iWorld
Facebook adds LiveRail to its kitty
MUMBAI: The news of Facebook acquiring video advertising company, LiveRail didn’t really come as a surprise.
It was in March when Facebook first began offering 15-second video ads for a limited number of companies on its website. The company has moved cautiously in introducing video ads on its social network to prevent a backlash from users who might find the ads annoying.
This acquisition is the social media company’s latest step to make video ads a bigger part of its business.
According to Reuters, Facebook has not disclosed the price for the San Francisco-based company, which was founded in 2007 and has offices in several countries.
It can be noted that LiveRail’s technology automatically pairs video ads with the videos that appear on many websites, such as Major League Baseball, ABC and A&E Networks website.
The report on Reuters also states that video ads command higher prices than other forms of online advertising such as banner ads. Facebook and other internet rivals like Google are increasingly trying to grab a slice of lucrative TV-marketing budgets as they try to sustain rapid growth.
For records, it was early last year that Facebook bought Whatsapp for US$19.5 billon.
It will be interesting to see how Facebook ropes in brands to scale its video advertising inventory in the coming days.
iWorld
Instagram rolls out Valentine’s Day features for posts and chats
Limited-edition fonts, stickers and chat themes add a playful romantic touch
MUMBAI: As Valentine’s Day nears, Instagram and its companion app Edits are sprinkling a little extra romance across timelines, Stories and chats. The platforms have unveiled a limited set of creative features designed to make posts, reels and messages feel more heartfelt, more playful and a touch more dramatic.
From themed fonts and animated text to love-soaked sticker frames, the updates aim to help users turn everyday moments into something more expressive. Whether it is a romantic snapshot, a galentine’s shout-out or a cheeky DM, the tools are built to add colour, personality and a festive glow.
On Instagram, users can experiment with new fonts and text effects for Stories and Reels, wrap photos in Valentine’s-themed frames and tag loved ones with custom mention stickers. Even the comments section is joining the fun, with certain phrases unlocking hidden themes and animations. Notes are getting a seasonal twist too, with hint text and secret phrases designed to keep conversations light and interactive. Meanwhile, chats can switch to a Valentine’s theme in both dark and light modes, giving DMs a cosy, love-letter feel.
Over on Edits, creators get a few extra tricks. The app now offers themed fonts, romantic sound effects such as harp music and heartbeat tones, and dramatic speed controls that can push reels up to 100 times faster for comic or cinematic flair.
The Valentine’s features on Instagram will be available from 12 to 16 February, while the creative additions on Edits are here to stay. Together, the updates turn the season of love into a small digital festival, where a simple post can feel like a card, a chat like a note passed across the room, and a reel like a miniature love story.
