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What’s new in Social Media - November 2024

29 November 2024

Ready to switch up your social media strategy? Let’s explore November’s biggest updates from TikTok, Instagram, Meta, LinkedIn, and X. These changes are continuing to shape the digital world—here’s how you can stay ahead. 

TikTok: Creative Features and Policy Updates

TikTok continues to evolve as a dynamic platform for creators and businesses, rolling out new features and tightening policies to enhance user experience and accountability. On the creative side, updates include improved editing tools and fresh effects aimed at making content production easier and more engaging for users of all levels. These changes are designed to keep TikTok at the forefront of short-form video creativity.

However, the platform isn’t just focusing on creativity—it’s also enforcing new rules for its TikTok Shop sellers. Starting November 4th, TikTok started to implement stricter performance evaluations for sellers, measuring factors such as product quality, shipping times, and customer service ratings. The goal is to improve the trust and reliability of TikTok Shop, creating a better shopping experience for users while holding sellers to higher standards.

Why this matters:

For creators, TikTok’s enhanced tools mean more opportunities to produce captivating content, keeping their audiences hooked. Meanwhile, businesses tapping into TikTok Shop will need to ensure top-tier performance to maintain visibility and trustworthiness. Together, these updates underline TikTok’s commitment to balancing creativity and commerce, making it a vital platform for both individuals and brands to master.

Instagram: New Highlights Tab

Instagram is introducing a dedicated Highlights Tab on user profiles, relocating Story Highlights into a more prominent section. This redesign is aimed at increasing the visibility of curated content, giving users a chance to revisit older Stories more easily. For brands, this means evergreen content—such as product showcases, FAQs, or key campaigns—can remain front and centre for longer, maximising its impact.

Additionally, Instagram has announced plans to remove the option to follow hashtags, a feature that previously allowed users to see tagged content directly in their feeds. This marks a shift in how content is categorised and interacted with on the platform.

Why this matters:

The Highlights Tab creates new opportunities for brands to curate their top content in a way that feels fresh and accessible, keeping potential customers engaged. The removal of hashtag following encourages brands to refocus on creating high-quality posts and Reels that naturally attract attention, rather than relying on tag-based visibility.

Meta: Ad Creatives Made Easier

Meta (Facebook and Instagram) is rolling out AI-assisted tools to simplify ad creation for small businesses. These tools include pre-designed templates and an AI system that generates multiple ad variations to test performance. The focus is on making high-quality advertising accessible to businesses with limited resources or design expertise. This move aligns with Meta’s goal to empower smaller brands to thrive in the digital space and may give SMEs a competitive edge with their campaigns. 

Why this matters:

This update levels the playing field for small and medium-sized businesses, giving them access to sophisticated ad tools without the need for extensive design or marketing expertise. By harnessing these AI-powered capabilities, businesses can efficiently create impactful campaigns that drive results, enabling them to compete with larger brands.

LinkedIn: Data-Driven Ad Tips

LinkedIn has shared new insights into what makes an ad campaign successful on its platform. Using data from recent user engagement trends, the platform suggests focusing on authentic, professional content that highlights real employees and genuine experiences. For B2B brands, this is a timely reminder to invest in relatable and story-driven advertising. Pairing these insights with LinkedIn’s refined ad targeting tools could significantly improve campaign ROI. 

Why this matters

For businesses working in the B2B space, relatable and story-driven content can make all the difference. By using LinkedIn’s data insights and refined targeting options, businesses can create campaigns that cut through the noise and encourage meaningful connections with their audience—ultimately driving better results and increasing brand credibility.

BlueSky: A New Player Gains Momentum

BlueSky, the decentralised social network championed as a Twitter alternative, is making waves. With 1.3 million users now on board and new funding secured, the platform is preparing for its next phase of growth. Offering a fresh approach to online interaction, BlueSky emphasises user control and transparency in how content is shared.

Why this matters:

While still in its infancy, BlueSky’s growth signals a shift in how users and brands engage with social media. For marketers looking to diversify their strategies, it’s worth keeping an eye on this emerging platform.

What These Updates Mean for Brands

The social media world continues to adapt, with platforms fine-tuning features to stay competitive. TikTok’s growing e-commerce capabilities could be a game-changer for product-based businesses, while Instagram’s interface changes highlight the importance of visual storytelling. Meta and LinkedIn’s updates emphasise accessibility and authenticity, providing opportunities for smaller brands and professional networks alike. Meanwhile, X continues its unpredictable path, leaving brands to weigh risks versus rewards carefully.

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