Social Media Buzz Weekly: Roundup of Social Media Updates

Welcome to Social Media Buzz Weekly, your weekly bulletin of the latest social media updates. With the social media landscape evolving with each passing day, it can be challenging to keep a tab on the rapid developments. Well, not anymore, as we have taken it upon ourselves to keep you abreast of every happening in the social media space.

So, without any further ado, let’s look at some of the most significant developments from the last week in the world of social media.

1. Meta and TikTok Launch New Initiatives to Facilitate Connection Between Brands and Creators

https://www.redmention.com/news/meta-and-tiktok-launch-new-initiatives-to-facilitate-connection-between-manufacturers-and-creators/

Meta and TikTok have launched new initiatives to lure top creators and pair them with affiliate marketing opportunities within their respective apps.

At Meta, the platform has launched a new video series that aims to address myths and misconceptions that creators may have about Facebook, and their potential opportunities in the app. On the other hand, TikTok is currently working with a selected group of creators on a new program that connects brands to influencer content, by enabling participating creators to post videos based on a brand brief.

2. Meta Rolls Out Improved Avatars, Including a Broader Range of Representative Body Shapes

https://about.fb.com/news/2023/04/meta-avatars-new-body-shapes-hair-clothing/

Meta’s rolling out some new updates for its digital avatars, including an expanded range of body shapes, improved animations, new clothing options, and more, which it hopes will help users feel more attuned to their digital doppelgangers.

Meta’s adding a broader range of body shapes to improve avatar representation, while it’s also partnered with Puma on a new avatar clothing range, expanding your options on this front. Meta launched an avatar clothing store last year, which already includes partnerships with a range of fashion brands, with Puma now adding to the mix of options you have to dress up your character.

3. TikTok Tests New Generative AI Profile Images as it Moves to Align with the AI Trend

https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/26/tiktok-is-testing-an-in-app-tool-that-creates-generative-ai-avatars/

TikTok’s looking to integrate its own set of generative AI tools, with a new profile image generator currently in testing at the app.

TikTok is developing a new process that would enable you to create your own custom AI-generated profile images in-stream. TikTok’s generative avatar process requires users to upload between 3 and 10 photos of themselves, from which TikTok’s system can then generate a range of variations and styles of avatar images.

4. Instagram Tests New Process to Help Brands Source UGC in the App

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-tests-new-process-to-help-brands-source-ugc-in-the-app/648989/

Instagram’s testing out a new option that will help brands discover relevant UGC in the app that they can then share as examples to better promote their products in-stream.

Instagram is now prompting some Shop managers to ‘Add user-generated content’ to their product listings to further encourage potential purchasers. When you tap through on the prompt, Instagram’s system will then highlight Instagram posts that your business has been tagged in, which you can then associate with your product listings.

5. Snapchat Adds Users, Reports Lower Revenue Results in Q1

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/27/snap-q1-earnings-report-2023.html

Snap added 8 million more total daily actives in Q1, taking it to 383 million daily users, according to its latest performance update, which shows good potential, in terms of ongoing usage growth, but also, some significant concerns on the revenue side.

The report shows that Snapchat’s growth is essentially flat in the US, its most lucrative market, and EU. However, it continues to gain momentum in the ‘Rest of World’ category, with Indian users, in particular, warming to the app.

6. Pinterest Partners with Zola on New Wedding Trends Report

https://newsroom.pinterest.com/en/post/the-pinterest-x-zola-2023-wedding-trends-report

Pinterest has launched a new research report, in partnership with Zola, to provide insights into the big matrimonial planning trends of the season.

The report looks at all aspects of wedding and honeymoon planning, using Pinterest insights to highlight the biggest, rising trends of 2023. Key wedding trends of the season include ‘Maximalist Weddings’, alternative color palettes (including hot pink and emerald green dresses), as well as sustainable celebrations.

