News
Instagram Sets Sights On Linktree With ‘Links In Bio’ Feature
The highly-requested update was announced by the face of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, via his broadcast channel.
Today, Instagram is rolling out a new site-wide feature for adding external links to user profiles. The system works the same way as Linktree and is seen as a direct challenge to the service, as well as the likes of Beacons and other “link in bio” providers.
Meta announced that users can now add up to five links to their Instagram profile bios, directing followers to any external content they like, including online businesses, promoted brands, causes they care about, or even profiles on competing social media platforms.
Services like Linktree came into existence mainly because many social media companies used to prevent users from adding external links to other sites over fears they would be helping to direct traffic to content outside their platforms.
In the current climate, Instagram likely sees expanded access to links as a competitive advantage, potentially luring creators back to its app from the likes of TikTok.
Using The Feature
To use the feature, users need to tap the “Edit profile” icon, followed by “Links”, then “Add external link.” After adding a URL, it’s possible to drag and drop links in the order that users want them to appear.
Also Read: Twitter Verification Costs More For Middle Eastern Firms
As well as allowing links to external websites, Instagram also lets users link to their Facebook profile via a dedicated option. This official Meta link has a more professional appearance, complete with a Facebook icon and text description label.
Functionality
Instagram’s bio links don’t open in a separate browser window but stay inside the Instagram app. If users want to move to their built-in browsers, they must tap the three-dot menu at the top of the page and hit “open in system browser”.
The highly-requested new Instagram feature was announced by Mark Zuckerberg on his broadcast channel — itself a relatively new feature that we reported on recently, allowing creators to send messages to their entire fanbase.
News
NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders
A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.
It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.
The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.
For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.
“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.
Also Read: In Kuwait, Your Surgeon Might Be Operating From Another Country
NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.
The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.
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