Social Media Updates

Instagram just updated Reels with new tools to help creators connect with their audiences and make it easier to create engaging content.

Reels Trends

Looking for inspiration? The new Reels Trends hub allows users to browse top trending songs, hashtags and topics.

Source: Instagram

This tool is great for research and planning. Instead of making an educated guess about the popularity of a song or trend you’re seeing all over your feed, you can now check out the actual numbers before deciding if you want to join the conversation.

You can view how many times an audio has been used and create a reel right away or save the audio for a later video. (TikTok has a similar feature.)

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Looks like Facebook and Instagram may be welcoming a new member to the Meta family. The social behemoth has just confirmed that they are working on a text-based social network app designed to compete with Twitter and Mastodon.

As a Meta spokesperson confirmed in statements to major news outlets like the BBC, ​​”We’re exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates. We believe there’s an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests.”

The new app, apparently codenamed P92, will allow users to log in using their existing Instagram accounts.

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After shutting down Facebook Live Shopping back in October, it looks like Meta’s stepping back from live social commerce altogether.

Starting March 16, 2023, Instagram users will no longer be able to tag products during live broadcasts. Meta says this change will allow the platform to “focus on products and features that provide the most value to our users.”

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Instagram just launched a new feature that creators and brands may find appealing: One-way broadcast channels are coming to an inbox near you.

Meta head Mark Zuckerberg announced the update in his Instagram Story, calling channels a “broadcast chat feature” that will allow creators to share text, images, and more with followers.

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Is paid verification the latest social media trend?

According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Verified is launching in Australia and New Zealand this week. The new subscription service will allow Facebook and Instagram users to pay to become verified (a.k.a. Get a blue checkmark on their profile).

A shiny verification badge isn’t the only benefit of the Meta Verified bundle, though. The service will also include the following:

• Proactive account monitoring to guard against impersonators,
• Increased reach in search, comments and the Explore Page,
• Live chat support,
• And “exclusive features to express yourself in unique ways.”

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If you’ve logged into Meta’s Creator Studio platform recently, you’ve probably noticed a big change.

Instead of the familiar dashboard, users are now greeted by a pop-up redirecting them to an updated Meta Business Suite.

Source: Meta

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Big news for Instagram fans: the app is making a major change to its navigation bar in February. Starting next month, the Create shortcut is moving from the top navigation to the center of the bottom bar, a spot currently occupied by the Reels button. The Reels shortcut will shift to the right, replacing the Shop button.

“But wait,” you’re thinking, “What does that mean for the Instagram Shop tab?” Don’t worry — Instagram shopping isn’t going away entirely.

Users will still be able to access all their favorite shops through Discover or other channels on Instagram (like ads, in-feed posts, Reels, and Stories). This means shoppable content will likely be spread throughout all aspects of the Instagram experience instead of in its own tab.

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Big news: Instagram now allows users to add up to 90 seconds of music to their in-feed photo posts.

Instagram announced the update on their @creators Instagram feed, saying, “Music is a huge part of expression on Instagram, and we’re excited to provide the ability to add music to Feed photo posts like you can with Reels and Stories.”

 

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A post shared by Instagram’s @Creators (@creators)

(In a somewhat ironic twist, the announcement post doesn’t include music. Unlike TikTok’s photo mode, it looks like Instagram carousel posts don’t support music yet.)

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Instagram is testing an in-app scheduling feature, according to recent reports.

Now you can schedule posts on the Instagram app! ✨

You can schedule posts and reels by going to Advanced settings when creating new content. #Instagram @MattNavarra pic.twitter.com/yJykq108wK

— ㆅ (@WFBrother) October 18, 2022

While users have long been able to schedule Instagram posts using Creator Studio, this test marks the first time they’ve offered scheduling within the Instagram app.

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Instagram continues to test the option to add multiple links to bios, according to reports released earlier this month.

The test is not yet in wide release, but users like fashion creator Allegra Shaw are already putting the additional link space to use.

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Get your Rickrolls ready! Instagram is (reportedly) bringing back the ability to add a song to your profile.

That’s right — the feature most commonly associated with 2006-era Myspace (and Hinge profiles, apparently) may be coming soon to an Instagram account near you.

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September was a busy month for Instagram. The platform continues to adapt at breakneck speed, with new features and changes launching almost weekly.

Will Instagram continue to chase TikTok’s runaway success or find a new way to stand out? And will the pivot to Reels pay off? Stay tuned — we’re just as curious as you are.

Here’s what happened in September on Instagram:

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