2021 July
In our last newsletter, we were filled with news coming from all bigger online platforms – but in June summer break kicked in, so this month we can deliver some smaller (but still impactful) news! We could hear a lot about Instagram in the past month – not so much about the other platforms. Let’s dive into this month’s findings!
Every news starts with a short summary with the key points, however, if you are willing to dive deeper into a certain topic, you can always find an additional link for further reference.
1. Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing app
The Verge
In a video posted on his Instagram and Twitter accounts, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram talked about the topic that Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing app – at least it doesn’t want to be. They would like to position it more as a general entertainment and video-focused platform. We can’t lie, it’s not unexpected – TikTok is very popular amongst the younger generation, and we could see Instagram took some steps towards video: the introduction of IGTV and Reels was certainly one. And now, we are sure we can see more of these updates in the future.
2. Instagram is testing letting anyone share a link in their stories
The Verge
Up until now, only Instagram accounts with more than 10,000 followers were able to link to a specific site in their Instagram Stories – and their followers could reach that page by swiping up. However, Instagram is testing a new update which will let every user link in their Stories, using a sticker (e.g. when tagging another account). It’s important to highlight that for now it’s just a test to see how users might take advantage of the feature – but Instagram has made it clear that they don’t have the intention to bring links to any other part of the platform.
Read more about what we know so far.
3. From now on, you can share your tweets on Instagram Stories
The Next Web
A lot of people repost their tweets as screenshots to their Instagram Stories – in order to stop their users from doing that, from now on, Twitter lets you share your tweet directly to IG Stories. This may seem like a smaller update, however, we have to highlight the fact that Instagram and Twitter are two rival social media platforms and we haven’t really seen this kind of partnering between them so far – maybe we can expect more of these in the future?
4. How did people use social media during the pandemic?
Business of Apps
While we became more and more aware of all the bad impacts social media has on our daily lives, during the lockdowns, it was the only way that we could feel connected. Sortlist created a survey of 1,000 respondents in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands and while we’re not completely surprised, it still has some interesting findings. Of course, messaging Platforms and Facebook were popular amongst the over 60+, Netflix, TikTok and Spotify were the favorites of the younger generation. However, all of them agree that social platforms helped them deal with isolation during the lockdowns.
5. Instagram is testing more recommendations in the feed
Social Media Today
Remember, we told you that Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing platform? In a recent update, they have started the “TikTokification” of the platform by inserting recommended content into the user’s feed above content from accounts they follow – something very similar to TikTok. However, while on TikTok users are used to this and that platform has a very strong sense of recommending content, on Instagram some users are still upset because they don’t see their feed in chronological order. We will have to wait and see how this update affects time spent on the app.
6. Giving people more control on Facebook and Instagram
Facebook
Hiding the like counts on Facebook and Instagram have been a long term goal for Facebook, and they have started testing this feature for various users. In a recent announcement, while this feature was beneficial for some, it was annoying for others – since they don’t have a feeling of what’s trending and popular. Therefore the social giant has decided to give its users the choice whether they’d like to see likes or don’t – they can have this option for all the posts in their feed, and separately for their own (whether others see like counts or don’t) and can turn it on and off anytime they want. These updates will be coming to Facebook really soon as well.
7. Exclusive Stories might be coming to Instagram
Tech Crunch
Some rumours and screenshots have been flowing around a Twitter thread claiming that Instagram is testing a new update called Exclusive Stories. While they admitted that the feature is currently in in-house testing, they added no further comments. Exclusive Stories are similar to Patreon or YouTube Membership, where followers would have to pay a subscription fee to access exclusive content. These stories could be put into Highlights, however, its viewers wouldn’t be able to screenshot them.
8. Building the Next Era of Personalized Experiences
Facebook for Business
In its recent announcement, Facebook took a trip down memory lane and recalled their role in big digital moments in the last decade – how they helped to move the world toa mobile-first thinking, and how they helped businesses move to digital at the outbreak of the pandemic. While the announcements is mostly just a summary of their role, we can also catch a sneak peak to some upcoming updates: they are working on an update to News Feed, where people would be able to browse among various topics, they are improving their recommendation system (e.g. after a travel video, people could see hotel ads), and they are introducing a ‘small business’ badge on small business ads – a move inspired by the support towards these businesses during the lockdowns.
9. What are Twitter Users’ Priorities This Season?
Search Engine Journal
After an analysis of their user’s recent tweet, there’s a noticeable change in how user feel themselves this season, compared to summer 2020: there’s no surprise, positvity is trending and people are making plans again! And, in order for brands to be able to engage in conversations, it’s good to know what people are talking about: movies, sports, traveling and bbq is all among the trending topics. And as for what they want from brands this summer – they want to them to be positive while being mindful of the cultural environment.
10. Tiktok triples lentgh of videos
Search Engine Journal
From now on, in a recent update, TikTok users are able to upload videos up to 3 minutes long – triple of the 60 seconds that was possible until now. This might seem like a small update, but look at the bigger picture: 1 minute videos were the standard not just on TikTok, but on all other platforms: YouTube Shorts, Snapchat stories, Facebook stories, Instagram stories, Instagram feed videos are all 60 seconds long, Instagram Reels are 30 seconds long. Up until now, one video could fit into all other platforms – and now, this could change the system. We’re not sure yet how users will use this feature – will longer videos be the new normal on TikTok, or will they stay at around 1 minute long ones?