Social Media Shakeup: What’s Fresh, Hot, and Trending!
By Vladislava Genova
Dear Reader,
We sure hope Q1 has been a bang for you!
As you know, in the digital world, time flies faster than normal. We are back with our dose of the latest social media trends, updates, developments, and upgrades. Dive in and see what has been cooking lately on the most popular social media channels. There’s something for both marketing specialists and daily users.
Let’s jump right in!
Meta (Facebook)
Changes to Detailed Targeting on Meta
Beginning January 15, 2024, Meta started adjusting some of the detailed targeting options in Meta Ads Manager. These adjustments involve removing or consolidating certain options related to sensitive topics such as health, race, or ethnicity. Ad sets currently using these affected targeting options continued to run until March 18, 2024, unless the targeting preferences are updated. After this date, they were to be paused if not modified. Meta recommends advertisers explore alternative targeting methods like broad targeting based on gender, age, and location; custom audiences derived from existing customer lists or site traffic; lookalike audiences; or Meta’s AI-powered detailed targeting. Advertisers can manage affected ad sets by navigating to the Audience section in Meta Ads Manager and removing any unavailable detailed targeting options.
Instagram (check the story about our Instagram adventure here)
Instagram Engagement Protections
Instagram is introducing new tools to give users more control and transparency over their accounts. Using AI to detect spam, such as fake followers and story views, Instagram will now proactively notify users about unwanted interactions. This means you can easily delete spam followers and tags in bulk, saving you time in moderation. Furthermore, the platform is focused on educating users about content that may violate guidelines or reduce reach through in-app nudges that flag potentially problematic posts. These features collectively address spam and account issues, offering a more straightforward way for creators to understand policies and ensure a secure online presence.
Instagram’s New Creative Twist
Meet Backdrop, a freshly launched AI-powered media editing tool (for now available only in the United States). With Backdrop, transforming the background of your photos becomes a breeze. Simply type in imaginative text prompts like “chased by zombies,” and watch as the AI instantly crafts a completely new background scene. The best part? You can share this creative masterpiece as a Story. Accessing Backdrop is easy – just tap its button at the top when creating a new Story. And when you share your Backdrop-crafted Story, an interactive “Try it” sticker pops up, encouraging your friends to experience the magic for themselves.
Instagram Cutouts
Instagram has recently introduced a feature called Cutouts, which allows users to create stickers using photos, from their camera roll or select public images on Instagram. This component provides users with options for their Stories and Reels. However, it’s important to note that stickers can only be generated from public Instagram images where the original poster has granted permission for content reuse. If the original poster decides to delete a post on which a custom sticker is based any user content containing that sticker will also be removed. On the side, other users can transform your public Instagram posts into stickers unless you have disabled reuse in your account settings or on specific posts. To ensure content protection and control Instagram allows users to manage sticker creation permissions according to their preferences. With the introduction of Cutouts users now have tools at their disposal to create unique and captivating content while retaining control over how their images are reused.
Threads
Threads EU Expansion
Meta’s private messaging app, Threads, is broadening its presence across more European countries. In the European Union, individuals can now link their Threads profile to their Instagram account for full functionality. This includes posting and interacting with content. Alternately, users can explore Threads without a profile, enabling them to read posts, search accounts, and report content. However, they won’t be able to post or comment.
Threads Decentralization Experiment
Threads is actively testing a new feature that allows posts from Threads accounts to be visible on Mastodon and other platforms using the ActivityPub protocol. This move towards interoperability aims to provide users with more options for engaging with content, ultimately expanding the reach of shared posts.
Fact-Checked Threads
Beginning early this year, Meta plans to empower third-party fact-checkers to assess and rate misinformation directly on Threads. Additionally, new controls will allow Threads users in the US to customize the amount of fact-checked or sensitive content visible in their feed, aligning with recently introduced settings on Facebook and Instagram. These settings carry over across apps, ensuring a consistent experience — adjusting sensitive content on Instagram will also affect Threads.
