It’s that time again! We’ve searched the internet to bring you a fantastic selection of social media platform updates! From bans, to worries about security to updates on Reels, we’ve got you covered!
So sit back, relax and find out what changed on the platforms that mean the most to you…
Let’s kick off the blog with a visit to LinkedIn!
After the successful pilot in June last year, LinkedIn is finally extending the roll out of its message options. Now, every business can get in on the magic of messaging, and third-party scheduling platforms will allow admins to have even more tools for message management!
Next, LinkedIn is finally hopping on the short-form video trend as they test a new feature that will introduce a TikTok like video feed ! The update will include a new “video” tab offering a vertically scrolling feed which seems very similar to that of YouTube Shorts’!
LinkedIn is levelling up its advertising game by expanding ads so that businesses can promote any content from the app. Previously limited to verified employees, but it will now allow for more freedom to amplify content from any user.
Unless you’re not really using LinkedIn regularly, you may have noticed the rise of collaborative articles. With a big increase in usage there is a plan to evolve this feature! To receive more specific answers, LinkedIn will improve how Collaborative Articles are worded. Additionally, they’ll be adding an unhelpful button too (currently in the early testing phase).
The last LinkedIn social media platform update sees LinkedIn shaking things up with a new “suggested post” feature. This update is designed to ensure that valuable professional knowledge, aimed at bring resurfaced to specific audiences long after it was first shared, isn’t lost in the fast-paced newsfeed. While currently being tested on a small percentage of users, there is no timeline for a wider rollout. So, stay tuned for updates!
Lets kick off with the big news first… It’s more and more likely TikTok will be banned in the USA as legislation has been passed in the House of Representatives. But that’s not all … the UK is coming under pressure to follow suit. There is no additional news on this just yet, so we’ll definitely keep you updated on this social media platform update.
Next up, TikTok is keeping creators in the loop with its new Trends Digest series. Offering monthly updates on the latest trends gaining traction in the app this handy resource will provide users with content ideas and practical tips for integrating these trends into content, helping you boost reach and engagement effortlessly.
Last month we mentioned that Universal had been pulling music from TikTok. This month, they’re adding new elements to the audio library – “Sounds for Business”. This update will allow brands to use sound bites from a range of TikTok influencers. This is a great update for building partnerships but the sounds are not custom, so you’re going to be somewhat limited.
After a pretty quiet February, it seems like things at X are getting back to normal! Here are the updates you need to know about!
Twitter is rolling out a new policy which will prohibit the posting of content that includes photos and/or videos of people without their permission. So what does this mean? Well, if content is shared without permission then the user will have to file a first-person report to have it removed if it was shared without permission.
X is currently developing a new feature that ensures your followers see your pinned posts in the app. This “dedicated breakout display” will show your pinned posts to your followers through a side-scrolling update feed, inserted into the “For You” listing.
Next, X is boosting its X Hiring feature with exciting new job level filters and search parameters to simplify your job hunt. Get ready for role seniority filters, company name search, role type (remote or on-site), and more! These updates will make the hiring feature more playful and efficient and could even bring it more in line with LinkedIn!
We have an update on the audio and video calling feature which were previously behind a paywall. X is now rolling out this feature to everyone! However, eagle-eyed users quickly noticed that the feature automatically activated, requiring users to manually go to their settings to turn it off. The security concerns continue, as it has been discovered that a user’s IP address is also revealed during a call (unless you toggle on the option to protect your IP address).
Reports say that Elon and X are looking to remove both the repost and like figures on posts. While there isn’t all that much information on this plan, it’s worth noting that users will still see the like/repost count on their own content.
We’re kicking off the Instagram Social Media Platform Updates by talking about Direct Messaging!
IG are currently testing out a feature that will allow users to send files via DM! It’s expected that this feature will be rolled out in the next few months.
But, that’s not all… a new message editing feature means users can edit direct messages up to 15 minutes after they’ve been sent. And for users, brands and influencers looking to organise their inbox, Pinned Messages are now available! This does exactly what it says on the tin… you can pin your favourite or most important chats to the top of the feed!
Next, lets talk ads! Instagram has rolled out a great update to its paid ads which will see users getting the best prices for items when they shop via the app! Promo codes, sourced directly from brands will be automatically displayed ready to use at checkout!
Longer Reels are coming… and this update will see the length of Reels increase from 90 seconds to 3 minutes! With longer videos performing well over on TikTok it’s not surprising that 3 minute Reels are being rolled out and 10 minute Reels are being tested! It’s worth pointing out that to share longer Reels (3 mins) you can only use pre-recorded content… But we’ll keep you posted if this changes!
Instagram is trying out a new feature that allows users to comment on a specific image within a Carousel Post. Some users can also link their reply to a photo or video based on its assigned number in the display.
That’s not the only update to Carousel Posts… Testing has started to allow users to post up to 15 images, which increases the current limit by 5! This is a great update and will allow brands to them to provide more information and context for product launches and announcements!
Spins is a feature that is currently being tested internally, with no additional information on whether it’ll be released yet… If released, this feature will allow users to replace text and audio in your Reels – could this be a step up from the static meme images we all see?
Hashtags… a hot topic amongst many users, brands and agencies and this update should be well received.
An update has been made to how hashtags aid in app discoverability. Users clicking through on a hashtag will note a change from seeing “Top Posts” to seeing a full feed of content for that hashtag – this includes, accounts, audio, Reels, and a for you tab. It’s hoped that with this additional offering even more content will be discovered.
With only a couple of updates for Facebook, we’ll start by talking about AI.
Meta is planning to use AI for more than just powering their Reels Content. The AI project that Meta are working on will power the entire ‘video ecosystem’. It’s hope that this move will mean that recommended video content will become more relevant to the user as well as being more engaging.
Next, Meta are trying to entice more users to purchase their paid for subscriptions… while a lot of users may never be swayed to pay it’s hope that adding more features available to paying users will change minds! Some of the options that are currently being talked about include, adding links to Reels and “alternative brand verification badges”. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but we’re not sure that these options are going to sway many people!
With another roundup in the books, we hope you enjoyed the round up of updates from your favourite social media platforms! If you have any questions, feel free to slide into our DM’s over on Instagram!
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