Welcome back to Spark Social Report by Spark Growth, your source for social media updates! This week, Instagram finally introduced multiple profile links, LinkedIn added the option for custom CTAs, and Twitter is only allowing subscribers to run ads. Continue reading for more updates across social media from this week!
SEO Marketing Insights
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On-Page SEO
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Off-Page SEO
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Technical SEO
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Share Up To Five Links with New Update
It’s been a long time coming! Instagram has finally launched one of the most requested features – the ability to add up to five links to your profile! After you add your links, your bio will display how many links you have available, so your followers will know you have extra content to share. When someone taps on the link, they’ll get an overview of all the link options that you’ve shared. So, get creative and start adding those links to your Instagram bio today!
Upgrade your Reel Content with New Features
Instagram announced a range of new updates for Reels to improve engagement and content creation. We’ll give you a quick rundown of the new features. There’s a new central destination to see the top trending sounds and hashtags, an updated editing display with improved elements and display, and lastly, two new insights metrics — total watch time and average watch time. Visit this page for more info on the new updates!
A Rundown on Recent Twitter Updates
Every week Twitter updates seem to get crazier and more confusing, so here is a rundown on the latest changes across the Twitter platform from this past week:
The Verification for Organizations program is now available to businesses globally.
Twitter added a new set of alerts when a Tweet violates its policies. The alert provides more transparency as to why a Tweet is receiving less visibility.
Keyword targeting for ads has made a return after 10 years. When it was introduced in 2013, the tool was not very successful, resulting in its removal. However, Twitter has decided to reinstate the element.
Twitter has been informing advertisers that they must pay for a subscription to Twitter Blue or Verified Organizations in order to run ads on the platform. Marketers, what do you think about this update?
The company has removed all labels on government and state-affiliated media accounts after multiple accounts left Twitter in protest. This change might not stick but as of right now, the feature has been paused.
NEW: Elon Musk tells me Twitter has now dropped all media labels. Asked why, Musk says: “This was Walter Isaacson’s suggestion.”
— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) April 21, 2023
After removing verified legacy checkmarks on celebrity and public figure accounts just last week, a majority of those legacy checkmarks are starting to reappear. The removal did not result in more Twitter Blue subscriptions so it seems Twitter is backtracking.
Come back next time for another rundown on Twitter updates! (It will probably just be about Musk reversing everything we just reported on!)
Share Company Commitments on Job Postings
LinkedIn is expanding its Company Commitments feature, which enables businesses to showcase their values on their Company Page. The commitments will now automatically show up in job ads and have a new job search filter so job seekers can discover open roles based on these values. Companies can also share their commitments in feed posts, providing more ways to showcase them to more LinkedIn members.
Showcase a Custom CTA with LinkedIn Premium
Expand your personal brand with this new feature. LinkedIn Premium subscribers can now add a custom CTA button to their profile and direct users to a website. The CTA options include “visit my store,” “visit my blog,” “request a consultation,” and more!
YouTube
Product Drops Feature for Live Shopping
YouTube is launching a new Product Drops feature, which allows creators to schedule the appearance of product details during a live stream, instead of uploading them beforehand. This will enable creators to release products during the stream and maximize interest. Creators with Shopify stores or Google Merchant Center can set up Product Drops using the Live Control Room. Find out more here!
Same Account Across Multiple Devices
WhatsApp is now allowing users to log into the same account on multiple phones. Users can maintain their chats even while switching devices and up to four additional devices can be linked to a phone. This update will be particularly beneficial for business owners who can now have multiple employees respond to customers directly from the same WhatsApp Business account. Pretty handy!
Keep Disappearing Messages Saved in Chat
WhatsApp introduced Keep in Chat for disappearing messages so users can save important voice notes or messages. This seems to defeat the purpose of disappearing messages but the sender will have the ability to veto the decision to save a message so they get the final say on what is kept. These will also be stored in the bookmark feature so you can easily refer back to them!
Expand API Pricing and Access
Reddit is introducing a new Premium usage tier for its API access, charging big businesses for their use of Reddit data. The platform has provided API access since 2016, allowing various platforms and providers to gather data from Reddit conversations. Reddit wants to charge higher-end developers for expanded access to conversation data and capitalize on the demand for AI tools. Learn more about the update here!
That wraps up the latest social media updates for this week! Be sure to check us out on Instagram for more digital marketing trends and news.
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