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 is Testing AI Comment Summaries on Facebook
Meta is testing a new feature “AI comment summaries” on Facebook, which is designed to sum up the general consensus of what people are saying about that post.
This new Meta feature is not entirely new. Recently, Meta's AI was integrated into Facebook’s comment section, providing concise summaries of user discussions. In addition, YouTube and X have been testing similar features. YouTube's AI comment summaries categorizes discussions into topics. With this feature, creators can engage more effectively with viewer discussions and gain insights for future content, while viewers can easily navigate to pertinent discussions and key points within videos.
2. Meta Expands Reels Overlay Ads to More Brands
Meta’s rolling out a new way to advertise within Reels, its fastest growing content format, with Reels overlay ads now being made available to selected advertisers.
Reels overlay ads will appear on screen with a large CTA prompt, and can be either single image or carousel promotions. You can either have the ad expand on the second play through of the Reel, or have them shown between clips, as direct promotions. It could be a good way to tap into the popularity of Reels, and get your brand in front of this captive audience, with engaging promotions that grab attention in stream.
3. Meta Considers Buying 5% Stake in Sunglass Maker EssilorLuxottica
Meta is reportedly in talks to acquire a 5% stake in EssilorLuxottica, the company behind those very Ray Ban sunglasses.
EssilorLuxottica, whom Meta has been working with on Ray Ban Stories for the past few years, owns various fashion brands, in addition to Ray Ban, including Oakley and Sunglass Hut, and as such, the investment here is viewed as a means to fend off competition in the accelerating wearable spaces, by ensuring that Meta remains the only partner for EssilorLuxottica’s design IP and distribution. The deal would be reportedly worth around $5 Billion, adding to Meta’s bottom line for its metaverse development.
4. TikTok Announces New Eventbrite Integration
TikTok has announced a new partnership with events platform Eventbrite which will enable both creators and fans to promote Eventbrite links in-stream.
TikTok’s new Eventbrite integration will make it easier to include links to publicly listed events on Eventbrite, with the direct link highlighted within the TikTok clip. That’ll then enable viewers to tap through to the Eventbrite app or website to learn more, and make a booking. A key element here is that any TikTok user can promote an Eventbrite link, which will enable creators to utilize their fans to help promote upcoming events.
5. TikTok Partners with DistroKid to Help Emerging Musicians
TikTok’s looking to make it easier for independent musicians to build a presence in the app, via a new partnership with DistroKid that will enable DistroKid artists to build their TikTok presence, direct from the promotion platform.
With this new process, artists using DistroKid, which is a key daabase for independent musicians, will be able to quickly create a TikTok profile, complete with artist-specific features, by tapping a create button in their DistroKid dashboard. That’ll provide a heap of handy promotion features to artists who may not be as versed in how to utilize TikTok, nor have the backing of production assistants to help with such. It’s another way for TikTok to further integrate itself into the broader music community, with the platform already playing a key role in driving music trends.
6. TikTok Looks to Relaunch Its European In-Stream Shopping Push
TikTok’s looking to launch its in-app shopping tools in Spain and Ireland, as it continues to press its in-stream shopping push, in the hopes of generating more revenue from the app.
TikTok had attempted to make a more significant eCommerce push in Europe, branching from the U.K., back in 2022, but was forced to scale back that rollout due to internal conflicts. Reports suggested that TikTok’s tough working conditions, modelled on its Chinese operations, had not been well received among U.K. staff, which eventually led to the replacement of local management. That then derailed its broader eCommerce push, though lack of consumer interest was also a factor in its decision to scale back. But now, with in-app spending on the rise, TikTok sees a new opportunity to connect with EU shoppers.
7. Instagram Is Restricting the Promotion of Variable Image Size Carousels
Instagram rolled out a new option last month that enabled users to upload carousel collections of different sized images, giving you more options for composing carousel posts in-stream. However, users are now finding that when a full-screen aspect ratio image is included within this updated format, the post cannot be boosted.
Now, you go to boost a carousel post with a full screen image, you get an error message saying that this can’t be done. That does seem to be the only restriction on the new carousel format at this stage, and it’s largely avoidable, if you really want to promote your post. But it could impact your usage of carousels for promotions, and the overall value of this update.
8. Instagram Expands Notes to Reels and Feed Posts
Instagram has announced another expansion of its Notes messaging feature, with users now able to leave Notes on both Reels and feed posts in the app.
With Reels, followers are now able to add a note from the messaging menu, providing another way to interact with friends. The approach is similar on feed posts, with followers able to share a Note directly on the post, essentially acting like Post-It type messages that are attached to the update. Notes are temporary (they last for three days), and can only be left by mutual follows, adding a simple option to spark interaction among your friends.
9. Meta Plans To Allow New Studies Into Instagram’s Impact on Teens
Meta is planning “a small pilot program” that will enable researchers to access IG usage data in order to analyze how app usage affects teens.
