Social media platforms move as fast as their users. Analytics Manager, Ala Shashaa at the regional digital marketing agency, Netizency shares with Communicate all the relevant updates for your business so you don’t have to look for them yourself.
From Meta constantly rolling out TikTok-y new features, to YouTube bringing its Shorts to the big screen, and TikTok expanding its share functionality to Meta’s social estates, Short-form vertical video is the BATTLE PRIZE now! Social media platforms, as well as entertainment brands like Netflix and commerce websites like Amazon, are rushing to grab a piece of that cake. Who will get the biggest one? We can keep trying to guess, but only time will tell. The only thing we are sure about is that users love great content, regardless of platform or well ironically, form.
So yeah, we went over the relevant social media updates that were shining during August so you don’t have to dig around to find them. Here we go!
Meta
- Tests ‘Super’: A new standalone live stream platform for influencers to earn revenue and engage with viewers.
- Allows users to record hands-free Reels and Stories using Samsung Galaxy Z Flip Smartphones.
- Introduces new Reels features across both Facebook and Instagram, including Stories to Reels conversion, Facebook Reels Remix, and additional analytics insights.
- Cancels its experiments with live shopping aiming to shift its focus more towards Reels.
- Tests a new ‘ultra-tall’ photo size that’s just like Reels.
- Tries a new optional switch for its full-screen feed display.
- Expands access to its NFT feature to more users allowing them to share their digital collectibles on the platform.
- Adds a QR code-sharing feature for posts, Reels, and locations.
- Introduces ‘Location Spotlight’ to all businesses allowing them to add their Google Maps location, contact information, and operating hours on their Twitter profile.
- Tests new CTA buttons and shopping features for its Professional Accounts tool.
- Tests explainer notes for edited tweets on third-party websites.
- Allows Tweet authors to filter out offensive replies from their own sightings.
- Announces ‘Test Drive Twitter’, an option for visitors who don’t want to create a profile just yet.
- Tests a new edit button for Twitter Blue subscribers.
- Tests a new format for publisher links.
- Doubles down on audio as it tests incorporating popular podcasts with Spaces.
- Adds clickable link stickers to videos and photos.
- Introduces its “Use a template” option that offers a variety of text and background formatting tools for post creation.
- Allows users to pin a comment on their post.
Snapchat
- Tests ‘Product Stickers’.
- Releases new features for Snapchat+ subscribers including Priority Story Replies, Post View Emoji and New App Icons.
TikTok
- Tests a new ‘TikTok Nearby’ feed that is designed to display local content to users.
- Allow users to cross-post their Stories to Facebook and Instagram.
- Rolls out the ‘About this ad’ label allowing users to check all the ad targeting information that TikTok uses to display each ad to them.
- Adds an ‘Order Center’ panel that allows users to delve into their TikTok shopping experiences.
- Launches ‘Shopping Ads’, its three-tiered commerce ad solution that you can soon find inside your Ads Manager panel.
YouTube
- Expands access to its ‘Other videos your audience watched’ data.
- Announces new creative tools for Community Posts.
- Allows mobile users to narrow down their search within Shorts.
- Brings Shorts to the big screen.
- Adds watermarks on downloaded Shorts to protect their authenticity.
- Introduces new Privacy tools enabling users to leave groups silently, hide online status, and block screenshots for ‘View Once’ messages.
- Tests new ‘Popular on Twitter’ Tweet display panel in search results.
- Launches the 'helpful content update' that cleanses out search results and helps make sure unoriginal, low-quality content does not rank high atop in Search.
