31 Oct Nextdoor, Facebook Payments, UNAIDS, Asian Businesses | Topics That Are Igniting
Nextdoor Launches the First Private Social Network for Neighborhoods
Nextdoor, the first private social network for neighborhoods, announced last week the nationwide availability of its free online platform specifically designed to foster neighbor-to-neighbor communication. On Nextdoor, neighbors create private websites for their neighborhoods where they can ask questions, get to know one another and exchange local advice and recommendations. Topics of discussion are as varied as local events, school activities, plumber and babysitter recommendations, recent crime activity, upcoming garage sales or even lost pets.
Bank To Launch App That Allows Payments To Friends Via Facebook
The mobile app, being launched by the Commonwealth Bank in Australia enables payments between friends on Facebook. The peer to peer payments within the app are activated via email or phone number using the phone’s contact system, or by accessing your Facebook friends. Your Facebook friend will receive a notification on their own profile that a payment has been initiated, and they can then contact the friend to obtain the unique code to complete and receive their payment.
Youth Invited to Design Social Media Strategy for UNAIDS
The United Nations has invited young people to create and shape the new UN strategy on youth and HIV/AIDS through an online collaborative project. The project, called CrowdOutAIDS.org, will use several social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, and blogs to crowdsource ideas. Anyone aged 15 to 29 will be able to submit and share their ideas and proposals for the strategy. The UN wanted to focus on this demographic because nearly 3,000 young people aged 15 to 24 become infected with HIV every day. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, said, “It is absolutely critical that we engage young people – not as recipients of our message but as the actors and creators of change.”
Asian Brands Finally on Board Social Media Trend
Asian companies are finally catching up with their global counterparts. 80% of companies listed on The Wall Street Journal’s ‘Asia 200 Index’ have a corporate social media presence, up from 40% last year. The results, released by PR firm Burson-Marsteller (BM) found that Asian companies are closing the social media gap in comparison with Fortune 100 companies. 84% of which use social media for marketing and communications. However, most Asian companies are only using their channels to push news and information rather than engaging in discussions with consumers. A study found only a third of the companies are using social media for outreach.
