Instagram is testing a new option to add songs to a user's profile

Meta-owned Instagram is working on new features to make the platform look more appealing to users. The application developers have added a number of new features over time, including Reels, an updated interface for desktop users, and now, according to the latest tweet from Alessandro Paluzzi, leaker and mobile developer, the platform is working to allow its audience to add a song to their profile.

As per the screenshots shared by Paluzzi, the ability to add music can be accessed through the user page section. In this section, the user will be able to see “add a song to your profile” text, through which the desired music can be added to the profile. Once a link has been added, the saved song will be displayed in the user’s bio below the links section. However, the song doesn’t play in the beta version when the profile is visited, but it can be expected that when the final version of the feature is released, it may come with the option to play music.

This feature will be familiar to those from the mid-00s as it was a noticeable option available on MySpace, the first social network that reached the global level. It allowed users to express themselves through their favorite song, which used to play every time anyone visited their profile. Choosing a song was a very big deal for teenagers, as they considered the song to be a reflection of who they are; hence, it mattered to them.

#Instagram is working on the ability to add a song to your profile 👀 pic.twitter.com/zX2jIlZLzc

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) October 17, 2022

Unfortunately, with other social media platforms emerging, Myspace lost the place it once had and with its popularity, the feature also faded away. The feature surfaced again in another application. The popular dating site, Raya, brought it back, allowing users to add songs to their dating profiles, so anyone looking out for dating partners can get an idea about the user’s personality from their favorite song.

The idea of a feature like this resurfacing on an application with a billion active users brings back a lot of nostalgic memories, but since the feature won’t be tested externally, it can be expected that the feature won’t be able to get a global release and the idea may get dissolved before it surfaces again.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

A Strategist Who Has Previously Worked For Many Famous Influencers Like Mr. Beast And Preston Tells People How To Create a Large Audience On YouTube

Paddy Galloway, a YouTube strategist, who has worked with many top YouTubers like Mr. Beast and Preston, and has watched millions of videos on the platform shares his observations on how to build an audience on YouTube. In the world of "Going Viral", this seems impossible but if you learn the right ways to gain traffic on your YouTube videos, you can earn thousands and millions of dollars.

Photo: Twitter @PaddyG96
Paddy Galloway is just 26 years old but he has been making videos on YouTube for 15 years. He says that he was on the app when YouTube was still trying to make the right algorithm and everyone was making videos because it was the easiest form of entertainment that anyone could do in their bedroom. But now that the Shorts have been introduced since 2021, everyone is struggling to make a mark on YouTube.

Galloway says the first and foremost rule to making content on YouTube is to combine short and long-form videos. If you want to be on YouTube long-term basis, you should stick to the proper scheduling of videos. In a week, a YouTuber should post two short and two long-form videos. This will not only keep the audience engaged but will also mark your stay on the app.

The next step to create content on YouTube is to choose a niche. New content creators should avoid the mainstream niches and go for something that is not much popular. It can be about fishing, specific video games, etc. The next step, again, is related to shorts. Shorts help you gain more views than you think they do. You can use shorts to tell viewers what your upcoming video is about. But Paddy says that do not use snippets from your video. Make 60 seconds of self-contained story and engage the viewers so they can anticipate what's coming next on your channel.

So @PaddyG96 dropped a ton of gems today! Below is his criteria for whether or not a video gets made on his channel
👇👇👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/DuuA08XE24

— vidIQ (@vidIQ) September 29, 2022

Another advantage of making shorts is that they will help you to improve your storytelling and editing skills that you can apply to your longer videos later on. You can make shorts about anything related to your content. Paddy Galloway gave an example of his basketball content creator client who gained 37 Million views on a short video on "How many pumps does it take for a basketball to blow up?"

