From a new integration between Eventbrite and Facebook Events, to horizontal video on IGTV, it was a busy month for new product updates, rollouts, and feature launches on your favorite social media platforms.
- Facebook introduced a series of video ranking updates, clarifying which factors are taken into consideration when ranking videos for news feed distribution. Three factors are highlighted as most important: 1) Loyalty and intent, 2) video and viewing duration, and 3) originality.
- Facebook implemented a “one-strike” rule for Facebook Live, barring any page or profile which has violated certain Facebook rules, including its policy against terrorist and hate groups.
- Eventbrite has integrated more seamlessly with Facebook Events to allow for direct ticketing.
- New Insights are rolling out within Facebook Creator Studio to include deeper metrics on demographics, viewing behaviors and interests of your audiences.
- Instagram’s IGTV is expanding beyond vertical, and for the first time supporting videos shot in the traditional landscape orientation.
- IGTV has been redesigned to more closely resemble key features that are working for other mobile video platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat.
- Instagram has added a “Creator Account” account type designed for Public Figures/Celebrities, Digital-First Creators, and Media Organizations. The account type extends some existing business tools and introduces new creator-specific tools.
- Instagram has a newly redesigned Explore page featuring Stories, shortcuts to IGTV, and shopping.
- Instagram is shuttering “Direct,” its standalone camera-first messaging app used to send Instagram direct messages.
- Instagram Insights are now available in Facebook Creator Studio, showing account and post-level insights.
- You can now add GIFs to retweets.
- Twitter rolled out a “Go Live with Guests” option that allows users to add audio-only guests to their live streams.
YouTube
- YouTube will change the way it displays channel subscriber counts, rounding figures instead of displaying specific follower numbers.
Social Advertising
- LinkedIn added a new tab that offers insight into a company’s ads for the previous six months, following other social platform moves toward ad transparency.
Rumors and Tests
- Instagram has been testing a “join chat” sticker option in Stories, which take platform users to private discussion groups. If enabled, this would enable brands to interact directly with their audiences at a larger scale than 1-1.
- Instagram is working on an update that allows users to share a link to their Story.
- Snapchat is preparing the legal deals necessary with leading record labels to enable users to add music to their Stories without violating licensing agreements.
- Twitter is testing a new carousel ads format.
- Facebook’s “Clear History” tool will roll out this summer. The tool reportedly allows users to see and clear any off-Facebook activity, limiting the ability for advertisers to track users when they are away from Facebook and serving them ads based on browsing behavior.
- Facebook plans to launch WhatsApp ads next year as part of Statuses, WhatsApp’s answer to Instagram’s Stories.
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