February was full of pivotal changes that stand to greatly impact content creators, advertisers and platform users alike. As Meta continued working to balance safety and oversight across its platforms, new opportunities emerged for branded content amplification. Instagram’s verification filter and Threads’ avoidance of political suggestions stand to give influencer partnerships greater control. Over on TikTok, customizable backdrops present fresh creative possibilities, while the removal of Universal Music highlights the risks of relying on third-party content. Video length expansions also open new doors for branded storytelling. For LinkedIn advertisers, extended Suggested Post reach could make single pieces of thought leadership fodder resonance for months or years — raising returns on high quality content investments. And Pinterest’s smoothed ad collaboration promises closer campaign oversight with agency and client safeguards. Let’s dive into the key headlines. Tightening Content Moderation in Meta’s Digital Realm In response to ongoing criticisms around youth safety and privacy issues, Meta tightened rules around messaging and beefed up parental supervision capabilities on Facebook and Instagram. The updates aim to crackdown on unwanted direct messages sent to teens while enabling parents to oversee settings more closely. Meta has also unveiled new AI-powered tools for brands to safeguard against product duplication, streamlining the detection and reporting of violations Instagram’s Exclusive Flipside: Enhancing Privacy with Members-Only Features Marking a potential move towards enhanced privacy controls, Instagram confirmed tests are underway around a new Flipside feature. Still in early development stages, Flipside would allow a secondary private account section akin to close friends. Time will tell whether Flipside debuts as an integrated Instagram component or standalone app. Among other updates, Instagram enabled the prioritizing of comments from verified profiles through its Meta Verified filter. Tests are also underway on Reel-centric carousels within the app and a ‘People You Follow’ view for messaging. Threads Goes Trending: Courting Controversy with Emerging Topics Despite Adam Mosseri questioning whether much-requested features could move the needle for Threads, plans are progressing to introduce hashtags, lists and a Trending Topics module. This comes as Meta declared Threads will steer clear of actively recommending political commentary from lesser-known figures – aligning with existing Facebook and Instagram policy. Longer Videos, Customized Backdrops and a Big Music Ban on TikTok Marking a major departure from its quintessential short-form roots, TikTok has kicked off tests enabling 30-minute video uploads as it eyes long-form original content. The move may spark concern for YouTube while offering extended creative latitude for established creators. TikTok also unveiled an updated Cutout green screen-free feature for easily customizing video backdrops. The enhancement makes the process more seamless without specialized equipment or preparation. In controversial news, TikTok has temporarily pulled Universal Music Group’s catalogue. This means creators are unable to access popular tracks for background music, while sounds may be muted entirely for previous videos using UMG songs. Additionally, TikTok is now touting the value of landscape video formats and pledging increased visibility for horizontal clips. Early “Sub Space” tests are also allowing creators to foster deeper ties with subscribers through exclusive chat threads, polls and updates akin to Instagram’s Live Rooms. LinkedIn Sets Content Lifeline: Algorithm Change Rescues Evergreen Posts LinkedIn now permits scheduling natively-composed multimedia posts and polls using the integrated content calendar. However, be aware third-party scheduling apps won’t currently support such features. Additionally, the platform highlighted an in-progress Suggested Posts capability aiming to match users’ evergreen contributions with targeted audiences months or years later. The initiative seeks to incentivize quality long-form posts by giving top content extended reach and shelf-life. “We’re trying to collect the sum total of professional knowledge on our platform, and make sure it surfaces whenever you need it,” explained Tim Jurka, Senior Director of Engineering. Other new tools aiming to boost effective networking and audience building include: Custom Buttons: Premium members can add hyperlinks above their profile and posts directing visitors to outside sites or appointment booking. Verified Badges: New identity verification processes now enable badge displays on profiles to build user trust. Thought Leadership Ads: Companies can now amplify third-party posts praising their brand and products. On the newsletter front, LinkedIn reported 550 million professionals subscribed across 156,000 different newsletters, signaling an ambitious expansion into that space. Read more about LinkedIn’s algorithm updates in this article. Pinterest Connects Pin Partners: Smoothing Business Bumps with Collaboration Flow Following the preview of it’s forthcoming Business Manager refresh at the Pinterest Presents event last September, Pinterest is now introducing its latest updates to the app. These updates aim to streamline the management of Pin campaigns by facilitating collaboration among staff members. Key updates: Enhanced collaboration tools to foster smoother workflow throughout your organization Capability to recycle existing ad audiences across ad accounts Introduction of Asset Groups for refined audience targeting segmentation Enhanced network security with the option to mandate staff implementation of 2FA. Staying ahead of the relentless social media curve is no small feat. Each month brings fresh features, unseen algorithm tweaks and seismic policy shifts. While exhilarating, adapting at pace can prove overwhelming for both personal users and marketers alike. That’s where we come in. By distilling the key headlines each month, our team separates signal from noise so you can focus on what matters most. Interested in unlocking the latest updates without getting buried in newsfeed minutiae? Subscribe to our newsletter and let the insights come to you.
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