May 2024 Social Media Trends and New Features
Empowered Digital Marketing
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?Welcome To The May Social Media Trends Report
Looking to stay ahead of the latest social media trends? Welcome to the Monthly Empowered Social Media Trends Report! We’re here to help you choose the trends that will be most impactful for your business. We actively analyze social media data and deliver a report at the end of each month, so you can stay ahead of the curve.
But first...
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Now on to the monthly trends…
Four New Interactive Stickers for Stories
Instagram has unveiled four new stickers for Stories, aiming to boost creativity and engagement. The "Add Yours Music" sticker allows users to share their chosen song and participate in music trends. The "Frames" sticker turns a chosen picture into a print image that develops when followers shake their phones. The "Reveal" sticker creates a hidden story that can only be viewed when a user DMs the story creator. Lastly, the "Cutouts" sticker allows users to turn a part of any photo or video into a sticker that can be added to their story or reel. These new additions promise to make the Instagram Stories experience more dynamic and interactive. Source: Instagram
Instagram Experiments with Memes to Boost Interactivity
In a bid to harness participatory content, Instagram, similar to apps like CapCut, is exploring interactive memes. The platform is trialing a novel feature in its Reels editing tools that allows users to integrate animated meme components into their video clips. This initiative is not only designed to streamline connections between users and meme trends but also to promote engagement and original content posting akin to CapCut's popular video editing features. The feature will need constant updates to remain relevant with trending meme templates, providing users an easy and effective way to participate in these trends. Source: Social Media Today
Algorithm to Prioritize Original and Emerging Creators
Instagram has announced a significant algorithm update aimed at promoting original content creators and emerging accounts. This update comprises four key elements: disincentivizing aggregator accounts, labeling reposted content pointing to original creators, replacing reposts with original content in recommendations, and increasing the reach of smaller creators. This move aligns with Meta's broader agenda of improving its relationship with creators, and it could influence posting strategies. Instagram's ability to accurately detect and recommend original posts might offer a considerable win for both creators and users, supporting the discovery of new voices on the platform. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Boosts Notes Feature with Prompts, Likes, and Mentions
Instagram is enhancing its Notes feature with new updates that focus on fostering conversations and interactions. "Notes Prompts" allows users to post questions, polls, or open-ended statements to inspire discussions among friends and followers. Additionally, the platform has introduced the ability to "like" posts in Notes, enabling users to express their appreciation or acknowledgment quickly. The inclusion of @ mentions in Notes furthers the feature's interactivity by allowing users to directly involve specific friends in a conversation. These global rollouts provide a unique twist on Instagram's traditionally image-centric content, transforming Notes into a hub for meaningful text-based interactions. Source: Phone Arena
Instagram Prioritizing Post Share Rates for Reach
According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, the likelihood of users sharing a post is a significant factor for the platform's algorithm, outweighing watch time or other forms of engagement. Mosseri suggests that the rate of shares per reach is a critical indication of connection over creativity and hence an essential metric for overall reach. While watch time is crucial due to the shift towards video content, share rates seem to hold more weight in amplifying a post's reach. Therefore, focusing on entertainment and sparking emotional responses in a post could drive more shares, leading to a more extensive reach on Instagram. Source: Social Media Today
Posting Longer Reels Can Hurt Performance
While Instagram recently mentioned posting Reels longer than 90 seconds could undermine a creator's reach, additional information on the platform's distribution policy brings more clarity to the discussion. Instagram explained that while it is possible to share videos over 90 seconds, they will not be eligible for recommendations in the Explore or Reels Tab, which is the main reason why they could potentially hurt distribution. Instagram's research seems to suggest that users prefer shorter clips in these sections, and integrating longer content could decrease overall engagement. Despite experimenting with 3 and 10 minute Reels, Instagram remains cautious about featuring them within its recommendations. Therefore, while longer clips might make sense in certain cases, they won't provide the same exposure opportunities. Source: Social Media Today , Social Media Today
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? TikTok
TikTok Labels Content Generated by External AI Tools
