Welcome to Social Media Buzz Weekly, your weekly bulletin of the latest social media updates. With the social media landscape evolving with each passing day, it can be challenging to keep a tab on the rapid developments. Well, not anymore, as we have taken it upon ourselves to keep you abreast of every happening in the social media space.
So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most significant developments from the last week in the world of social media.
1. LinkedIn Rolls Out Option to Pin Comments in Reply Chains
LinkedIn will now allow users to pin a comment within the LinkedIn post reply section, which could help to highlight the best responses and spark more engagement with their updates. It will allow users to pin a comment from the three dots menu, which will then keep that specific response at the top of the reply chain.
The option to Pin comments is now being rolled out to all users, while they can unpin a comment via the three dots menu on a pinned response.
2. Twitter Tests New Professional Account Options, Including Updated Link Buttons and Shopping Tools
Twitter’s adding another new profile ‘Spotlight’ option, with a customized ‘Link’ display, in which users can choose from various CTAs for a prominent button on their profile page.
The new link CTA button will include a range of text options, which could provide another way to drive more direct traffic from their Twitter profile, and enhance the value of its Professional Account options.
Twitter’s also developing its new shopping options, with ‘Shop’ being another option within users’ Pro profile spotlights.
3. Meta’s ‘Widely Viewed Content Report’ Once Again Shows That Users are Engaging with a Lot of Spam in the App
Facebook’s ‘Widely Viewed Content Report’ shows that users are increasingly engaged in a lot of spam on the app. Five of the top 20 most shared links in the app in Q2, reaching a cumulative 73.5 million viewers throughout the period, have since been removed by Meta for various policy violations relating to ‘spam tactics’.
Meta launched its Widely Viewed Content report last August as part of an effort to counter to pervading narrative that Facebook facilitates the amplification of divisive political content, with political misinformation, in particular, gaining significant traction through Facebook News Feeds.
4. Instagram Updates its Teen Safety Tools to Further Limit Potentially Harmful Exposure in the App
Instagram is expanding its sensitive content defaults for young users, with all account holders under the age of 16 now being put into its most restrictive exposure category, unless they manually change the setting.
Instagram says that it will also prompt all teens who are already on Instagram to choose the ‘Less’ setting, while it’s also launching a new ‘settings check-up’ that encourages teens to update their safety and privacy settings.
The change, which, as Instagram notes, builds on its announcement late last year, will mean that teens will now automatically have their experience limited, to protect them from potentially harmful exposure in the app, which aligns with advice from various medical professionals and studies, which have found that Instagram can be particularly harmful to teen users.
5. LinkedIn Provides New Insight into How it’s Improving the Quality of its Search Results
LinkedIn has shared a new overview of how it’s refining its search and discovery elements, with its search algorithm now putting less focus on alignment to your noted interests over time, and more on maximizing broader discovery, while also incorporating diversity considerations into the mix.
As engagement levels have continued to rise in the app, it’s been working to surface more relevant, engaging content, to keep people commenting and interacting, which has led to a re-thinking of how its search tools highlight matches, in order to improve those stats.
6. TikTok Launches New Cybersecurity Initiative, Highlighting Tips and Tools to Help Keep People Safe Online
TikTok has launched a new cyber safety awareness campaign to help educate youngsters on the dangers of online interaction, while it’s also expanded its work to help promote cybersecurity careers among under-represented communities.
TikTok has partnered with the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) to develop a new interactive Cybersecurity Toolkit for Individuals. The toolkit includes links to a range of apps and education resources on key cybersecurity concerns, which could be a great way to encourage people to be more proactive in monitoring for potential threats.
TikTok has also published a new one-page overview on how people can improve their online security process.
As an extension of this, TikTok is also looking to raise awareness of cybersecurity jobs - and in particular, the need for more diverse representation in the cybersecurity industry.
7. TikTok Tests a New ‘Nearby’ Content Feed, Which Could Become a Major Consideration for Brands
TikTok has confirmed that it’s currently experimenting with a new ‘Nearby’ content feed, in addition to the current ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ tabs.
As it sounds, TikTok’s Nearby feed displays content posted by users in your current location. That could enable TikTok to showcase locally relevant updates which relate to your interests.
8. YouTube’s Developing an Updated Shorts Player for Connected TVs, Along with Multi-Screen CTV Viewing
YouTube’s looking to better integrate Shorts into its expanded viewing options, with a dedicated Shorts player soon to be integrated into YouTube’s smart TV app, which will see its short clips hit the big screen in millions of homes around the world.
As reported by Protocol, YouTube is developing a new Shorts display for Connected TVs, which will frame Shorts clips in the middle of the big screen. That’ll provide a better viewing experience for Shorts on the big screen, helping to lean into content consumption trends.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of this week’s Social Media Buzz. We’ll be back next Monday with more news and updates for you from the social media world. Till then, stay tuned!
If you want to read more on the latest developments taking place in the social media space, take a look at ClickInsights’ Social Media Buzz, wherein we bring to you monthly reports on everything going on in social media, ranging from platform updates to policy changes that influence the way we market.