Meta will still keep some data locked down, including user-demographic information and specific post info. But the idea, conceptually at least, is that Meta is moving to provide more insight into IG usage, which will either confirm or dispel the concept that Instagram is bad for teens.
This comes three years after The Wall Street Journal published a blockbuster report which, based on leaked documents from Meta, suggested that the company’s internal research had indicated that Instagram was harmful for teen girls specifically, but that it chose to ignore the findings, in favor of driving more usage. That report eventually saw Meta called before Congress to answer for its efforts.
10. Instagram Experiments With Super Likes for Stories
According to a finding in the back-end code of the latest IG app, the platform is working on a “Super Like” option for Stories.
Instagram’s Super Like, in its current form at least, would enable you to express your enthusiasm for a Story by pressing and holding on the like button on screen, which would then show the creator that you really liked their post. YouTube already has this for live stream comments, and Tinder has for prospective matches. So it’s another replicated feature making its way into the app, and it’s clearly worked for IG in copying, like, Stories in its entirety (from Snapchat).
11. Instagram Will Enable You To Add 20 Audio Tracks to Reels
Instagram has announced a new feature that enables users to add multiple music tracks to their Reels, so you can add variable soundtrack elements within a single clip.
You can now include up to 20 tracks in a single Reel, and have them overlapping or merging into each other, in order to fit the different phases of the clip. You can also do in CapCut, TikTok’s video editor, but it’s not really designed for the same type of multi-track mixing. With this, users will be able to play DJ, by doubling tracks, creating all new versions of songs. Or you could use it as an abrupt switch up when your Reel changes focus, or maybe you could crossover between old and new versions of songs to reflect time passing.
12. Snapchat Launches Sports Network To Cover Niche Events
After previewing it back in May, Snapchat has now shared more details of its coming “Snap Sports Network,” which will include a team of popular sports creators presenting the latest news on left-of-center sports.
Snap’s Sports Network won’t be focused on the regular sports headlines like you might expect, but will more look to showcase niche offerings, including dog surfing, extreme ironing, professional pillow fighting, and water bottle flipping. Snap’s Sports Network will include a team of four primary anchors, including Kris London and Rachel DeMita, along with other influencers who normally create content around traditional sports.
13. Snapchat Facilitates New AR Art Experience With the Lincoln Center
Snapchat has kicked off a new initiative called “Ghost Variations”, in partnership with The Lincoln Center, to encourage visitors to download Snap to experience AR activations around the displayed works.
Created by AR developer Alexis Zerafa and digital artist and sculptor Sophie Kahn, the project “visualizes mental health and sound through a Snapchat augmented reality Lens” which is available in the app through to August 10th. It’s another way for Snap to merge traditional art experiences with modern technology, with the platform already developing several major initiatives to help bring art to life. Snap has previously launched digital art projects with The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (FAMSF), while also working with renowned modern artists like Jeffrey Koons, Damien Hirst, KAWS and more, on various AR art activations.
14. X Will Allow Users To Request a Community Note on Posts
X is expanding its Community Notes option once again, this time by adding the capacity for users to request a note on posts that they believe may include questionable claims.
There’s now a new option within the post menu on desktop to “Request Community Note”, which will then flag that for checking by Community Notes contributors. It could be a good way to dispel misinformation in the app, by making it easier for users to actually seek out notes, rather than only relying on those that are available under the current system. Of course, that also depends on users actually going to the effort of making such a request, but it could be a valuable supplemental process to the Community Notes system.
15. Elon Musk Plans To Move X HQ Out of San Francisco
SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said that the aerospace company, along with X, formerly known as Twitter, will move its headquarters from California to Texas after California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law preventing schools from requiring employees to notify parents if students request to use different pronouns—which Musk said was the “final straw.”
Musk says that he warned Newsom about the potential impacts of such a change, while he also alluded to problems with gangs and “violent drug addicts” in the streets around the X building as contributing to his decision. Musk made changes to the building almost immediately after taking over the company, by editing the Twitter sign, renaming meeting rooms and offices, merging teams into smaller groups, and vacating large sections of the facility, and eventually, after renaming the company, selling off many Twitter artifacts. Musk also had a makeshift X erected on the roof of the building, which had to be removed after complaints.
16. Adidas Apologizes to Bella Hadid for ‘Negative Impact’ of Olympic Ad as Model Reportedly Hires Lawyers
Adidas has apologized for the “negative impact” its Munich Olympics-themed ad had on Bella Hadid and other models who starred in the controversial campaign.
Adidas had previously said that it was “revising” its campaign after criticism from Israel over Hadid’s involvement in the campaign for the retro SL72 trainers. Hadid is an American whose family has roots in Palestine. Adidas was condemned by some Jewish organizations, with the American Jewish Committee labeling its decision as either a “massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory”.
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.
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