Facebook has rolled out improved tools designed to help marketers reach users of its Instagram photo-sharing application and promote products via videos in its news feed. Photo / AFP
Facebook has rolled out improved tools designed to help marketers reach users of its Instagram photo-sharing application and promote products via videos in its news feed. Photo / AFP
Twitter and Facebook's earnings reports this week will show whether the companies can wring profit from fresh efforts to attract advertisers and their marketing dollars.
Facebook has rolled out improved tools designed to help marketers reach users of its Instagram photo-sharing application and promote products via videos in its newsfeed.
Twitter made key deals, acquiring a company that helps advertisers find potential customers across devices, while forging an alliance with Google that lets it serve ads more broadly via the web-search company's Doubleclick product.
The social-media companies, which both narrowly missed revenue projections in the first quarter, will be under greater pressure to top estimates after Google's second-quarter results showed that more people were clicking on ads.
Twitter's main challenge is reigniting slowing user growth and getting more advertisers to boost their spending, while Facebook is working to deliver ads beyond its social network.
Facebook "should deliver an equally impressive quarter as Google", said James Cakmak, analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt. Twitter "should start to see the benefit of its deals".
Facebook is projected to report profit of US47c a share, according to the average of analysts' estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Second-quarter revenue is seen jumping 37 per cent to US$3.98 billion. Twitter, which is not yet profitable, is seen lifting second-quarter revenue 54 per cent to US$481.7 million.