TikTok is enhancing its AI transparency by introducing labels on content modified by external AI tools. Partnering with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), TikTok will now tag such AI-modified content in-stream. This new feature will scan uploaded videos for AI markers and, if detected, highlight them. Apart from encouraging greater transparency, these steps also aim to inhibit the spread of misinformation. Alongside, TikTok is joining forces with MediaWise to build generative AI media literacy campaigns, educating users on identifying AI content. As the first video-sharing platform to implement these practices, TikTok is leading the charge towards increased AI literacy. Source: Social Media Today
TikTok Unveils Management Platform 'TikTok Studio' for Creators
TikTok introduces 'TikTok Studio,' a comprehensive dashboard offering creators a centralized location to manage their TikTok presence. This upgraded version of its Creator Center delivers streamlined access to vital tools for video uploads, editing, performance analytics, and more. Although the tools aren't new, their consolidation offers a more efficient and user-friendly experience. TikTok Studio emphasizes monetization tools and consolidates growth opportunities, making tailored recommendations for creators. Initially available only as a web app, a standalone app experience is also in the test phase. Source: Social Media Today
TikTok Experiments with 60-Minute Video Uploads
TikTok is pushing its boundaries by testing the waters with 60-minute video uploads. This move continues the platform's trend of extending video length limits, offering creators a bigger canvas for storytelling. While the success of hour-long videos on the app remains to be seen, TikTok asserts that such features are in demand from creators pursuing more comprehensive narratives. This push towards longer content also points towards TikTok's ambition to broaden its platform, potentially challenging YouTube in the creator arena and opening new monetization avenues. Source: Social Media Today
DM Streaks for Enhanced User Engagement
TikTok is experimenting with a new feature to encourage daily user interaction - Direct Message (DM) streaks. Inspired by Snapchat's popular streaks feature, TikTok's streaks are activated when users engage in consecutive daily messaging, signified by a fire emoji and a streak count beside the chat. This feature aims to draw users back to the app regularly, underlining the compelling charm of maintaining long-standing streaks. Although it might seem like it's forcing engagement, the feature's proven success on other platforms suggests it could stimulate increased app usage on TikTok as well. Source: Social Media Tod ay
TikTok and Universal Music Group Forge New Licensing Agreement
TikTok and Universal Music Group (UMG) have struck a new multi-dimensional licensing agreement, marking a step forward for both entities. Disputes earlier this year led to UMG pulling its music from the app, but this new deal allows for the return of UMG's repertoire, offering expanded possibilities for artist promotion and more creative freedom for TikTok users. The agreement centers on utilizing TikTok's growing e-commerce capabilities, suggesting potential opportunities in ticket and merch sales. This collaboration underscores the mutual benefit of such partnerships in music promotion. Source: Social Media Today
TikTok Challenges US Government Over Forced Sell-Off
In response to a US law compelling ByteDance to either sell TikTok or face a ban, TikTok has filed a lawsuit against the US government. The company asserts that the law, singling out a single, named speech platform for a nationwide ban, violates the US constitution. TikTok argues that the forced sale isn't commercially, technologically, or legally feasible within the 270-day timeline and would essentially amount to a ban, silencing 170 million American users. Furthermore, TikTok claims that Congress' move is based purely on hypothetical national security concerns, with no evidence of misuse by the Chinese government. A Federal Court will now hear TikTok's challenge, assessing the legal merits rather than the potential economic or emotional impact. Sources: The Verge , Social Media Today , Social Media Today
领英推荐
TikTok Contemplates US-exclusive Feed Algorithm
TikTok is reportedly exploring alternatives to remain operational in the US amid the Senate's push for it to transition to US ownership. With the possibility of selling its algorithmic code ruled out by China's revised export-control rules, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is said to be developing a US-specific version of its recommendation algorithm. This development, part of the broader "Project Texas" initiative, hopes to create a more palatable version of the app for American lawmakers. However, concerns remain over TikTok's advanced visual identification process and potential regulatory issues that could arise from replicating its complex algorithm. Source: Social Media Today
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LinkedIn Scales Down Link Preview Images in Organic Posts
