Kakao (035720.KS) is overhauling its KakaoTalk Channel service around content and improving convenience for both users and partners. Users can browse photos and short-form clips at a glance, while partners can configure their channels to match their industry and the way they operate.
Kakao said on the 20th that it has revamped the "Channel Home" and "Updates" features of KakaoTalk Channel.
The company first introduced a new Channel Home format called "Content-Style Channel Home," which displays a channel's posted updates and short-form content in a grid feed. Users can select content that interests them and then swipe up and down to view other updates and short-form clips in sequence. Partners can choose between the existing standard format and the new content format, depending on their operating goals.
Kakao also strengthened customization tools that let channels express their own identity. Operators can set a profile photo, an introduction and categories, and business channels can decorate their Channel Home background using photos, videos and colors. Shortcut buttons such as coupons, reservations and phone calls can also be arranged to suit each channel.
The company added a "card-style update" format that delivers news primarily through photos and videos. Up to 40 photos or videos showing new products, store interiors or event scenes can be attached, and users can swipe left and right to view the content. One related link and one location can also be added. For longer text, operators can use the existing "blog-style update."
Kakao also made content production easier. It simplified the writing process so that editing an update, previewing it and setting publication options can all be handled on a single screen.
The company expanded eligibility for conversion to a business channel beyond registered businesses to include individuals holding professional credentials. Partners approved through a review process can use a newly introduced "career card" to present their field of expertise and work history and to communicate with users.
"We revamped the Channel Home and Updates screens so that channel content can be presented more richly and users can browse a wide range of updates conveniently," said Hwang Jun-yeon, domain leader of Kakao Business. "We will continue to advance the service so that partners and users can communicate conveniently on KakaoTalk Channel."