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Social Media Buzz Weekly: Roundup of Social Media Updates

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 look at some of the most significant developments from the last week in the world of social media.


1. Meta Plans to Expand its Reels Monetization Program to More Creators



Meta’s looking to expand its incentives for Reels creators, with broader access to Reels monetization via ads coming in the next few months.



Meta’s been working on Reels ads over the past year, with selected creators able to display Reels overlay promotions like the above, on an invite-only basis. But soon, Meta will open up the option to more users. Meta hasn’t provided the full details yet, but in a Creator Conversations session, it encouraged participants to switch on Professional Mode in order to access its coming creator features.


2. Facebook Tests AI-Generated Stories Based on Your Previously Shared Images



Facebook is continuing to explore ways to get more people to post to Stories, this time via a new, automated Stories generation process that uses image recognition AI to create new Stories from your shared content. Some users are now being prompted to use a new feature that Facebook’s calling ‘Advanced Stories’.



The process will generate Stories based on images that you’ve uploaded to the app, using thematic matching to provide templated frames that you can then share with your audience.


3. TikTok Launches New Push on In-Stream Shopping



TikTok has launched a new push on in-stream shopping with a range of sellers designed to boost shopping take-up in the app. TikTok’s currently inviting only selected retailers to join its in-app shopping push, offering them big subsidies on shipping and sales to help maximize interest.



TikTok’s recently seen big success in boosting its new app Lemon8 in several markets by enlisting TikTok influencers to promote the more product-focused platform.


4. Instagram Adds New Analytics for Reels, Updates Reels Creation Flow



Instagram has announced a slew of new updates for Reels which are designed to help Reels creators tap into the latest trends and shifts, in order to maximize viewer engagement, and build community around their content.



Firstly, Instagram’s added a new discovery element, which will enable creators to find the latest trending audio and hashtags within Reels specifically. Secondly, Instagram’s merging its creative tools into the video composer screen, which will make it easier to create more standout Reels clips. The new Reels editing flow will incorporate video, stickers, text, and audio track editing, all on one screen.


5. Microsoft Integrates Snapchat Lenses into Teams for More Fun in Virtual Meetings



Snapchat has announced a new integration with Microsoft Teams, which will enable Teams users to add Snapchat AR effects to their faces during Teams meetings.



Snapchat says that it will rotate 26 of the most popular Lenses through Teams, providing new ways to add a different perspective to your stuffy remote meetings, including both face and background effects.


6. Pinterest Rolls Out Enhanced Protections for Teen Users



Pinterest has added some new safety elements to protect teen users, including more restrictions for users under the age of 16. To that end, accounts held by users under the age of 16 will now be made private by default, and will not be able to be switched to ‘public’. That’ll limit exposure and discoverability, while other users will also not be able to make contact with teens in the app.



Pinterest will also now require ID verification if an underage user attempts to change their birth date in the app, while parents will also soon have more oversight capacity, with an option to add a passcode to stop their teen kids from changing their settings.


7. Twitter Blue Subscribers Can Now Post 10k Character Tweets



Twitter’s added another element to its Twitter Blue subscription package, with Blue members now able to write tweets up to 10,000 characters long, while they can also utilize text formatting options, like bold and italics, providing more creative opportunities.



Twitter Blue subscribers could already post tweets up to 4k characters in length, providing an expanded opportunity to share more in-depth posts.


8. Twitter’s Re-Launching its Creator Subscription Program, with Lower Barriers for Entry



Twitter is looking to re-launch its creator subscription program, which will provide a means for users to monetize their tweets, and build a business in the app.



The new ‘Subscriptions’ program is a re-naming of its ‘Super Follows’ initiative, for which Twitter’s also reducing the entry requirements, which will enable more users to sign-up and begin taking in money for their content.


9. Twitter Announces that Legacy Blue Checkmarks Will be Removed on April 20th



After originally announcing that ‘legacy’ blue checkmarks would be removed from the app from April 1st, Twitter chief Elon Musk has now announced that the actual date for removal of all legacy checkmarks will be April 20th.



It’s worth noting that there actually isn’t any verification involved, with Twitter only relying on ‘payment verification’ – i.e. a user’s capacity to pay – as a qualifier for the new blue tick. Musk’s view is that this will serve as a means to highlight real people in the app.


10. LinkedIn Announces New Updates for Audience Network Campaigns



LinkedIn has announced some new updates to its Audience Network ads, which will make it easier to connect with LinkedIn users outside of the app. Firstly, LinkedIn will now automatically optimize your Audience Network campaigns to better align with the presentation of each website. That’ll ensure a more professional presentation in different contexts.



LinkedIn’s also giving advertisers more control over where their ads appear via its Brand Safety Hub. Moreover, LinkedIn’s also rolling out new formats for Audience Network ads, with advertisers now able to run Video and Carousel Ads, in addition to Single Image promotions.


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.

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