The Social Receipts #16: New Tools Creators Can’t Miss: Instagram, YouTube, & Meta’s Latest Game-Changers!
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Instagram's New Inbox Hack for Creators!
Instagram has just introduced new messaging filters for creator accounts, making it easier to organise your inbox. Now, creators can sort message requests by criteria like follower count, verified accounts, and brand or creator accounts. Plus, there’s a dedicated ‘Story Replies’ folder, so you can keep actual messages separate from story reactions.
Instagram’s latest inbox update is a valuable tool for social media managers, making it easier to stay on top of high-priority messages. With new filters that allow you to sort messages by follower count, verification status, and whether they’re from brands or other creators, social media managers can quickly identify and respond to key interactions, ensuring important opportunities aren’t missed. The new 'Story Replies' folder also helps keep inboxes tidy by separating casual story reactions from direct messages. This feature streamlines communication and saves time, allowing social media professionals to focus on building meaningful client and audience relationships.
Earn More on Shorts with Direct Brand Partnerships!
YouTube is opening a new monetisation pathway for Shorts creators and adding 'Data Story' cards for video performance insights. Creators can now pitch partnership opportunities directly to brands for sponsored Shorts clips, right from YouTube Studio! If you're a YouTube Partner Program member with over 4,000 subscribers, you’ll soon be able to reach out to brands directly from the platform to propose sponsored collaborations for Shorts.
I think YouTube’s new monetisation options for Shorts creators are a positive development, as they allow for more direct collaboration between creators and brands. The ability to pitch sponsored opportunities within YouTube Studio could streamline the process and give creators more control over potential partnerships. Also, the addition of performance insights through 'Data Story' cards might be a useful tool for creators to fine-tune their content. However, the 4,000-subscriber requirement may limit smaller creators from accessing these opportunities, which could feel like a barrier for those just starting to grow their audience. Still, it’s a good move for YouTube to help creators earn more from their Shorts content.
How 'Flexible Media' Could Change Targeted Ads Forever!
Meta’s rolling out a new ad option called 'Flexible Media.' This tool is designed to adapt ad delivery based on each user’s predicted response, which means Meta can better customise which ads are shown to which users. It’s all part of Meta’s push toward more automated and targeted Advantage+ campaigns, aiming to improve ad performance by adjusting where and how ads are displayed.
As a social media manager, I think this update will be really useful for reaching the right audience, optimising ad performance, and saving time. Meta’s new 'Flexible Media' tool tailors ad delivery based on each user’s predicted response, which means we can run more targeted, efficient campaigns with Advantage+—taking the guesswork out of where and how ads should be shown!
Get to Work
Design works best when it’s clean and purposeful, with every element chosen for a reason.
Start by establishing a focal point — what you want people to notice first — and build your design around it.
Use negative space wisely, limit the colours you're using, and prioritise legibility.
Less is often more; by keeping your design minimal, you allow key elements to stand out and make a stronger impact.
Tune In
In this week’s podcast episode, we’re discussing Instagram’s new Profile Cards, approaching the integration of new social media platforms, our tips for visibility within personal branding, and the best approach to competitor analysis.
Check out the latest episode of the Social in 10 podcast for all of that and more ??