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.
Throughout the rapidly changing state of the industry and the relentless chase with contenders, one thing is certain: There’s no rest for the weary on social media.
Digesting all the newsworthy online updates from September reveals that vertical video is the ‘new black’, social commerce's arrival turned out to be a bit of a dud across the Meta borders, and social media conglomerates are racing to add more paid features — but they’re going local too.
We’ve sifted through the social media headlines of September and picked out all the juicy bits for you in this article. Happy reading!
Meta
- Plans to expand more paid features to Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
- Rolls out ‘Collaborative Ads’ to help local brands reach a broader customer base.
- Launches ‘Make-A-Video’, a new AI generator that turns text and images into videos.
- Introduces digital collectibles and NFT display options to Instagram and Facebook.
- Moves to the next stage of its end-to-end encryption for Instagram DMs, group chats, and calls.
- Adds ‘Not Interested’ control for suggested posts as it continues to subtly push forward in its TikTok mimicry war.
- Allows creators to post 60-second Stories in one seamless slide, instead of chopping up videos into condensed 15-second chunks.
- Tests a 'Topics' option that creatives and brands can use to match their Reels content with user interests while maximizing visibility and familiarity.
- Works on adding a ‘Repost’ feature on Instagram, allowing users to re-share other people’s content on their own feed.
- Tests a new nudity exposure protection feature for Direct Messages.
- Considers abandoning its 'Shop' tab and replacing it with 'Tab Lite' instead.
- Adds a ‘Public’ DM tab where users can share their latest posts with their followers.
- Gradually rolls out its ‘Edit Tweet’ button.
- Allows users to pin specific replies so they can maximize exposure.
- Launches ‘Circles’ to all users allowing them to tweet to a select set of people.
- Adds a WhatsApp share icon for users in India.
- Tests a TikTok-like video feed where users can scroll through different videos and discover engaging ones.
- Introduces its own in-stream version of post-scheduling.
- Partners up with Meta, Oracle, IBM, and others to provide devoted certifications and learning programs.
- Introduces ‘Document Ads’ allowing users to peruse documents and read reports from the comfort of their newsfeed.
TikTok
- Adds ‘TikTok Now’, a daily treat for users who want to connect more with their friends and social circle.
- Introduces a ‘Downvotes’ option allowing users to dislike comments.
- Increases the video description character limit from 300 to 2,200.
- Increases the number of Livestream guests to five.
- Adds a #BookTok feature that will allow users to integrate book-linking tags in their videos.
Snapchat
- Adds a range of new Fall features, such as chat shortcuts, ‘Question Stickers’, and lock screen widgets for iOS users.
- Expands its web version’s access to all users.
YouTube
- Tests having five unskippable ads.
- Implements more personalization options to enhance the Channel layout and experience, separating the tabs for Videos, Shorts, and Live clips.
- Announces sharing 45% off Shorts’ revenue with content creators.
- Allows users to reply to comments with a Short clip.
- Experiments is an option that automatically reformats landscape video ads into square or vertical formats.
- Introduces ‘Player for Education’ that shows some education apps’ content without distractions.
- Experiments adding a new ‘Promotions’ tab within YouTube Studio that will make buying ads easier for creators.
- Adds ‘Exploration’ option that will display search results in a continuous scroll of audiovisual card-style blocks mostly sourced from TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
- Introduces ‘Neighborhood Vibe’ to Google Maps, allowing users to preview the most popular landmarks based on local reviews.
- Announces nine new features designed to provide an immense shopping experience with more visual and experiential modes to shop.
