June Social Spot: Three social updates you NEED to know this month

Just like any other form of media, the trends in social media change fast. That’s why, in our latest blog, Account Manager Rachel Carroll discusses three recent social innovations brands can utilise in their own content marketing.

Update #1: Instagram is testing a new immersive experience in the main home feed

Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced they are testing a new, full-screen display of photos and videos on the main feed. This new update is a step closer to Instagram’s vision to make it a video-first platform.

Square grid posts and carousels will now have a 9:16 aspect ratio, taking up the whole screen, just like TikTok. This means existing posts will have a blurred gradient border to fit into this new feed style. Not every user will have this update yet as it is slowly being rolled out.

What does this mean for brands?

 For brands to maximise this update, it’s important to firstly stay on top of the algorithm by creating Reels, as Mosseri intends to give more credit to accounts that create original content (read May’s social spot blog to learn more).

Secondly, if you want to continue posting static images, make sure you’re posting them in a 9:16 aspect ratio so they are being cropped vertically to improve the quality.

Update #2: Twitter rolls out a new subscriber-only feature

Twitter is adding more ways that brands can monetise through the platform by creating in-app communities called ‘Super Follower Only Spaces’. This is only available to selected accounts that offer subscriptions.

Why is this important?

The new update will enable brands to increase engagement with their most engaged followers by sharing tweets and live audio that is exclusive to them.

Followers who don’t pay for a subscription will still be able to view these tweets and broadcasts when shared but will need to sign up as a ‘Super Follower’ to get access and join the conversation.

While Twitter has always been a free and open platform that encourages public conversation, this new option to create a space and share exclusive tweets with paying subscribers generating higher engagement and increase revenue.

Update #3: Instagram tests new Stories presentation which hides Stories posts

If creating and sharing Stories is a key aspect of your brand’s content strategy, this new update may potentially have negative implications.

Why?

Some Stories are now only displaying the first three frames, along with a small ‘show all’ prompt in the top-left of the screen. This means users will only view a portion of a brand’s story as it’s unlikely they will actively click show all, leading to a significant decrease in reach and views.

However, if users continue to click ‘show more’, the algorithm will get smarter and will continue feeding the user the same type of content.

While it is still in testing, the update is thought to be another subtle attempt to push brands and creators towards creating Reels on the app. One way to stay ahead of the curve is to focus attention on creating Reels and limit story frames to three.

Stay tuned for our monthly Social Spot updates and if you are looking to enhance your social media strategy, get in touch.