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 Expands ‘Meta Verified’ Verification Subscription Program to Users in the UK

https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/16/metas-paid-verification-program-is-now-available-in-the-uk/

Despite implementing some changes to its original plan for Meta Verified, Meta is expanding the availability of the scheme to the UK, with UK users able to apply from this week.

Meta launched the initial stage of Meta Verified with users in Australia and New Zealand users back in February, before expanding it to US users a month later. And now, it’s the UK’s turn to start buying blue ticks – though as noted, there has been one significant change to the offering since its initial release.

2. LinkedIn Shares New Insights into How Institutional Investors Use the App for Research

https://www.redmention.com/news/linkedin-shares-new-insights-into-how-institutional-buyers-use-the-app-for-analysis/

LinkedIn has published a new report, in collaboration with Coalition Greenwich, which looks at how institutional investors are using LinkedIn to research and connect with potential partners - which, while fairly niche, does also include some more general insights that could be of relevance to all LinkedIn marketers.

LinkedIn has published four regional variations of the report, each of which comes in at around 35 pages, and includes a range of notes and insights on key market shifts which impact how institutional investors are looking to use social platforms to complement their process.

3. LinkedIn Adds Verifications in Job Listings to Provide More Assurance for Users

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-adds-verifications-in-job-listings-to-provide-more-assurance-for-u/650958/

LinkedIn’s testing new verification elements within job posts, which will provide more context as to who the prospective employer is, based on their LinkedIn info.

Now, you’ll see a new ‘Show Verifications’ option on some job posts, which, when tapped, will display a listing of confirmed ID elements from that business. LinkedIn has said that verifications on job postings are rolling out in a limited capacity from 23rd May.

4. Twitter Tests New Explainer Pop-Up on Verified Accounts Which Displays Date Verified

https://www.redmention.com/news/twitter-exams-new-explainer-pop-up-on-verified-accounts-which-shows-date-verified/

Twitter is experimenting with a new way to show an account’s verification history, which would include a new listing of when an account had been verified, and signifying whether it was legacy verified or not.

Twitter previously displayed two different versions of this info box, which showed whether an account was either legacy verified or had subscribed to Twitter Blue. But with the removal of legacy blue ticks from the app last month, Twitter no longer needed the legacy explainer, and removed it from the app.

5. Twitter Blue Subscribers Can Now Upload 2-Hour Videos in the App

https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/18/23728787/twitter-blue-subscribers-two-hour-videos

Twitter has confirmed that Twitter Blue subscribers can now upload videos up to two hours long in the app.

Longer upload capacity hasn’t been much of an enticement for Twitter Blue subscribers so far, given that Twitter added hour-long uploads into the Twitter Blue offering back in December, and thus far, only about 0.3% of Twitter users have signed up to the $8 per month package. But considering that 80% of Twitter users don’t ever post anything to the app, Twitter only needs to get a small percentage of active users to pay up and start posting longer clips for this to be of benefit.

6. Instagram Adds Broadcast Channel Guests to Provide More Content Options

https://drunkonsocial.com/instagram/instagram-adds-broadcast-channel-guests-feature/

Instagram’s added a new element to its Broadcast Channels one-to-many messaging feature, which will now enable channel hosts to invite other participants as guests to join their chat channel for a conversation.

The new guests option will enable channel managers to add another voice to the chat, which will then see the subsequent conversation shared with all channel subscribers.

7. Instagram Adds GIFs in Comments

https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/17/23726812/instagram-gif-comments-reactions-reels

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has announced that you can now post GIFs in Instagram comments.

It’s worth noting that Instagram added the capacity to reply to Stories with GIFs back in 2020, while you can also use GIF stickers within Stories themselves, so interacting via GIFs has been a thing on IG for some time. But now, you’ll likely see twitching images of reaction GIFs whenever you scroll down.

8. Montana Becomes the First US State to Issue a Full Ban on TikTok

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/montana-governor-signs-bill-banning-tiktok-state-2023-05-17/

Montana has become the first US state to place an outright ban on TikTok. The majority of US states have banned TikTok on government-issued devices, amid concerns around its connection to the Chinese Government, as have various other regions, but Montana is the first jurisdiction to take the next step of banning the app outright, on the basis of security concerns.

TikTok has launched a legal challenge against Montana’s decision to ban the app in the state. TikTok says that Montana’s ruling violates the first amendment, and it will be seeking to halt the bill from becoming law before its January 2024 implementation date.

9. TikTok Announces New, Exclusive Content Deal with the New York Yankees

https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/tiktok-expands-partnership-with-new-york-yankees-and-the-yes-network

TikTok has announced a renewal of its partnership with the New York Yankees, which will see the Yankees creative team continue to produce exclusive content for the platform, and help to solidify TikTok’s connection with sports fans.

The partnership, which TikTok first established in 2020, has already seen the Yankees build their TikTok presence to over a million followers, making them the most-followed MLB team in the app, while baseball discussion, as with all sports, is also on the rise among TikTok’s audience.

10. TikTok Provides More Commercial Opportunities for Independent Musicians in the App

https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/tiktok-launches-artist-impact-program-inks-distribution-deals-with-believe-vydia-distrokid-and-more-to-connect-artists-with-brands/

TikTok’s looking to add more support for musicians in the app, via a new Artist Impact Program which will help lesser-known artists add their music to TikTok’s Commercial Music Library, to then be considered for use in ad campaigns.

This could help more musicians get recognized via ad campaigns, while also giving advertisers access to unknown tracks that can help in their branding efforts.

11. TikTok Adds New Funding Initiatives for Creators in the App

https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/16/tiktok-effect-creator-rewards-fund-pays-creators-popular-effects/

TikTok’s announced a new Effect Creator Rewards initiative that will pay creators for high-performing effects.

The program will provide additional incentive for AR creators to focus on TikTok, and add new, original experiences - which also have higher than normal potential to go viral, and spark more interest in the app. Additionally, TikTok’s also expanding its Creativity Program, with more creators now able to apply to take part in the content funding initiative.

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.