Skip to content
General

Facebook could combine two important parts

By Aiko Tanaka
1 min read
Facebook Vietnam
Facebook Vietnam
In this article (5)

Facebook is split into so many products these days that it’s hard to keep track to everything the social app has to offer if you’re not a hardcore user. News Feed, Stories, Messenger are just some of the features that Facebook has made available to users throughout the years.

The reason Facebook split its app into so many pieces is quite simple: monetization. Well, it appears that the social giant has found a way to make even more money by combining, rather than dividing, two of these features: News Feed and Stories.

The changes spotted by software engineer Jane Manchun Wong indicates that Facebook is testing a new format that will combine News Feed and Stories into a one swipeable, hybrid carousel.

It will allow standard feed posts and ads to be placed inside Stories in the same carousel so that users would be tempted to swipe through them more often than not, which translates in more views and better monetization of content.

The GIF posted by Jane shows how a user seamlessly switches between a News Feed story and a Stories video, inside the hybrid carousel. The feature has been discovered in the Android version of Facebook, but if the company does indeed plan to make it available, it will be present on all supported platforms.

Questions & Answers

Q.

Which specific features is Facebook considering combining?

A.

Facebook appears to be testing a new format that will merge its News Feed and Stories features into a single experience.

Q.

What is the primary reason behind Facebook's decision to combine these features?

A.

The social giant aims to generate more revenue, as combining these features could lead to more content views and improved monetisation.

Q.

How will the combined News Feed and Stories feature function for users?

A.

The new format will create a single, swipeable, hybrid carousel where users can smoothly switch between standard feed posts and Stories videos, including adverts.

Q.

On which platform was this new feature initially discovered?

A.

The feature was initially discovered in the Android version of Facebook, though it would likely be rolled out to all supported platforms if implemented.

Reader pulse

Is combining News Feed and Stories a smart move for retailers?

19,346 votes so far

Weekly Briefing

Asia's retail intelligence, in your inbox

Tuesday, Thursday and a Saturday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

  • Top industry moves and market shifts
  • Weekly data-driven analysis from across Asia
  • Tuesday, Thursday and the Saturday Weekly Wrap

Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.

Protected by a quick human check. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe in one click.

SecureGDPR ready