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 Expands Reels Ad Options, Adds Simplified Music Tool for Reels Promotions
Meta’s expanding its Reels advertising options, with more brands now able to access the option. Meta first launched ads on Reels last year, and it’s gradually expanding the program to more creators and ad formats, providing more ways for marketers to tap into the rising popularity of Reels.
Meta’s also bringing app promotion ads to Reels, on both Facebook and IG, adding another consideration for Reels promotions. Moreover, Meta’s testing music optimization in Facebook Reels, in order to provide more creative and engaging tools for single image Reels ads.
2. Meta Re-Affirms Plan to Ban News Content in Canada in Response to Proposed Online News Act
Meta’s following through on its threat to block news content in Canada, after Canada’s new Online News Act was passed by Parliament, which could have a significant impact on overall social media usage in the region. Meta has long countered that it doesn’t actually need news content, thus rendering the basis of the legislation incorrect, but Canada has opted to move forward with the proposal anyway, which would ideally see revenue from news content shared on Google and Facebook shared with local publishers.
3. TikTok Expands Access to New TikTok Shops eCommerce Program
TikTok is expanding access to its new TikTok Shops eCommerce option, which provides streamlined product display, and in-stream conversion, simplifying the in-app shopping experience.
TikTok’s updated in-stream shopping process, which it’s been testing with selected US retailers since February, includes a product overview, and a direct purchase flow, all within the app itself - as opposed to the regular TikTok shopping process, which reverts users back to the retailers’ website to convert. The updated TikTok Shop format is already available in several Asian markets. And now, more businesses are able to apply to take part in the updated eCommerce program.
4. Vanessa Pappas Steps Down as TikTok COO
TikTok is undergoing its biggest management shake-up yet, with COO Vanessa Pappas announcing that she has quit the company, after several years in the role.
Pappas, a former YouTube exec, has been the public face of TikTok to a large degree, providing a sense of stability via her various appearances on behalf of the app. Pappas, at one stage, even took on the CEO role at the app, after the failed appointment of former Disney executive Kevin Mayer in 2020. Mayer came into the role just as TikTok was being forced into a sale by the Trump Administration, which saw him move on due to concerns about the future direction of the app.
5. TikTok Launches Interactive Add-Ons to Drive Engagement with Your Promotions
TikTok’s adding another way to help brands to engage consumers, with new Interactive Add-Ons for promotions, which are essentially stickers, pop-ups, and other visual markers that invite users to engage with ads. The new Interactive Add-Ons provide new ways to trigger direct response from TikTok users, by inviting them to interact with the promotion in some form.
6. Snapchat Shares New Insights Into What Gen Z Consumers Want From Brands
Based on a survey conducted in partnership with Omnicom Media Group’s (OMG), Snap has provided some key pointers on what Gen Z shoppers seek from brands and brand marketing, and how you can shape your messaging to align with these key elements.
According to the study, Gen Z is looking for more personalized, relevant messaging - and given that they’re a generation that has grown up with much more advanced ad targeting on the web, it makes sense that broad-reaching campaigns hold less appeal to this audience. Gen Z consumers are also seeking more positive experiences.
7. Pinterest Joins New Program That Aims to Improve Safety Elements for Young Users
Pinterest has announced that it’s collaborating with the Boston Children’s Hospital to join a new ‘Inspired Internet Pledge’, which will see Pinterest, and other tech companies, commit to various measures designed to better protect young people that use their apps. The pledge is designed to address negative mental health impacts stemming from social media use.
The Inspired Internet Pledge calls on social media platforms, and other web-based businesses, to unite with the common goal of ‘making the internet a safer and healthier place for everyone, especially young people’.
8. Twitter Rolls Out 25k Character Tweets for Twitter Blue Subscribers
After initially enabling Twitter Blue subscribers to share tweets up to 4,000 characters long back in February, then expanding that to 10,000 characters in April, Twitter’s now expanded this again, with Blue users now able to post 25,000 character posts in a single tweet. The update aligns with Elon Musk’s vision to expand the functionality of the app, by providing a place where users can share more types of content, including long-form video and text.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of this week’s Social Media Buzz. We’ll be back next week 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.