Liveworld

August was jam-packed with updates across all the social platforms we love (and some we love to hate). From Instagram carousels expanding to 20 frames, to new features on TikTok, there’s a lot to unpack. Plus, some surprising news from Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and Snapchat. Here’s a quick breakdown of everything that went down last month. 

Meta: Big Changes and Celebrity AI 

• Spark AR Studio Shutting Down: Meta is officially shutting down its Spark AR Studio by January 14, 2025. After that, no more third-party tools or content on the platform. 

• Universal Music Licensing Deal: Meta announced a new licensing deal with Universal Music, which should give content creators access to more music for posts and ads.  

• No More Detailed Targeting Exclusions for Ads: Meta decided that detailed targeting exclusions in ad campaigns actually reduce effectiveness. Less complexity = better ad performance. 

• Celebrity AI Chatbots: Meta is in talks with celebs like Judi Dench, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key to create AI chatbots.  

 

Facebook: Focus on Reels and New Rules 

• Reels Marketing Tips: Facebook Reels, along with Instagram Reels, are now driving over 200 billion views a day. Meta even released a guide to help brands make the most out of Reels.  

• New Rules for First-Time Violators: Facebook is giving first-time rule violators a break by offering a way to avoid penalties.  

 

Instagram: All About Engagement 

• 20-Frame Carousels Live: Yes, finally! You can now post up to 20 images or videos in a single Instagram carousel. This feature has been in testing for a while, and it’s now available for everyone. 

• Screenshot Blocking for Temporary DMs: Privacy alert! Instagram rolled out a new feature that blocks screenshots for temporary DMs, keeping sensitive content secure. 

• Friend Map Location Sharing Test: Instagram is testing a Friend Map, which lets you share your live location with friends. Think Snap Map, but on Insta. 

• Profile Grid Changes Coming: Instagram is experimenting with a new vertical grid for profile pages. So, instead of those classic square thumbnails, you might see longer images that show more of your pics. 

• Music on Profiles: Instagram added a music feature to profiles, letting you play a song on your profile just like MySpace did back in the day. Ready to bring back those nostalgic vibes? 

• New Content Tips: Here’s some advice from Instagram’s chief: accounts with larger followings should send the collab request for better engagement. And if you repost your Reels to Stories, you’ll boost your reach! 

• Updated Metrics: Instagram is changing its metrics—Reels Plays are now called “Views,” and repeat views will be counted, making the numbers more accurate. 

• Stories Comments to Boost Interaction: These comments appear at the bottom of the screen, just above the function controls, so they won’t be intrusive. It’s designed to make interaction easier without taking away from the Story itself. 

 

X/Twitter: Video and Privacy Focus 

• Connected TV App Launch: X rolled out its own connected TV app, pushing its focus on video content even further. 

• DM Editing on iOS: You can now edit your direct messages on X if you’re using iOS.  

• Reply Sorting Options: X introduced three new ways to sort replies under tweets, making it easier to keep up with conversations. 

• Ad-Free Experience for Premium+ Subscribers: X is now offering ad-free scrolling for Premium+ subscribers.  

• Video Conference Calls: X is working on a video conferencing feature, which will roll out soon.  

 

LinkedIn: Building Trust and Engagement 

• Verification for Company Pages: LinkedIn is testing a verification badge for company pages to boost trust. It’s only available for select companies, but it’s a start. 

• Sponsored Newsletters: Brands can now sponsor user-generated newsletters on LinkedIn. Another way to connect with your audience! 

• In-Feed Video Carousels: Video carousels are coming to LinkedIn’s feed, adding more ways for businesses to showcase content. 

 

TikTok: Shopping and AI Voice 

• In-App Shopping Trends: TikTok shared some interesting trends—communities are using the platform as a form of self-care, and people are shopping for high-end purchases like clothes and cars. The connection between brands and customers is growing stronger through collaboration. 