The next strategy is the most important but most content creators do not pay much attention to it. It is about how you should focus more on the number of views on a video than the number of subscribers on your channel. Mostly it is because the number of subscribers cannot determine if your content is worth watching or not. The views tell people that they should watch this video because it will probably have some useful information. When you gain more viewership, your content will get recommended on someone's homepage who wants to watch content similar to yours. This can gain you clicks and as a result, more views. On the other hand, someone can watch one of your videos and then subscribe to your channel. But no one can tell if he will watch your upcoming videos too.

Paddy Galloway says that even though subscribers aren't important, people still see them as a nice fantasy metric that people as well as many brands care about. You can get offered more money if you have more followers and that's the reason most people start making content on YouTube.

H/T: Insider

Read next: Most Social Media Users Don’t Trust Facebook, Confirms New Survey
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

US Gears Up For The Launch Of A New Cybersecurity Labeling Program For Internet Linked Devices

The current US administration under President Joe Biden is all set to launch a new cybersecurity labeling program. This feature would be for all internet-connected devices and would be seen launching as early as next year.

The goal here is to better provide protection to Americans regarding great risks to the country’s national security.

In case you didn’t already know, the administration realizes how huge of a risk IoT devices possess and how they’re backed by limited security potential. Moreover, seeing the way weak passwords have caused botnet operators to carry out complete hijacking of routers is definitely alarming.

Along the way, this channels waves of internet traffic in the direction of victims and even tosses over whole websites along the way. Networks are forced to work offline. Meanwhile, other attackers are seen targeting IoT devices to gain entry into the victim’s network. This way, they make space for more attack launches and can even go about planting malware through insider means.

What’s surprising is that most American internet users are unaware of what’s going on. They continue to increase threats by adding more such devices to their surrounding. Common examples include the likes of smart speakers, security cameras, and door locks as well. Now, the government is working hard to provide awareness of how such risks can be reduced or eliminated entirely.

This particular program is getting inspiration from Energy Star that’s operated by major firms whose goal is energy conservation. Hence, the White House wants to do something very similar along those lines starting as early as next year.

The news was announced during a meeting chaired by the President and attended by device manufacturers and associated firms related to consumer products.

Other common attendees include cybercrime officials and leaders from top tech firms Google, Sony, Samsung, and Amazon. So you see, the goal here is to assist citizens of the US in better understanding which devices are good for them and which ones are harmful. In addition to that, people are going to be given the chance to identify the basic security requirements set out.

For now, there are no details regarding the specifics of this particular program. But they hope to keep things quick and simple for user convenience. But we do think it’s a great initiative.

Illustration: Freepik
Read next: New Report Says A Lot Of Work Is Being Done To Enhance The ‘Creator Economy’ With Monetization Tools
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Is Cheaper Always Better? New Study Says 63% Of Buyers Prefer High Quality Over Low Price

Just when you thought price points matter the most to buyers on the search for products comes forward a new study that proves otherwise.

The average US shopper is actually willing to pay double the price as long as the product lasts long. And that means products of high quality are more in demand than those that arise at cheaper costs.

While the wish for buyers is for products to last a lifetime, that obviously is a little wishful thinking. But all in all, one thing is for sure, price isn’t the leading factor in buying decisions as proven by the latest survey conducted among 2,000 American adults

An estimated 108% more people were interested in durable products and could pay so much more than the price listed. The only point worth considering is that the product lasts 20 years minimum.

Moreover, at least 3 in 5 people who took part in the survey spoke about how they are more likely to spend funds on high-quality goods and services than something that’s cheaper and lower in quality. And around 70% of people claim they valued those goods the most that last the longest.

61% of people felt that those things they own of high quality come without any type of lifeline. They like to refer to them as ageless and always trending.

The news comes to us thanks to the study put forward by OnePoll. Moreover, on average, people hold on to their products for as long as 15 years and some might even rarely be used.

In terms of the topmost products that are used the most in a person’s routine, despite being old are phones, vehicles, and even watches. On the other hand, those things that are not used as much but people continue to cling to them include the likes of footwear and coats.

Two out of every three Americans feel some items are definitely worth paying for more than others when they last longer in duration. This was true for things like vehicles, applications for your home, crockery, TVs, and phones.

