October has seen a whirlwind of Social Media News and Updates. From new features to a makeover that will appeal more to Gen Z. A lot has happened, so let’s dive in…
Facebook is our first stop this month, and they’re getting a makeover following a surge of Gen Z users. This makeover will include a new local and explore tab. The local tab focuses on connecting users with nearby activities and is currently being tested across the US.
Next, it’s been announced that a new AI-powered video tool ‘Meta Movie Gen’ has been launched. Giving users the ability to generate up to 16 seconds of video content from text prompts. This incredible tool also boasts editing features so users can create their content and overlay it with AI-generated content.
It’s finally here… Meta’s AI tool is rolling out in the UK. Users will be able to access the AI tool via Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger on their phones and the web.
It’s important that we mention this next update again. You can’t opt out of Meta using your data to train it’s AI by sharing a story to your Facebook/Instagram Story. We talked about this earlier this month, and we get it! When everyone is sharing the modern version of a chain letter, it’s hard to not jump on and keep everything crossed. If you really want to opt out, head over to our Instagram Account for instructions!
Looking ahead to 2025 and Facebook are looking to roll out a way to prevent online scams. Due to the increase in hacked accounts, Facebook is looking to combat this by introducing the ability to upload a selfie video… something that is becoming more common. If your video matches previous content that you’ve posted, you’ll be able to regain control of your account. We’ll keep you posted on this update as we know more, in the mean time… don’t click on any links that you’re not 100% sure of!
Last month it was Meta, this month it’s LinkedIn who are under fire for using personal data to train AI. It’s worth noting that these are allegations, and LinkedIn have been clear that by integrating AI it will help with business productivity and “professional growth by analysing user data to match opportunities”. As always, there is a way to opt out if you’d prefer.
Next LinkedIn is also expanding its video options, with the introduction of in-stream videos and new video and document options for ads. This will let people get more creative and also potentially see more marketers use LinkedIn ads.
LinkedIn has also added new features for LinkedIn Live Event Ads which will allow you to add a sneak peek video. You will also be able to better target people regionally, potentially making for more effective ads and be able to promote members’ posts with thought leader ads.
Lastly for LinkedIn, they’re experimenting with their layout! The key point for this update, is that it’s only in the experimental phase at the moment… But if rolled out, it would see the notification bar at the bottom of the app move to the top.
While this wouldn’t make a huge impact on how you use LinkedIn, we’d love to hear what you think about this subtle but habit changing update. Let us know!
Stepping over to Instagram now, and some exciting features have been added including a new profile card making it easier to connect with people. These cards are flippable and have all your profile info on one side and a QR code on the back.
Instagram is also testing a new ‘Social Library’ section where all the posts you interact with can be stored. This update is great if you’ve seen the perfect meme or video you want to share. However, this is still in development, and we’ll let you know if it ever goes live.
In addition to these great features, Instagram launched ‘Best Practices’. Found via the Professional Dashboard it features tips, what’s working well and inspiration for your next Reel.
This next update comes straight from the boss of Instagram (Adam Mosseri).
Instagram have confirmed that they want to ensure that the highest quality video is shown when someone is watching your Reels and Story content… However, content that hasn’t been viewed for ‘a while’ will move to being lower quality. In the event that content begins to gain traction again then IG will make if higher quality by re-rendering it.
While this update sort of makes sense, there are concerns. As a result of content being made lower quality it’s unlikely to gain traction again as it could impact the number of engagements and views… all because it’s lower quality. Sadly, this update is geared more towards bigger creators and could have a negative impact on smaller ones.
Our first TikTok update is a big one!
TikTok have introduced Paid Search which will allow creators to pay to show up in the search results. This update could see a huge shift in how the platform is used and makes it similar to Google’s SERPs. But, if TikTok want to compete with Google for Ad spend, a little more work is needed. As always, we’ll be sure to keep you updated with any developments.
TikTok is also helping businesses get a better understanding of what the impact of their ads is on in-store visits. By teaming up with location data company ‘InMarket’ it will help provide advertisers with a more accurate conversion lift report. This is a great update for small businesses and marketers alike!
Lastly for TikTok, they’ve rolled out an Ad update in time for the holiday season! Allowing users to maximise their advertising as we head into the festive period, this update means that users will be able to use automatic targeting options via ‘Smart+’.
Smart+ will do your whole ad creation, if you want it to, including bidding process and placement! This is a great update for small businesses looking to maximise sales during one of the busiest times of the year!
If you’re not quite ready to read about, or get ready for Christmas… We’ve got you covered, check out our top Christmas Social Media Planning Tips!
Let’s start with an update that is different from the other platforms… X will be using the data of it’s users to train it’s AI tools. Here’s how it differs from the likes of Meta and LinkedIn… You won’t be able to opt out of this as it’s included in the updated Terms of Service. This is a disappointing update from X, and could see even more organisations leaving the platform.
Next. X has announced that they will be changing how the block feature works, users who have been blocked will still be able to see your page, however, they won’t be able to interact with it. This has triggered a mass exodus of X users with its competitor BlueSky seeing 100,000 new sign-ups.
For those sticking with X, the platform has further rolled out access to it’s keyword analytics option. As with most new additions to X, this is behind a paywall… but it’s hoped that the expansion will entice more users to want to begin paying to use the additional features. Especially since it removed analytics all together a couple of months back.
The feature it’s self looks great, allowing users to track specific keywords and seeing the volume of conversation over a specific time. Is it worth paying for premium? The Jury is still out.
It’s just one update from Pinterest this month, but it’s a biggie!
The Pinterest Performance+ Suite has landed and users can utilise some fantastic AI-Driven features and automation. Performance+ will focus on “lower-funnel ad products” and provide updated optimised targeting and the ability to automatically adjust bids. This new feature could save advertisers time when creating their campaign (by 50%!) as it requires few inputs while still giving users the control! This update gets a big thumbs up from us!
It’s been pretty quiet for Threads this month, with Meta looking to tackle the engagement bait that seems to be going around. What’s engagement bait? It’s simply content that aims to get people to interact with the content often from a negative perspective. This has been noted by Meta and they’re working to get it under control.
Next, congratulations are in order! Threads has officially reached 275 million users! If you’re not yet using Threads, it could be time to starting thinking how threads might be included in your Social Media strategy in the new year!
Loops landed last month, which could be a good alternative to TikTok. Before we continue, we’d recommend holding off jumping into another platform and adding another social media account to your portfolio… after all some platforms don’t stick around very long, remember ClubHouse?!
With signups opening, users will be able to share 60 second video content. As it is still early days, the ability to remix other videos and add sounds isn’t available yet and hashtags aren’t even supported.
Here are our thoughts: For users affected by a potential TikTok ban this could be a good alternative, though we think people will just go all in on already established platforms like Meta Reels and YouTube Shorts. We’ll keep an eye on the social media news and updates for Loops as they come and keep you posted when we know more.
That’s our October Social Media News and Updates in the books… With just two more updates left before 2024 ends, we’re expecting there to be some great updates in the next couple of months. As always, we’ll be scouring the internet to bring you all the updates you need to know about!
If you can’t get enough of our social media updates or just want to stay up to date with the latest trends make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter!
We’ll be back with another Round-Up at the end of the month, until then… Stay Social!
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