What’s New in Social Media - June 2024?
Hey there, social media enthusiasts! Welcome back to our monthly roundup, where we explore the latest and greatest updates shaking up social media platforms. June has brought a fresh wave of features and experiments across your favourite platforms, with none of them showing signs of slowing down, so let’s jump right in and see what’s new this month!
Instagram has been busy this month and has teased lots of new features aimed at improving all aspects of its platform. Here are a few of our favourites:
‘Lately’ Feature: Showcasing Your Latest Stories
Instagram is all about keeping things fresh and current. They are currently experimenting with a new 'Lately' feature that automatically creates a highlight feed on your profile, displaying your story uploads from the past week. It’s a useful way to give your profile visitors an insight into what type of stories you post and ensure those memories are extended beyond 24 hours.
Send a Preview: Get Feedback on Your Reels
Ever wish you could get a friend’s opinion before posting that perfect Reel? Instagram is testing a “send a preview for reels” feature, allowing you to share a preview with your friends for feedback before going live. They are also testing this ability to be sent to a selection of non-followers, helping you gather feedback and include content that people will engage with. Say goodbye to posting anxiety!
Unskippable Ads: Introducing ‘Ad Break’ in Your Feed
In a move that’s sure to spark some debate, Instagram is experimenting with unskippable ads in your feed. The feature, known as ‘ad break’ prevents users from scrolling past as normal with Meta saying “We are always experimenting with new products and ad solutions in line with the evolving consumer trends and business needs”. While this might be a bummer for some, it's a clear sign that Instagram is looking to maximise ad engagement.
Text Overlays: Enhancing Carousel Posts with Creative Text
To make your carousel posts even more engaging, Instagram is testing text overlays. This feature will let you add text overlays onto individual carousel images, and reformatting the images in the display. This could open up a variety of doors for new content ideas, including ‘How to’s’ and explainer posts. It’s a relatively simple, yet interesting update and we can’t wait to see the creative options available to creators.
TikTok
Scheduled Posts: Plan Your TikToks Ahead of Time
TikTok is rolling out a scheduling feature, making it easier for creators to plan and post their content at the optimal time without having to be glued to their phones. The only downside is once the TikTok has been scheduled, you will be unable to edit the video, captions or scheduled time (what a bummer!). Still, this is a game-changer for wanting to maintain a consistent posting schedule.
YouTube 2.0
Watch out YouTube because TikTok is coming for your brand! In a bid to expand content possibilities, TikTok is testing 60-minute video uploads. This could open the door for more in-depth and varied content, giving creators more flexibility in how they engage their audience.
Image Search in TikTok Shop: Simplifying Product Discovery
TikTok is enhancing its shopping experience with a new image search feature. Users can now upload a photo to find similar products in the TikTok Shop, making it easier than ever to find exactly what you’re looking for.
X (aka Twitter)
In a move towards increased privacy, X has made likes private on the platform. This means only you can see what you’ve liked, which might change how users interact with content. This change is set to improve user engagement, with likes now being used as a feature to improve the content available on your ‘For You’ page.
LinkedIn has launched a shiny new dashboard for company page insights. This update provides a more comprehensive view of your page’s performance, helping businesses make more informed decisions. These changes will make it easier to track notifications, manage your page and performance and identify and engage with who’s interacting with your content. Seems like LinkedIn is taking an AI upgrade, and we are so here for it!
Apple
Speaking of AI, Apple is hinting at the release of AI-generated emoji, dubbed “Genmoji” within their next iOS update. This feature will allow you to create custom emojis of either yourself or a photo in your camera roll using the power of AI. Gone are the days of searching for that perfect emoji for that perfect moment!
And there you have it, folks! June has brought a host of exciting updates and features to keep your social media game strong. Stay tuned to our blog for more updates and insights into the ever-evolving world of social media. Until next time, keep exploring and engaging! 🚀
