Facebook is in works to roll out the trending news feature. The trending news feature will have its link in Facebook’s main application. The new design will be made available to the iOS and Android users.
Switch from Trending Topics to Trending News Feature
Earlier, Facebook would offer users suggestions relating to trending topics. The switch to trending news feature will let the users know about the latest content making it to the top. The company is already working on making content consumption a lot more engaging.
It will let the users know about the content available on different topics. They would also be able to determine their friends’ opinion on the trending topic. They would also be able to know what a famous person may have to say about it.
Upon clicking the trending news feature, you will see a carousel of stories. You will be able to horizontally swipe to know the stories making it to the top. Facebook will factor in the publisher behind a story as well as overall interest before including it into its trending news feature.
A New Design Approach for the Facebook Trending News Feature
Facebook wants to make the trending news feature as engaging as possible. The new changed format includes a picture, the title or headline, and the source or name of the publication. You will also find a link where you can read the same story by other news outlets.
The new design has moved away from the previous approach. In the previous format, each trending news item would only appear with the headline, publishing source, and title. The new format with a picture will make the stories a lot more attractive to read.
More Experimentation with the Showcasing of News Content
Facebook earlier said that it was also testing feature three of the hottest news stories on the top. The Facebook’s integration of mini trending news section is only limited to a few users. Social media giant is still not sure if it will roll out this mini trending news feature or not.
Facebook may not be comfortable with the changes it is making to the news section. The company last came under criticism when it fired its human editors. The technology and algorithms it chose to replace the human editors could not deliver the intended results for the end users.
The growth in the user base means more work in certain areas. Therefore, the company is also working to filter bubbles and address the problem of fake news. Facebook is working to add more options for its users to increase the stay time on the website. Similarly, the company is working to expand its market share. The secret launch of Colorful Balloons in China exhibits Facebook’s aggressive market growth strategy.
