More than two years have passed since the #DeleteFacebook campaign called attention to some of the dangers posed by social media. The Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which millions of Facebook users suffered theft of personal information eventually used against their will to help Donald Trump become President of the United States, was the spark of the campaign; later, the revelations about the social network’s inability to suppress propaganda and misinformation gave fuel to the #DeleteFacebook movement.
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and CEO of Facebook, has not been the smoothest operator with regard to addressing the multiple controversies surrounding the social network, but he has made earnest efforts to contain the fires. At the same time, Zuckerberg’s executive team and product managers have been rolling out improvements and new features to ensure that business owners continue to promote their companies on the network. One of these features is the ability to post 3D photos, and it has had an interesting trajectory since it was introduced around the same time #DeleteFacebook started trending.
The Technology Behind Facebook 3D Photos
The engaging use of visuals is a proven strategy in the world of marketing and advertising. This is what Facebook had in mind when it rolled out 3D photos in 2018; back then, the feature was only available to users of the flagship Apple iPhone at the time. About a year later, 3D photos were expanded to Android smartphones and tablets equipped with front and rear cameras. In 2020, even users of feature phones with a single camera are able to create three-dimensional photos; furthermore, any digital image can be given a 3D effect thanks to the combined magic of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.
Modern smartphones with dual-camera lens systems are able to take 3D photos as long as the right mobile app is used; this is made possible by sensors that measure depth detected between the two lenses. With the latest version of Facebook 3D photos, a machine learning construct analyzes digital images and injects them with a simulation of three-dimensional depth. All the 3D photos taken by Facebook users over the last few years have enabled the AI to learn how to transform 2D images into 3D versions.
When you post a 3D photo along with a Facebook update or add, users who are browsing on smartphones will notice that they can tilt their devices for the purpose of experiencing the neat 3D effect. The accelerometer sensor in the smartphone is what makes 3D visuals possible, and they really stand out on the Facebook News Feed.
Other Ways of Making Visual Engagement Work for You
Branding is the first element of marketing that should jump out on every visit to your company’s website. This is the same effect that you want your social media pages to create. In addition to your logo, there should be banner images that speak about your company or else provide a thematic visual; for example, when the holiday shopping season begins, you will want to switch your Facebook or Twitter banners to a snowy scene, presents, or treats.
If you are not using an image editing application, you are falling behind the curve because your competitors are more than likely using them. The idea is to make every image look as good as possible. When you consistently post images that look great, social media followers will be drawn to your updates.
Vertical videos have bucked the trend of panoramic production. Remember the days when digital videos were meant to be played on computer monitors that stretched out on landscape mode? Those days are pretty much over because social media netizens are now more likely to use their smartphones, and not many of them are turning their devices into landscape mode. This new generation of videos are no longer than 60 seconds, and they are meant to be viewed in portrait mode.
Giving social media followers a choice between staying within the network or going to your website is something you can accomplish with the right visuals. Let’s say you create an infographic about engagement ring trends throughout the decades; in this case, you can produce one static version for Twitter or Facebook, but you could also have an animated and interactive version on your website.
Finally, you really want to start pivoting towards short videos, particularly animated visuals. According to surveys published by Social Media Today, internet users tend to enjoy animations in ways that rival live videos; the secret is in the production values of the animations.