TikTok
TikTok AI Song Experiment
TikTok recently launched a feature called AI Song, which allows users to enter text prompts and generate songs using artificial intelligence. The lyrics are created using Bloom, a TikTok language model that utilizes machine learning. However, TikTok advises that there might be some errors in the AI-generated lyrics and that identical inputs could result in similar verses. By introducing this feature, TikTok aims to gather user feedback, which will be crucial in enhancing the AI songwriting capabilities over time.
TikTok Research Report
A recent survey revealed that TikTok is not just an entertainment social media channel but is also emerging as a search engine for users. The study found that users prefer TikTok’s brief yet informative videos delivered in the app’s specific storytelling format. According to the findings, 40% of Gen Z respondents appreciated content tailored to their preferences, while around 25% of baby boomers favoured narrative-driven videos. Tutorial videos proved to be the most popular choice among users with 62% of respondents preferring them, followed by product reviews (39%) and personal stories (38%). The survey also revealed that this authentic content has helped users perceive TikTok as a platform with high expertise and experience. Moreover, the survey found that one in four small business owners engage TikTok influencers for product sales or promotions when examining business owners’ TikTok strategies.
TikTok Goes Big
TikTok is not just for your phone — it’s also optimized for tablets and foldable devices. This fresh update brings a whole new level of user experience, making sure the TikTok layout looks good no matter what device you’re using. The upgrade includes an improved video feed for sharper images, sleek top and bottom navigation bars for easy access, and support for both landscape and portrait orientations. With these changes, users can enjoy watching videos on larger screens and effortlessly navigate TikTok, thanks to a cleaner design and flexibility in how you hold your device.
YouTube
YouTube’s Ad Revenue Sharing
Recently, YouTube made a change by removing a piece of code that used to reveal whether a channel was getting payments from ads and subscriptions through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). While ads can appear on various YouTube channels, only creators part of the YPP get a piece of the ad revenue pie. The removed code allowed third-party services, like the “Is YouTube Channel Monetized?” Chrome extension, to figure out which channels were in the YPP and making money from video monetization. Now, without this code, there aren’t clear alternative methods for third parties to know which channels are earning ad and subscription revenue through YouTube’s partner program.
YouTube TV Ads Get a Makeover
YouTube aims to improve user TV-watching experience with some new updates. Now, when watching longer videos, viewers will experience fewer but longer ad breaks. Test viewers found they could enjoy 29% longer sessions before encountering an ad break. Plus, users see exactly how much time is left till the ad ends. Another update is that Shorts video ads are now available worldwide on connected TVs, as their viewership skyrocketed by over 100% last year. Last but not least, for advertisers, it’s now easier than ever to buy ad space in YouTube Shorts.
Google’s Chrome is rolling out a new feature, Tracking Protection, starting its testing phase on January 4th. This feature will default to restricting third-party cookies for 1% of global Chrome users. Those randomly chosen will receive notifications upon opening Chrome, with automatic restrictions on third-party cookies while browsing. If a site faces issues due to limited third-party cookie access, Chrome will detect problems and guide users to temporarily re-enable cookies for that specific site.
X/Twitter
X/Twitter eCommerce Partnership
X is expanding its “everything app” approach through a new collaboration with Shopify. The ongoing development of this partnership is directed towards offering Shopify merchants handy tools to promote their products on the X platform. While X had an existing agreement enabling sellers to feature products directly in tweets, this latest collaboration seeks to introduce additional advertising opportunities for Shopify sellers on X.
Vertical Video Ads and Brand Safety on X/Twitter
Starting February 1st, 2024, X is expanding the reach of a pilot program in collaboration with Integral Ad Science (IAS), a global platform for media measurement and optimisation. This partnership is designed to assess the brand safety and suitability of vertical video ad environments following industry standards. Advertisers participating in the program will have increased control over the placement of their ads within X’s vertical video feed. The pilot has demonstrated robust results in ensuring proper brand safety, prompting X to extend the IAS partnership to all advertisers in the United States. Additionally, in Q1 2024, X plans to enhance its internal brand safety team by hiring new positions such as a partner manager and operations manager.
Well, that’s a wrap!
Stay tuned for the next one!