Those that did end up purchasing something at a cheaper cost ended up regretting it big time. As perfectly mentioned by one finance expert, paying cheaper now does not mean you will be saved from paying more in the future.

This is where the concept of buying for life comes into play and it’s a valuable lesson for many people out there.

Paying more at the start can save you from the added mental and physical stress that comes with cheap and low-quality products. Similarly, it can save you great time and effort, and money spent on searching for the good or service.

The study also showed how 70% of respondents ensure their oldest things stay around for a while. And if that means adding an extra level of care and maintenance to ensure they’re working fabulously, then so be it.

50% of those surveyed spoke about owning at least one product that holds great sentimental value in their lives. Moreover, they hope to pass it down one day to those they love the most. And that’s when 57% were also seen speaking about how they value their oldest products depending on how much sentimental value they hold for them, instead of money.

But if forced to sell such products, then they would definitely put out a price tag of $1200 at least. In the same way, it was interesting to note how the study showed that Americans have bought products that come with a warranty of a lifetime. And around 60% of those surveyed say they buy goods knowing they would last the great test of time when purchased.

Read next: This New Survey Shows How Buzzword Compliance Leads to Inflated Tech Trends
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Game App Developers Focus on In-App Spending After App Store Raises Prices

Gaming apps have had numerous forms of monetizations, but recent changes to Apple’s pricing policy for its App Store might prompt the developers of these gaming apps to kick things into high gear with all things having been considered and taken into account. Apple recently announced an increase in prices on the App Store in the wake of the global recession, and that can negatively impact gaming developers by reducing their share of the profits.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, game developers for the App Store seem to be developing new ways to entice customers into spending money within their apps because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up helping them tide over the inflationary period. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Game Refinery recently analyzed the data for September to see if these techniques are panning out.

Some apps like Candy Crush are organizing tournaments that will require participants to pay to enter, while others are holding raffle contests. Eking out consumer spending can be challenging in the coming years, but game developers will have to stay on their toes lest it become more difficult than might have been the case otherwise.

A few apps have already taken part in collaborations that have driven up their revenues, such as in the case of the Japanese rhythm game known as BanG Dream! Girls Band Party which worked with a popular rock band by the name of Ling Tosite Sigure, and that resulted in an influx of paid subscriptions. Strategies like this will be essential in these uncertain economic times, since Apple would not be willing to grant developers any leeway that might cut into their own earnings.

This might spark a new wave of games that prioritize in app spending. The freemium model has worked out for lower end games, but it might now find its way into the world of high quality games as well which would indicate and interesting turn of events.

Read next: New Study Says Game Developers Are Focusing More On PCs And Laptops
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Introducing WordPress Plugins – Eliminating Coding Requirements in Web Designing

These days, WordPress has become one of the most used content management systems in the digital world. A convenient and user-friendly outlook and commendable community support have made this platform the ideal pick when designing your website.

Moreover, WordPress plugins allow you to extend their features limitlessly. Naturally, it brings the desired touch of perfection to the website, and it looks like a professional developer has developed it.

However, what are the best WordPress plugins you can consider working with? Well, this post explores the most popular WordPress plugins that help you develop your website from scratch. The best part is they never require any coding.

Best WordPress Plugins for Developing Websites without Coding

WordPress has thousands of attributes that allow you to add several attractive features to your website. And when it comes to developing a website using WordPress, all you need to do is to pick up a theme of your choice and install the same. However, what about the customisation? Indeed, without enough technical knowledge, you can face difficulties in creating a customised website.

To deal with this issue, you can pick up plugins of your choice from the wide variety provided by WordPress. They enable you with the power of customising your website to the extent you want.

Typically, they consist of an array of predefined, combinable elements. With convenient drag-and-drop actions, you can keep adding elements to your website until the results satisfy you.

Now, let’s check out the three most popular WordPress plugins that can help you develop your website, eliminating the need for programming.

