Facebook adds Twitter-like ‘trending topics’ feature
Facebook launches Trending Topics on web with descriptions of why the topic is popular.
Facebook has launched a redesigned Trending section on web, to highlight most popular words and phrases. Each topic will also have a short description along with it, which will mention why the topic is popular.
Facebook will place the Trending feature at the top right of people’s News Feeds. This ‘Trending’ section which is at the right side-bar will pick up on most mentioned words and phrases and draw an explanation for them and will work as a news-feature. For example: If Sachin Tendulkar is trending, Facebook will explain the reason for it.
Once, anyone clicks on the trend tag, a new page will open with mentions by friends and public posts as well. The section will be launched in the US, UK, Canada, India and Australia in the coming weeks. Facebook is also testing a mobile version of the feature.
The Trending Topics section was announced by Facebook’s engineering manager Chris Struhar in a blog post: “Today we’re announcing Trending, a new product that’s designed to surface interesting and relevant conversations in order to help you discover the best content from all across Facebook.”
Facebook, which has been in a heated battle with Twitter, may become the biggest social networking platform if this strategy works. The social networking site had tested the Trending Topics section in September last year to rival Twitter’s “trends box” that showcases topics that are popular on the site. The new section will increase public sharing and make Facebook known as a news source. This works well with Facebook plans on sharing high quality content and news with its users.
It’s notable Facebook in the past has launched quite a few features such as @mentions and #hashtags inspired from Twitter and other social networking platforms.
Source: TechCrunch