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Platform Pulse: The week?s mobile news from Twitter, Facebook Messenger and Google Now

In Mobile Marketer?s latest assessment of the platform news that matters for mobile marketers, Twitter?s partnership with Google?s DoubleClick should be on the radar for any brand active on social media while Facebook?s introduction of video calling on Messenger points to the company?s aspirations to build a messaging powerhouse. 

Much of the platform news in the past week was incremental rather than groundbreaking, from Snapchat delving deeper into news content to Google Now extending integration opportunities to 70 new applications. Twitter?s disappointing results suggests marketers are struggling with figuring out how to advertise effectively on the platform, a challenge the company hopes to address with the new DoubleClick partnership.  

?The biggest immediate impact is the Google and Twitter DoubleClick partnership,? said Tom Edwards, executive vice president of strategy and innovation for digital at The Marketing Arm, Dallas, TX. ?This move will further align the two and allow marketers to expand measurement and attribution across campaigns. The fact that Twitter inventory will also be available through DoubleClick Bid Manager is also appealing. 

?Facebook integrating video calling into messenger is another step towards a truly enhanced messaging experience,? he said. ?By launching messenger as a platform as well as a beta program tied to customer service, Facebook is looking to create a new avenue for 1:1 commerce. 

?It will be a wait and see approach for now but the more traction and engagement they can drive through messenger the higher the probability it will create new opportunities for marketers.?

Here are some of the platform developments from the week April 27 that potentiall have implications for mobile marketers: 

Facebook Messenger's mobile video calling
Users of the iOS and Android versions of the Facebook Messenger app will now be able to make video calls using both the iOS and Android version of the Facebook Messenger app in a move that challenges Apple?s FaceTime and Skype, which is owned by Microsoft. 


Twitter, Google DoubleClick partnership 
Under the Google partnership, Twitter will make its inventory available through the DoubleClick Bid Manager, helping clients who prefer to centralize their buying to create and manage campaigns on Twitter. The move is designed to improve ad performance measurement and attribution for direct response marketers. Twitter will look to enhance the measurement of when clicks or actions lead to a conversion so marketers can attribute purchases to Twitter ads across platforms. 

Twitter acquires TellApart
Adding TellApart to its ranks will increase Twitter?s ability to help performance advertisers reach users wherever they are, whether on desktop or mobile. TellApart?s specialty is dynamic product ads and email marketing for clients such as Neiman Marcus, Pottery Barn, Sur la Table and Wayfair.

Snapchat launches news division
Mobile messaging app Snapchat continues to build out its content strategy. In the most recent move, it hired CNN national political reporter Peter Hamby, who will reportedly become the platform?s Head of News, leading efforts to help partners such as Vice and CNN share the biggest news of the day. 


Instagram?s music-specific channel @music
In its first dedicated account for a specific topic, photo and video sharing social network Instagram has launched @music, which is focused on music and musicians. The move reflects the popularity of music on the platform, where one-quarter of the most popular accounts come from musicians, including numerous popular artists. The posts on this account include long-form content. If the strategy is successfully, other topic areas could follow. 

Google Now adds 70 new apps
Google has updated its app to bring Now cards from 70 new apps, easing access to important information from users? favorite apps. Google first started showing Now cards from other apps and has now extended the program to include ABC News, Spotify, Allrecipes, Adidas, OpenTable, Eat24 and more. For example, Eat24 users can receive reminders about when the food they ordered will arrive while Adidas users can receive gentle nudges to keep them on track with fitness goals. Google has not said when it will open up Now integration to all developers. 

?It is important to continually monitor platform announcements and new strategic partnerships,? Mr. Edwards said. ?As the platforms shift, we must look to create new use cases or adjust existing frameworks and attribution models to continue to create value and extend our marketing partners mobile investments.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York