Social Media Updates

According to new reports, Instagram is testing the option to create Reels up to 10 minutes long.

The test, first spotted by app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, allows users to create longer Reels using Instagram’s in-app camera.

#Instagram is working on the ability to create #Reels up to 10 minutes long 👀 pic.twitter.com/jQTUM9fPsM

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) August 30, 2023

(These tests are still internal, so don’t be surprised if you can’t find the 10-minute option in your Instagram app.)

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Meta is expanding the web version of its popular new Threads app, the company announced earlier this week.

 

Post by @zuck

View on Threads

 

Previously, Threads on the web was really more of a Threads-lite experience — you could view a user’s profile, but that was about it.

After the update, you can view your feed, engage with posts, and even post threads yourself from a desktop browser.

Image via Meta

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Instagram’s Threads app has been out for just under a month, and the platform is already releasing new features in response to user feedback.

Just last week, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced several new updates, including a much-requested Following tab, which allows you to limit your feed to chronological posts from people you follow.

Image via @mosseri on Threads

This new feature will be available on iOS and Android but hasn’t yet been rolled out to all users.

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After first teasing its text-based app back in March, it looks like Instagram is finally set to release its Twitter competitor on July 6th.

Instagram describes Threads as a “text-based conversation app,” calling it a place for “communities [to] come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow.”

Social media sleuths first spotted the Threads app in Apple’s App Store, but Instagram has also hidden other clues around the app.

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Instagram’s latest feature makes it even easier for users to share Reels with their friends.

According to an update shared in Instagram head Adam Mosseri’s broadcast channel, users in the US will soon be able to download Reels shared by public accounts.

Image via Instagram

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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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