Social media platforms are constantly changing and updating their features as they try to retain users. Here are three of the latest updates to keep an eye out for! 

Instagram: 

Instagram has come out with a slew of updates, mostly centered around their Reels. Whether or not this is the best choice for Instagram’s longevity, is another topic of the conversation. However, the change is a big win for independent musicians. Meanwhile, Meta has also improved Facebook reels to finally support voiceover. Voiceover is a staple for many TikTok comedians, so it’s safe to assume this is another attempt to bring creators back to the platform. 

Instagram is also making reels more creator friendly. With the introduction of music syncing options and templates, users can easily create professional quality reels that take advantage of music and sounds for heightened editing. Meta has been testing their template feature for  select creators for a few months now, and from experience, we can say these templates really save creators a headache. 

Instagram is also allowing users to film up to 90 seconds and add interactive stickers to their reels. Similar to the question and poll stickers in stories, for example, users can now add these polls to their Reels. This is a great way for businesses to get more reach with surveys.

The last Instagram update we’ll look at was discovered by app developer Alessandro Paluzzi. Users can now expand people’s profile pictures to take a better look at their photos. This is helpful for users when trying to verify the right account. As Social Media Today points out, this may be a part of Instagram’s attempt to complement Meta’s integration of NFTs. Instagram has been working on this update since June. And while things have been rocky lately in the NFT world with scams and hacks, Instagram could potentially be working towards NFT purchases on their app. 

Twitter:

Continuing the push for their new Twitter Communities feature, which we covered in our May update, Twitter is now giving users the option to filter the order in which they see Tweets in these communities. It will be based on the history of interactions, called “For You” (yes, akin to TikTok), and “Latest” which shows Tweets chronologically. This setting will be unique for each community a user is in and can be changed at any time. The hope is for users to have a personalized experience, but whether or not Twitter has the same AI power TikTok does to create such a nuanced feed is up for debate. 

If you’re a community manager, you won’t like this update. Twitter will also be removing the TweetDeck Mac app on July 1st, in order to work on improvements. Many people in social media marketers rely on this handy tool and Marketing Twitter is not pleased by this announcement. However, it still is available on the web browser for now. 

YouTube:

Social media platforms have tried several times to integrate the TV viewing experience with their apps. However, YouTube may have finally cracked the code. After doing a study where they discovered that 80% of people use a second device while watching TV, YouTube decided to take advantage of this human behavior and use it to elevate their app experience. Users can now sync the YouTube app on their phone with their smart TV. 

Rather than casting to your YouTube app or to your TV through something like a Google Cast, users will sync the two screens together, allowing them to easily comment and interact with a video on their phone while simultaneously watching it on their TV. Without the need for a third-party technology to cast the app, it’ll be easier for viewers to leave feedback. This is especially important for creators who use YouTube Live and rely on interactions and feedback from their audiences. It’s also an opportunity to enhance YouTube’s community, so users can interact with each other in the live chat without diminishing their viewing experience. 

If you’re looking to stay updated on the latest from social media, make sure you sign up for our weekly newsletter, and connect with B3 Media Solutions on social. 

For a free 30-minute consultation to take your brand’s social media marketing to the next level, go to our website www.b3medisolutions.com! 

What we’re reading:

• 4 Tips On Creating Authentic & Impactful Pride Campaigns

• Latest Social Media Updates | May 2022

• Tiktok Sponsored Has​​htags: What They Are and How to Use Them

• How to create an IPO communications strategy for social (Sprout Social) 

• What Is Social Listening & Why Is It Important? [+Expert Tips on How to Implement a Strategy] (HootSuite)