Have you ever read a friend's Facebook post and thought: "I wish I could just show him what I'm talking about!" Well, now you can. Facebook has just rolled out a brand new feature that lets you post a photo as a comment response instead of typing out words. That's right, Facebook is about to become a community of photos and symbols.
This new feature was originally played around with during a Facebook staffing event. The feature turned out to be, so popular that the social network went ahead and worked it out for the entire Facebook public. Not getting the concept behind this? Here's a clearer picture.
Facebook Photo Comments
Let's say that your friend has just asked: "what's the best looking cake you've ever seen?" Instead of writing "mine, of course!" You could simply post a photograph of a recent cake that you've made in the comments section of your friend's post. These thumbnail sized photos will appear alongside comments. The idea is to make Facebook timelines a lot more visually appealing.
So far, Facebook has rolled out this update to many users throughout North America. The feature is not available through the Facebook mobile app, though you will be able to see pictures that other people post from your mobile app. How do you add a photo comment? It's really simple.
Adding a Photo Comment to a Facebook Post
To add a photo comment, just click on the small camera icon that's next to a comment's text box (the space where you would write a text comment). From there, you can upload any photo that's on your computer. If you're thinking: this would be a lot better if I could snap real-time photographs with my phone and post those, you're not alone.
Facebook is currently working on updating the company's mobile app, so that all mobile users can snap photos to post as comments too. Since we're talking about new Facebook features, I've noticed something else new on the social network. Some brands now have 'like' buttons directly linked to comment updates. So, followers can instantly 'like' a page directly from a brand's post. That's some pretty handy advertising.
When You Will Get This New Feature
Don't see the small camera icon next to posts yet? Don't worry. Facebook has stated that the company is working on providing all users with the new feature, but these things do take time. It is expected that all Facebook users will have the new feature sometime within the next few weeks. When the feature does show up across the board, you can bet that your Facebook stream will look a whole lot more colorful - and, perhaps, confusing.
This also provides an interesting predicament for brands. Should brands go with photos when commenting or text? Adding a snapshot of a brand's item to a post certainly has its merits, but it's somewhat robotic too. What are your thoughts? Will you use the new photo comment feature when it becomes available to you?