WP Bakery –The Oldest

This plugin was previously known as Visual Composer. WP Bakery is one of the oldest plugins developed to make designing easier. It offers the user a Front End designing option and a Backend Page Builder alternative.

With the Front-End development attribute, you can work on the website directly, and the Backend Page Builder works as the entry creator. WP Bakery works well with every WordPress theme. However, if you’ve already decided to work with this plugin, you can put the necessary filters on while checking the template stores.

This plugin costs $45, enabling you to use it only for a single website. However, all the updates are free, and you will also be entitled to free premium support.

Divi – The Most Flexible

It’s one of the most used WP page builders. When you install this plugin, you will get a new visual editor instead of the default website editor. With Divi, you can develop your website visually using drag-and-drop options. Besides, it comes with a predefined website library. Naturally, it eliminates the need to develop the site from scratch.

If you’re looking to develop an amazingly responsive website, this is the ideal plugin. Besides, it comes with other useful marketing plugins like Monarch, Divi leads and Bloom. Well, it comes for $249 and gives lifetime access to this specific plugin. You don’t have to pay any renewal/ upgrade charge.

Elementor – The Most Convenient

It’s one of the most user-friendly WP plugins of the recent era. Compared to the other plugins, it’s new to the market. However, due to its convenient outlook, it has managed to gain worldwide popularity.

Now let’s get some idea about its cost. It offers different yearly subscription schemes of $49-$199. The amount depends on the number of websites that you intend to develop. The best part is, to test the efficiency of Elementor, you can download its trial version for free. Naturally, it makes the least room for regret after investing.

Several leading IT companies make use of these plugins. If you need more assistance with web designing or any IT support, you may get in touch with leading and reliable brands like Codete.

A list of Other Necessary WP Plugins

Let’s check out some other essential WP plugins that can help make the development work even easier.

Yoast SEO

This is one of the best SEO assistance that can optimise your website amazingly.

Jetpack

This is one of the plugins that you can hardly afford to miss!! It helps in preventing unauthorised access.

Sumo

With Sumo, lead acquisition starts to look like child’s play. Besides, it allows you to display subscription bars and pop-ups.

Hope this helps. However, if you still find the development work a bit daunting or time-consuming, feel free to leave the job to experts! Hire an adept development agency and get the job done effortlessly!
by Web Desk via Digital Information World

Social Media Bans for Hate Speech Supported Equally by Conservatives and Progressives

Ever since Donald Trump was banned from various social media platforms for inciting violence, thereby becoming the highest profile individual to be on the receiving end of such a ban, the debate has raged about whether or not the ban was valid. With the recent account suspensions of the rapper Kanye West following his antisemitic remarks, this debate has once again come to the fore.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that some try to claim that banning users for hate speech is a partisan issue, with the assumption being that liberals are in favor whilst conservatives oppose it. In spite of the fact that this is the case, a recent survey from YouGov has revealed that such policies receive rather broad bipartisan support from both sides of the aisle.

According to this survey, 76% of US Democrats support banning users who harass others on social media, and 66% of Republicans say the same. As for preventing the posting of racist and hateful content, 80% of Democrats believed that it should result in account suspension, whereas 58% of Republicans agreed. That suggests that a majority of both Democrats as well as Republicans favor these bans, although Republicans are less favorable about hate speech bans than might have been the case otherwise due to their emphasis on freedom of speech.

69% of Republicans stated that posting violent content warrants a ban, 67% said the same for promoting racism, 69% said that antisemitism in particular should result in a ban, and 64% wanted bans for any hate speech with all things having been considered and taken into account.

However, 69% of Republicans also said that social media platforms apply these rules arbitrarily, and they feel like they are treated unfairly. Bias can be risky because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up clamping down on one ideology in favor of the other, but there is no evidence of such bias so far. We will have to wait to see if the bias is confirmed.

Read next: Most Social Media Users Don’t Trust Facebook, Confirms New Survey
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World