7. Pinterest Announces Third-Party Ad Placement Partnerships, Beginning with Amazon

https://newsroom.pinterest.com/en/post/pinterest-announces-partnership-with-amazon-to-bring-third-party-ad-demand-to-the-platform

Pinterest has announced a new partnership with Amazon, which will enable Amazon advertisers to expand their campaigns to Pinterest, via an integrated presentation and purchase flow process.

It’s the first element of Pinterest’s planned expansion of its ads offering, which will open up more opportunities for brands to find new opportunities in Promoted Pins. And with 463 million monthly active users, each coming to the app in a discovery and purchase mindset, it could be a valuable addition for a range of brands who purchase campaigns through partner apps, which could meaningfully boost Pinterest’s revenue potential.

8. Pinterest Reaches 463 Million Users, But Revenue Outlook Raises Questions

https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2023/04/28/pinterest-pins-q1-2023-earnings-call-transcript/

Pinterest has added 13 million more users in the quarter, according to its latest performance update, with its growth momentum accelerating in the new year.

Pinterest had seen a big jump in usage amid the pandemic when lockdowns forced everybody to shop online, but it lost much of that growth as physical stores re-opened. Now, it’s clearly on a more positive trajectory once again, with users in more regions now also coming to the app.

9. Twitter’s Looking to Make Creator Subscriptions a Twitter Blue-Only Feature

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/twitters-looking-to-make-creator-subscriptions-a-twitter-blue-only-feature/648749/

Twitter’s looking to gate-off yet another element for Twitter Blue subscribers, with creator subscriptions soon to be made available to paying Twitter users only.

Twitter’s creator subscriptions, which it re-launched earlier this month, will soon only be available if you pay $8 per month to subscribe to the app. Twitter’s updated creator subscription program – originally called ‘Super Follows’ when it was first launched in 2021 – will now enable all users with 500 followers to monetize their Twitter presence, by offering add-on and exclusive content for paying subscribers.

10. Twitter Implements Prioritized Display of Tweets from Twitter Blue Subscribed Accounts

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/elon-musk-says-verified-twitter-accounts-are-now-prioritised/articleshow/99754751.cms?from=mdr

Twitter will now prioritize tweets from paying profiles in the main ‘For You’ feed, and in tweet replies - which means that Twitter Blue subscribers, which currently make up 0.26% of Twitter’s total user base, are now going to see much more exposure for their tweets in the app.

It seems inevitable that this will have a negative impact on growth, and with Twitter’s ad revenue already down 50%, it seems like this could also become a bigger impediment on the bottom line, the longer Twitter pushes ahead with it.

11. LinkedIn Adds New Custom CTA Buttons on LinkedIn Premium Member Profiles

https://www.redmention.com/news/linkedin-provides-new-customized-cta-buttons-on-linkedin-premium-member-profiles/

LinkedIn’s rolling out a new option for LinkedIn Premium subscribers that’ll enable users to add a custom CTA button to their profile, which will then direct profile visitors to a specified URL from your LinkedIn presence.

It is important to note that this is specifically for Premium Business users, which is slightly more expensive than Premium Career, the cheapest of LinkedIn’s Premium packages.

12. LinkedIn Launches New Video Series as It Expands its Focus on Original Content

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-launches-new-video-series-as-it-expands-its-focus-on-original-cont/648601/

LinkedIn has launched a new video series, as part of its broader focus on original content, which will highlight a range of people who’ve dealt with significant setbacks in their careers and have still been able to achieve success. Called ‘Catalyst’, the new video series will feature a range of stories, highlighting inspirational people in a variety of fields.

The series has been led by CNN veteran Courtney Coupe, who moved over to LinkedIn to lead its original content efforts last September. Original content has become a bigger focus for the app, as it looks to build on its ‘record levels’ of engagement and institute a more informative and entertaining in-app experience.

Wrapping Up

And that was a wrap of this week’s Social Media Buzz. We’ll be back next Monday with more news and updates for you from the social media world. Till then, stay tuned!

If you want to read more on the latest developments taking place in the social media space, take a look at ClickInsights’ Social Media Buzz, wherein we bring to you monthly reports on everything going on in social media, ranging from platform updates to policy changes that influence the way we market.