger. This enables businesses to reach customers in real time, and deliver automated customer support through social media. For example, if you want to order shoes or flowers, engage the chat bot in Messenger and type a simple statement like “I want shoes”. The chatbot is designed to interact with your input, and will respond with suggestions or deliver support based on your messages. So buckle up- the bots are coming!

Live Video

With real-time interaction becoming a big trend in social media, Facebook has introduced its version, built right into its platform. With other social media channels like Snapchat and Periscope paving the way for real-time video streaming, Live Video enables a user to live-stream content right into followers’ newsfeeds. Zuckerberg demonstrated this by employing a drone to film and stream the keynote speech to Facebook using Live Stream.

Virtual Reality/ Augmented Reality

Zuckerberg’s sights are set on a long-term plan for Facebook that involves the development and revolutionizing of VR and AR technologies. Currently we are witnessing the race to innovate with VR and AR technologies with products like Google Cardboard and the Oculus Rift. Facebook acquired the Oculus company in 2014, and at this year’s F8 conference, they revealed a design for a high-end 360 degree video capturing system called “Surround 360”:

17 synchronized cameras record 8k video at 60 frames per second. The result is high quality video footage that can be uploaded with very little post-processing, making it ideal as the next-level of video posting on Facebook.

We’ve scratched the surface of the announcements made on Tuesday, and there’s more to come on April 13- the F8 conference is a two day event. With every passing year, social media networks are finding new and improved ways for us to connect using digital media. Social media has evolved from a simple instant messaging application to a global network; where you’ll soon be able to share high-def 360 video on your Facebook profile. It can be tricky navigating the ever-changing world of social media, but if you have the right ally you can rise to the top of the social media game. Qode Social is Toronto’s  best social media marketing company and we are here to help you get you on your social media A-game. Contact us today to set up a meeting, or call us at 647-951-0763- we look forward to working with you!