Welcome to the April social media round-up! As we dive into the latest social media platform updates, we know one thing for sure… The digital landscape is always evolving, and this month has been no exception.
From exciting updates to unexpected twists, we’ve got all the juicy details to keep you in the loop. So, grab your favourite snack, settle in, and let’s explore the ever-changing world of social media together!
We’re kicking off this months social media platform updates with a visit to LinkedIn…
LinkedIn is exploring methods to integrate videos into the feed! It’s hoped that this will enhance the discovery of relevant and timely video content on the platform. With no specific details available, some users have spotted a new “video” tab positioned next to the “home” button within the app’s navigation bar!
LinkedIn is discreetly exploring additional avenues to boost its revenue streams by targeting small and medium businesses. The platform is reportedly developing a new subscription service called ‘LinkedIn Premium Company Page’, which is said to offer AI-powered content writing, tools for boosting follower counts, and other features aimed at enhancing company profiles. This sounds pretty good to us, but sadly it’ll be behind a $99 per month paywall!
Lastly, LinkedIn are trying to combat scams by rolling our passport verification. Users have the option to utilise their biometric passports for identity verification, marking one of the strictest forms of verification by a social media platform. This feature was initially launched in Singapore in March and will gradually roll out worldwide.
The recent transition from Twitter to X has encountered a hiccup! The platform has unexpectedly altered “twitter.com” to “x.com” for its links which affected any URL ending in “twitter.com”. This social media platform update was initially spotted the iOS app where problems persisted for a couple of days before it was fixed.
X is rolling out a new policy that will require users to display their blue checkmarks. Blue ticks used to represent notable accounts and verified their legitimacy. However since Elon Musk took over Twitter, checkmarks were removed and incorporated into Twitter’s subscription service. Users were previously able to pay a premium fee to hide the checkmark but X is now adding the checkmark to accounts with a significant number of followers who also subscribe to the premium tier.
Our list social media platform updates brings us the news that Elon Must confirming plans to introduce a nominal fee for new users to combat the persistent issue of bots. Users opting not to pay the fee can still browse and follow accounts for free, with the option to post unlocked after a three-month period.
Our first TikTok update sees the return of music! We originally mentioned the removal of music by Universal back in February… But it looks like Taylor Swift’s music is back on TikTok! It’s only been 10 weeks since the initial dispute so we’re keeping everything crossed that more music from our favourite artists is back soon!
Next, we’re talking Ads! TikTok is gearing up to introduce an AI creator feature, potentially challenging sponsored content from human influencers! The platform is experimenting with virtual influencers that are capable of promoting and selling products via TikTok Shop. Although this update is still in testing, it’s not good news for the initial trial as the AI avatars brought in fewer e-commerce sales than their human counterparts! Oh dear!
With the TikTok Ban being passed through the House of Representative, the TikTok ban seems to be on it’s way after the HoR said it was a threat to US Democracy. We already know that the President has said he’ll sign the bill into law should it pass through the Senate… but they’re in no rush to get that debated! So no news, is good news right now!
TikTok is gearing up to challenge Instagram with the launch of its own photo-sharing app. In a bid to expand its offerings, TikTok is creating a dedicated space for users to share images and text. Some users have already received notifications informing them that their photo posts will automatically be shared to the new app, TikTok Notes, unless they choose to opt out. This is definitely an interesting update… but we’ll reserve judgement until we’ve checked it out ourselves!
Facebook has been restricted by EU data protection regulations from utilising personal data indefinitely for targeted advertising. This means that publicly available data cannot be used for this purpose without limitations. Austria’s Supreme Court sought clarification from EU judges regarding whether Facebook’s analysis and processing of personal data for targeted ads are permissible without temporal constraints under data protection rules.
Facebook has seen a surge in AI-generated engagement bait which has lead to significant user interaction. As a result Meta is enhancing its AI content labels to encompass a wider array of synthetic content, addressing the increasing influx of generative AI posts across the platform.
Next, Facebook has introduced an enhanced vertical video display and recommendations algorithm. Now, all video content on the platform will be accessible through a TikTok-style vertical feed, underscoring TikTok’s significant influence on industry trends.
Remember notes? Well, Instagram is set to introduce profile Notes which will offer users an additional way to spark engagement and share updates on their profiles. Users will be able to express thoughts or share updates, while also enabling connections to leave Notes on friends’ profiles to encourage interaction.
Meta is expanding access to generative AI-powered products, with an experiment that will integrate Meta AI into Instagram’s search bar. The Instagram search bar will soon update and offer both chat with AI and content discovery features, allowing users to have conversations with Meta AI via direct message and explore pre-loaded prompts.
It’s time for a throwback… Meta is in the process of reintroducing the “Poke” feature on Instagram. If you’re not sure what the Poke feature is, be sure to grab your closest millennial and ask! Once this feature is fully launched, users will notice a raised hand icon next to the bell button on Instagram profiles, allowing them to send a “Poke” to other users.
Instagram has rolled out a significant algorithm update which aims to boost the visibility of original and emerging creators! This move underscores Meta’s commitment to building stronger relationship with content creators, potentially reshaping posting strategies in the process.
It’s been somewhat quiet on the Threads front, but they’re back with a couple of updates!
First, DMs are coming to Threads! But there won’t be a dedicated Threads inbox… Meta’s live test of DMs on Threads features a new “Message” button on Threads profiles for select users. While this new Threads DM option allows you to send messages within the app, it redirects these messages to the recipient’s Instagram inbox.
There are now 150 million monthly users using Threads! So if you’re not using the app, slide into our DM’s and let us know why not?!
We’ve dived into the latest Social Media Platform Updates, from TikTok’s AI Ad Avatars to LinkedIn’s Premium Company Page subscriptions! We hope you found it useful, and if you want to explore how we could work together we’d love you to get in touch.
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