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Hello friends,
I feel like I blink, and then I’m sat writing this newsletter again.
Now it’s a very special week because, if you’ve been here a while, you’ll know that I include a fake update in my social media updates on LinkedIn because people keep stealing my content.
Well, it’s the two year anniversary of me writing them.
What started off as me feeling very disgruntled and trying to catch the people stealing my content has turned into such a special “if you know, you know” moment within this community.
While some of the updates have come true over the years (LinkedIn launching something very similar to LinkedIRL, YouTube launching its own version of Spotify Wrapped, and Instagram launching AI-powered shortcuts at the end of captions — very reminiscent of TikTok’s feature) I’m still waiting for the day one of these platforms work with me on something.
Like, anything. Call me?
ANYWAY, it’s been another brutal blessed week as a new mama. So you are getting another stripped down version of this newsletter, which is the updates and, well, more updates.
So, grab your favourite drink + a snack, and let’s dive into this week’s social media updates.
📌 PROMPT: Post on LinkedIn about one (or some) of the updates that feature in this newsletter, tag me + use the hashtag #TheSocialTeaAM. Bonus points if I can see what drink and snack you’ve had!
👋 THE TOP STORIES THIS WEEK:
→ Instagram’s algorithm has been updated to prioritise original content creators.
Instagram have announced that accounts that regularly post content they didn’t create – like aggregator accounts – will no longer be eligible for recommendations in the app.
But don’t fear, you can still post memes, as confirmed by Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, last week: “Yes, you can still post your memes… It only applies if mostly everything you post isn’t original content.”
→ I went to dinner with Pinterest (yes, the Pinterest) and these are some of the most interesting things shaping marketing and advertising on the platform [+ so so relevant to your social strategy as a whole]
The attention economy is broken, intent is what drives results: Most platforms are optimised for passive scrolling, but Pinterest isn’t. It’s where people come to plan, decide and act. People scroll ads 150% SLOWER on Pinterest than on other platforms.
Less content, more moments: Around 8 in 10 users come to the platform to plan at least ONE meaningful moment each year.
It’s the earliest stage of the journey: 96% of top searches are unbranded, so Pinterest sits at the earliest stage of the discovery journey, when preferences are still forming.
Search is up for grabs: The way people search is changing. Less keywords, more visuals with visual queries growing by 44% YoY. And 69% of Gen Z say that visual results are more helpful than text or reviews when deciding what to buy.
Positivity is a commercial advantage: Research from MAGNA shows that the same ad can generate a 24% increase in sales when shown in a positive and viewable environment.
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💌 THE REST OF THIS WEEK’S UPDATES:
→ Instagram is testing a new feature called “Swap” which allows users to replace the text on someone else’s reel with their own text. Which is weird, given that Instagram’s latest update will not recommend accounts that don’t post original content.
→ Netflix launches “Clips” – its TikTok-esque vertical feed – but the app wants you to think of it as a personalised highlight reel that helps you decide what to watch, or play next, without endless scrolling: “You’ll see short clips from series, films and specials tailored to your tastes, with an easy way to go deeper when something grabs your attention.”
→ Instagram is working on the ability to edit Stories after they have gone live. Once you edit the original version of the story will be deleted and any likes / reactions or comments will be reset.
→ Vine is back? Well, kind of. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, and the man many blame for Vine's death, has reportedly bankrolled a spiritual successor called Divine. The app offers access to an archive of half a million Vine videos, while giving creators the chance to once again post the short, six-second clips.
→ YouTube tests variable display sizes for thumbnails to better conform to different devices.
→ YouTube is testing a new AI-powered search feature, “Ask YouTube”, which works more like a chatbot than traditional search.
→ Reddit continues to see a rise in people using the platform as a search engine, with CEO Steve Huffman revealing that the company has seen a 30% year-on-year jump in the number of people using search every week.
→ Threads is brining DMs to desktop, after initially launching the feature on mobile last year.
→ #BookTok is reshaping Hollywood as major studios look for viral books to adapt, with 50% of new streaming dramas across apps (like Netflix and Disney) in 24-25 being adaptations.
→ TikTok expands its Out of Home advertising offering with advertisers on TikTok now able to access over 1M ad placement locations, including Times Square.
And there you have it folks, this week’s social media updates. As always, I only cover the things I think you actually need to know but you can subscribe to people like Matt Navarra and Lia Haberman for a more comprehensive overview.
Now it’s time for everyone’s favourite part of the newsletter, choosing this week’s fake update. Honestly both of these are so good, and necessary, so I’ll probably use the loser next week.
🤭 Which fake update should I use on Wednesday?
See you next week.
TTYL,
AM @ Girl Power Marketing xx