LinkedIn is changing the game by decreasing the size of link preview images in organic posts, while sponsored posts will maintain the previous larger preview. Aimed at fostering native posting and boosting the use of sponsored updates, this change could potentially affect the appeal and engagement of posts with external links. There's been mixed reception, with some users expressing dissatisfaction, arguing it might diminish the overall LinkedIn experience. However, LinkedIn is steadfastly rolling out this change, prompting users to reconsider their LinkedIn posting strategies. Source: Social Media Today
LinkedIn Adds Labels for AI-Generated Content
LinkedIn is stepping up its transparency by adding labels to AI-generated content. The platform is partnering with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to tag in-stream AI images. This marking system aims to enhance content clarity and curb the spread of misleading "deepfake" content. As AI-generated content continues to grow in complexity and influence, this move towards immediate detection and labeling is crucial. The automatic addition of these labels is a significant step towards uniformity in content identification, making LinkedIn part of a growing list of social platforms adopting similar measures. Source: Social Media Today
? Threads
Threads Introduces Chronological "Recent" Tab in Search
Threads is enhancing your browsing experience with the introduction of a "Recent" tab in search results, announced by Adam Mosseri. This new feature is designed to make discovering timely and pertinent content easier by presenting results in chronological order. Quality assessment remains a key factor in search results. Source: Threads
Threads Offers Users Greater Control Over Quoting
Threads has introduced a new feature that gives users the power to control who can quote their posts, offering a unique advantage over platforms like X. Users can now choose between "Anyone," "Profiles you follow," or "Mentioned only" when selecting who can quote their posts. This feature comes as part of Threads' ongoing efforts to hand over more control to users and improve the overall app experience. The move could potentially lessen negativity and unwarranted attention in the app, aligning with Threads' broader mission to foster a more positive social space. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram to Threads Cross-Posting
Meta is experimenting with cross-posting from Instagram to Threads, offering users the potential to share content across both platforms seamlessly. The feature, currently under testing, would see Instagram captions turned into text-based posts on Threads, with hashtags converted to plain text. While cross-posting can save creators significant time, it's important to remember that each platform has its own unique trends and features, and some content may not translate well across different platforms. However, certain Instagram posts, especially those with comprehensive captions, could potentially transition smoothly to Threads' text-centric format. Source: Metricool
Threads Introduces View Counts on Posts
Threads is amplifying user insights with the introduction of view counts on individual posts, providing a wider understanding of post reach and engagement. This new feature offers a visibility metric, indicating how many times a post has been viewed in the app. Although this might be a potent tool for content creators looking to gauge audience interaction, it also raises the concern of potentially emphasizing lack of engagement. The introduction of this feature underscores the platform's commitment to offering users more comprehensive insights to improve their content strategy. Source: Social Media Today
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? X
Twitter.com is Officially X.com Twitter is now officially rebranded as "X" in their domain. Despite major staff cuts and controversies, the platform continues to function relatively smoothly, even introducing beneficial features like Community Notes. However, the shift has also been linked with an increase in hate speech and abuse on the platform. X's ownership under Elon Musk has ambitions of transforming it into an all-encompassing financial platform, although profitability and advertiser concerns remain significant challenges. Source: Social Media Today
X Disguises User "Likes"
X is concealing user "Likes" to make interests private and counter potential negative connotations. The change enables users to "Like" content without fear of public visibility, potentially encouraging users to "Like" more and thus providing X with more signals to refine its algorithm. However, this shift raises concerns about encouraging negativity and controversial behaviors under the veil of anonymity. Source: Social Media Today
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? YouTube
YouTube Streamlines Ad Campaign Creation
In an effort to make promoting videos easier, YouTube has introduced a new feature that allows creators to launch ad campaigns directly within YouTube Studio. This simplified process offers easy set-up and streamlined targeting options, and is available for all channels meeting the requirements for Advanced features and with more than 1,000 subscribers. It provides an easy way for creators to boost the reach of their content, similar to Facebook's boost options for posts. The feature is now available to all creators on desktop and is currently being tested on the mobile app. Source: Social Media Today
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Thanks for reading our May trends report!
-The Empowered Team