Social media updates: October 2024
Luke McCarthy
October 28, 2024
Menu
Menu
Menu
August brought a significant wave of updates across major platforms, each with the potential to reshape the way we connect, engage, and influence online audiences. These changes aren’t just tweaks to existing features—they’re opportunities to rethink strategies, refine content, and leverage new tools to maximize impact in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
In this roundup, we’ll explore the key updates from August and provide actionable insights on how you can harness these developments to boost your performance, connect more deeply with your audience, and ultimately achieve your marketing goals. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer looking to fine-tune your campaigns or a creator aiming to expand your reach, these insights will help you navigate the evolving social media landscape with confidence.
Instagram is making ‘Views’ the main metric for all content formats. This change will standardize performance measurement across different post types.
Marketers and creators should focus on strategies that maximize views, such as optimizing content for engagement and discoverability. High-quality visuals, engaging captions, and strategic use of hashtags will be crucial to boosting visibility.
Users can now add up to 20 frames to a carousel, providing more space for storytelling and showcasing products.
Brands can use this feature to create more detailed and engaging content. Consider creating step-by-step guides, detailed product showcases, or storytelling series that leverage the additional frames.
Instagram is testing a new portrait grid layout for profiles. Creators and marketers should update their visual content strategies to ensure that images and videos look appealing in a vertical format. Tools like Canva can be useful in redesigning templates to fit this new layout.
Instagram is working on allowing users to add WhatsApp profiles to their external links. This feature will be particularly useful for businesses that use WhatsApp for customer communication. Marketers can direct Instagram followers directly to their WhatsApp profile for inquiries, driving seamless engagement.
TikTok is introducing a new Explore page, designed to enhance content discovery. This update presents an opportunity for creators to gain more visibility. Marketers should encourage creators to use trending sounds, hashtags, and participate in challenges to increase the chances of being featured on the Explore page.
TikTok Shop’s integration with Amazon allows users to make in-app purchases directly from Amazon. This seamless shopping experience is a game-changer for e-commerce brands. Marketers should consider integrating their Amazon product listings with TikTok Shop to capitalize on the convenience this feature offers, potentially driving higher conversion rates.
TikTok now supports group chats with up to 32 participants. Creators can use group chats to build communities and foster deeper engagement with their audience. Marketers can leverage these groups for exclusive promotions or content drops, enhancing customer loyalty.
X is testing the removal of engagement buttons (like, retweet, reply) from replies. This change could impact how content spreads on the platform. Marketers and creators should experiment with different types of content to see what garners the most engagement in this new environment, possibly focusing on more engaging and discussion-provoking posts.
X is moving towards becoming an ‘everything’ app by exploring payment integrations. This development is particularly relevant for creators and brands looking to monetize their presence on X. Keep an eye on this feature and consider how it might be integrated into your sales or donation strategies.
LinkedIn has introduced a shield badge for verified company pages. Brands should ensure their pages are verified to build trust and credibility with their audience. This can be a crucial factor in standing out in a competitive marketplace.
Brands can now sponsor user-generated newsletters on LinkedIn. This is a prime opportunity for marketers to align with thought leaders in their industry. Sponsoring relevant newsletters can drive brand visibility among targeted professional audiences.
LinkedIn has improved its semantic search capabilities, making it easier for users to find relevant content and answers to complex queries. Marketers and creators should focus on optimizing their content with relevant keywords and phrases. This will improve discoverability and ensure your content reaches the right audience.
YouTube is testing the promotion of longer videos within the Shorts feed, aiming to bridge the gap between short-form and long-form content. Creators should experiment with repurposing snippets of their longer videos into Shorts, encouraging viewers to watch the full content. Marketers can also use this strategy to extend the reach of their video campaigns.
Pinterest released its Autumn 2024 Trend Report, highlighting popular searches such as ‘cookbook club’ and ‘autumn film night.’ Brands in the lifestyle, food, and entertainment sectors should tailor their content to these trends. Creating Pinterest boards and pins that align with these popular searches can drive increased engagement during the autumn season.
Meta has rolled out a feature in Meta Business Suite that allows users to manage up to ten profiles simultaneously. For marketers managing multiple accounts, this update streamlines workflow and improves efficiency. Utilize this feature to ensure consistent messaging across all managed profiles.
By staying informed and adapting to these updates, both creators and marketers can optimize their strategies and take full advantage of the new opportunities on these platforms. Stay ahead of the curve by incorporating these insights into your content and marketing plans for the coming months.
