Welcome back to Spark Social Report by Spark Growth, your weekly source for social media updates! This week, Instagram launched a quiet mode, TikTok improved its direct messaging settings, and LinkedIn added new features for its Newsletter. Continue reading for more updates across social media from this week!
Digital Marketing Insights
Super Bowl LVII is coming up and there’s potential for massive growth when brands connect their content to trending conversations. TikTok shared some marketing insights to improve your sports-related content. Here are some key takeaways:
- 35% of sports viewers use TikTok to find content that makes them laugh so make content that resonates with them.
- Leverage existing ads used for TV or other platforms and add creative adjustments like transitions or effects.
- Find a special interest group that aligns with your brands to curate content for that community.
Learn more by checking out all the insights on TikTok for Business!
Take a Break with Instagram’s Quiet Mode
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Instagram has introduced Quiet Mode, allowing users to switch off all notifications. By turning Quiet Mode on, app notifications are silenced, an “In quiet mode” badge will be displayed on your profile, and an automatic message will respond to anyone who DMs you. The feature can be set to start at a preferred time every day or whenever you choose. You’ll even receive a summary of what you missed when you return to the app!
Control In-App Recommendations
Next, new content controls on Instagram allow users to tag multiple posts on the Explore page as “not interested” in order to improve recommendations. Additionally, in the privacy settings, users can now choose topics they don’t want to see in their recommended posts. Sick of seeing fitness posts? Just add the word “fitness” to the hidden words setting.
Lead Form Action Button
Could lead generation forms be coming to Instagram? While the company hasn’t publicly confirmed it (yet), some astute social media users have found “Add Lead Form” as a new option for their business profile’s button. If this feature gets released, it could help businesses generate more responses from their Instagram audience.
Dynamic Profile Photos
Flip between your profile picture and your Meta avatar with a new Instagram feature. The new “dynamic profile photos” includes your chosen image and an alternative avatar picture that users can flip between by clicking on the image.
Default Feed Options
Were any of you (all of you) asking for your timeline to default to where you left it last?
Starting today on web, if you close Twitter on the “For you” or “Following” tabs, you will return to whichever timeline you had open last. iOS and Android coming soon! https://t.co/uKz9DpNRux
— Support (@Support) January 24, 2023
A couple of weeks ago, the Twitter feeds were changed to “For You” and “Following” for users to choose between recommended content or accounts they follow. Users were defaulted to the “For You” feed but now on the web, the timeline will remain on your last choice. So, if you only want to see the Following feed, you will no longer be directed back to recommended content. The feature is coming to iOS and Android soon.
New Elements for Community Notes
Twitter’s Community Notes feature allows users to add context to Tweets in order to mitigate inaccurate information on the app. The company has expanded this to Quote Tweets so the note is seen by more users. Additionally, the feature is now also available in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Say Goodbye to Free Twitter API
Twitter API had been free but not anymore. The official Twitter Dev account stated that a paid version will be launching in the future, while access to the free version will end on February 9. No additional details have been revealed yet, so stay tuned!
Changes to Some Twitter Policies
Get ready for new rules on Twitter. Since February 1, Twitter Safety’s official account said that users can appeal their account suspension, which will now be evaluated against the new rules. Moving forward, the platform will limit the reach of Tweets that go against its policies, rather than suspending the account outright. This update aligns with Elon Musk’s Tweet back in November 2022 where he outlined a “freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach” concept. What are your thoughts on this update?
CoTweets Feature has been Canceled
Say goodbye to Twitter’s “CoTweets.” The company recently announced that the experiment ended on January 31. CoTweets, which allowed two users to create a Tweet together, had been in testing for several months. For now, users can still see existing CoTweets for one more month. How many of you used this feature and are you sad to see it go?
TikTok
Improved Messaging Options
Moving on to TikTok, the app has seen some big changes to its DM settings. Previously, users could only receive messages from friends. Now, users can choose between everyone, suggested friends, mutual followers, people you’ve sent messages to, or no one. This can open up engagement for creators and brands.
Testing a Limit to Music on TikTok
TikTok is looking at a different approach for music on the app. According to Bloomberg, the company is testing with how much music Australian users can add to their videos, hoping to see if limiting this feature impacts user engagement. Could this mean some changes to how users post and the value of the platform itself?
Striking System to Enforce Community Guidelines
Three strikes and you’re out! TikTok has announced an updated system to enforce its policies with repeat offenders. When violating the community guidelines, an account will receive a strike and if they meet the limit of strikes within a feature or policy, they will be permanently banned. The limit depends on the guideline that is violated but strikes expire after 90 days. Hopefully, this has a positive effect on app violations and helps users understand their limits.
Features to Optimize Newsletter Growth
LinkedIn has launched four new features for newsletters. Here is a quick description of each update:
First off, a new subscribe URL and button make it easier to share your newsletter on other platforms and direct people to subscribe. Secondly, when searching for someone on LinkedIn, their newsletters will be displayed with their profile introduction. To add to this, newsletters can now be added to the Featured section on profiles.
Next, new settings bring custom SEO titles and descriptions, which will improve the article’s appearance in search engines. Lastly, newsletters can now be scheduled to be sent out. This can help maintain consistency for readers and authors.
Snapchat
AR Feature for Black History Month
To celebrate Black History Month, Snapchat released a variety of new content and creative tools. Leveraging its augmented reality feature, users can access interesting Lenses from Black content creators. Check out Snapchat’s blog update to learn more!
That wraps up the latest social media updates you need to know about! Be sure to check us out on Instagram for more digital marketing trends and news.
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