• New Amazon Deal: You can now shop for Amazon products directly on TikTok. Talk about seamless shopping experiences! 

• Group Chats and Stickers in DMs: TikTok added group chats for up to 32 people and the ability to use custom stickers in DMs. 

• Amber Alerts in Feeds: TikTok is testing Amber Alerts in user feeds. Anything that helps keep communities safe is a win. 

• AI Voice-Over Feature: TikTok now lets you create AI-generated voice-overs of your own voice for your clips. Say goodbye to generic voice-overs! 

 

Threads: Laying the Groundwork 

• Cross-Posting Between Facebook and Instagram: Threads is making cross-posting between Facebook and Instagram super easy.  

• Custom Feeds and Media Tabs: Threads is testing custom feeds and media tabs for profiles to make the platform more personal. 

• Disappearing Posts Test: Threads is experimenting with disappearing posts to boost engagement. Some users are already testing it out! 

• New Analytics and Scheduling Features: Threads rolled out new analytics and post scheduling tools, perfect for creators and businesses to plan content. 

 

Snapchat: Throwback Features and New Ad Placements 

• Snapchat Reaches 850M Users and Boosts Ad Revenue: Snapchat hit a major milestone, reaching 850 million users. Even more impressive, 432 million of those are Daily Active Users, meaning nearly half of its user base is active every day. 

• Retro Features Are Back: Remember Bitstrips from 2013? They’re back! And now, you can even add song lyrics to your snaps. It’s like a fun, updated version of the original. 

• Sponsored Snaps in the Chat Tab: Snapchat is testing ads inside the Chat tab, which will show up as unread messages next to your conversations. It’s the first time Snap is putting ads in this section. 

 

YouTube: New Ad Tools and AI Features 

• Picture-in-Picture Ads for Live Streams: YouTube is testing Picture-in-Picture ads for live streams. This way, creators can run ads without completely disrupting their content. 

• Merging Shorts and Long-Form Video Feeds: YouTube is experimenting with merging Shorts and long-form video content into a single feed, which might make switching between the two easier. 

• AI Comment Summaries in More Languages: YouTube is expanding its AI-powered comment summaries to cover more languages, making conversations more accessible for global users. 

 

Reddit: More Users and Better Ad Performance 

• Creative Optimization Company Acquisition: Reddit bought a creative optimization company, Memorable AI, to improve how ads perform on its platform. 

• 8.5 Million New Users: Reddit added 8.5 million new users in Q2, and revenue is also up.  

 

Pinterest: Fall Trends and Activities 

• Rising Trends on Pinterest: Pinterest searches for group activities like “cookbook club” are up by 130%, and “fall movie night” searches jumped by 140%. People are also diving into Japanese culture with searches for “Japan fall fashion” and “Japanese living room design” rising over 130%. 

 

Other Social Media Highlights 

• Spoony: A new app focused on creating communities for people who are neurodivergent, chronically ill, or disabled.  

• AR Glasses Race: Meta and Snap are racing to launch new AR glasses. Could these eventually replace smartphones? Time will tell! 

 

That’s all for August 2024! As social media platforms continue to evolve with new features like Instagram’s 20-frame carousels, TikTok’s in-app shopping, and Snapchat’s growing daily active users, it’s more important than ever to stay ahead. LiveWorld helps pharmaceutical brands make the most of these updates by offering expert social media management, compliance monitoring, and creative engagement strategies. Whether it’s leveraging Instagram’s latest tools or navigating TikTok’s trends, LiveWorld ensures your brand is both compliant and impactful. With our tailored services, we help you stay on top of social media changes and reach your audience effectively across all platforms. 

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Reagan Castleman is the Social Media Manager for LiveWorld’s social profiles. She enhances audience engagement through effective strategies that leverage both paid and organic channels. She can talk about social for literally hours and when she is not talking about it, she is researching all the little intricacies of each platform to make sure the social strategy for LiveWorld is current.