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The latest social media news. What happened and what it means for your business and your clients March 2023.
The US demands ByteDance sell TikTok to avoid a ban, the UK bans TikTok on government devices, TikTok develops a dedicated STEM feed, Instagram is testing a feature that makes it easier to reshare content that you've sent to friends + a "Top 3" feature for Stories, Instagram launches "reminder ads" and tests ads in Search, Meta verified rolls out in the US but without increased reach, Meta is pausing the Reels bonuses program, Twitter released an 8-part educational course on video ads and more!
TikTok News
What happened:
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is now demanding ByteDance sell their share of TikTok or face a possible ban in the US. This news comes just days after Bloomberg reported that TikTok was considering splitting from the parent company, ByteDance, if their proposals in the US were shut down. TikTok says that selling the app won't satisfy US security concerns.
What this means for you + clients:
The US Committee on Foreign Investment is supposed to be investigating how secure US user data is, but TikTok says they're worried the review process is stalled. The CEO of TikTok appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Committee March 23 to address lawmakers’ questions on the security issues. We're still playing a wait and see game here.
What happened:
The UK bans TikTok on government devices.
What this means for you + clients:
This is just the latest in a string of moves across the globe to ban TikTok over concerns about the security of the app. Check out this graphic from Axios for which countries currently have TikTok bans in place.
What happened:
TikTok is adding a feed dedicated to STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) content. As part of this initiative, they'll also be partnering with Common Sense Networks and Poynter to help bring high-quality content to the STEM feed.
What this means for you + clients:
If you or your clients create content in the STEM field then this is good news. TikTok says that STEM-related hashtags have over 110 billion views. The STEM feed is expected to roll out to users in the US over the coming weeks. TikTok was recently testing other topic feeds including gaming, food, fashion and sports which could lead to a better user experience.
Instagram News
What happened:
Instagram is rolling out "reminder ads" and is testing ads in search results.
What this means for you + clients:
If you plan events, webinars or even product launches, the new reminder ad format may be beneficial to you. With reminder ads, people will be able to opt-in to receive reminders and they'll get notifications the day before the event, 15 min before the event and when the event starts.
Instagram is also testing putting ads in search results "to reach people actively searching for businesses, products and content." They plan to launch this globally in the coming months. But I can guess from a user experience, people are not going to be happy about seeing more ads.
What happened:
Instagram is testing a feature that makes it easier to reshare Reels that you've previously sent to your friends.
What this means for you + clients:
A meta spokesperson told TechCrunch, “We’re rolling out improvements to how you can search for and rediscover Reels that were previously shared in messages.” It seems that the goal is to keep users and their friends sharing and scrolling Reels. If you create relatable and shareable Reels, your brand may benefit from this feature.
What happened:
Instagram is testing a "Top 3" feature for Stories.
What this means for you + clients:
Another feature that no one asked for that brings back the nostalgia from Myspace days. But it looks like this feature is another step at trying to increase engagement on the app.
Meta News
What happened:
Meta is ending the Reels bonuses program for creators on Instagram and Facebook.
What this means for you + clients:
The program originally launched back in 2021 to incentivize creators to create Reels for Instagram and Facebook. Meta says that they'll respect any commitment for bonuses for 30 days and may reintroduce the program in "targeted" ways if Reels enter a new market. Seems odd to get rid of the bonus program especially as TikTok just launched a revamped Creator Fund. We'll see how Instagram continues their efforts to "support creators."
What happened:
Meta Verified rolls out in the US but increased reach will not be included.
What this means for you + clients:
After an initial test in Australia and New Zealand, Meta Verified has officially come to the US. But after some pushback and confusion regarding the previously mentioned increased reach for paying subscribers, the platform has opted to remove that element in the US test. If you sign up for Meta Verified you will still get a verified badge, impersonation protection and community support.
What happened:
Meta is "winding down" their work with NFTs.
What this means for you + clients:
The Verge says this means that Meta will be ending their tests of minting and selling NFTs on Instagram as well as the ability to share NFTs on the apps.
Twitter News
What happened:
Twitter launches an 8-part educational course for creating "unskippable" video ads.
What this means for you + clients:
The platform says the course is "for advertisers looking to create video that grabs attention, encourages engagement, and achieves key performance indicators." Each video is less than two minutes long and will include 2023 Twitter best practices. It looks like a quick and easy way to upskill so we'll definitely be checking it out.
In other news...
🏅 Twitter blue subscribers' tweet replies will be prioritized
📸 Hipstamatic app is nostalgic of early Instagram days
⏪ TikTok now lets you reset your For You feed
🎵 Instagram will allow you to replace audio in Reels when the original is no longer available
🆎 Twitter is working on text formatting
💬 Meta is building a text-based social network
❓Twitter is working on a way to show users why they're seeing certain tweets in their feed
🤝 TikTok renews partnership with UFC for exclusive live streams
🎙️ LinkedIn launches new Podcast Academy
✨ Snapchat releases content guidelines for recommendation eligibility
🗣️ YouTube adds multi-language audio analytics + Shorts music sharing options
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