Social media platforms are constantly evolving, as the market becomes increasingly competitive with more apps being developed, all fighting for a spot to be the number one social network platform. To help you stay ahead, we have selected 5 key updates that you need to know about today:
Spoiler: video content is only going to get bigger.
1. Facebook to boost content based on ‘views’
Following in the footsteps of Instagram, Meta has decided to prioritise ‘views’ as the primary measure for content on Facebook. Previously, content was measured by engagement metrics, such as likes, comments and clicks.
By placing greater importance on ‘views’, creators looking to increase their reach will need to focus on gaining initial traction, by drawing Facebook users in on the first impression.
On the one hand, this is likely to increase the already astronomical amount of clickbait content, which aims at getting users to click on a post, but offers little substance past that. However, this update may create opportunity for smaller creators and companies, as they won’t need a large following to immediately engage with their post, in order to have their content boosted by Facebook’s algorithm.
Particularly in such a saturated social media climate, if small accounts can produce creative content that users view because they are intrigued, the algorithm will hopefully reward this creativity, by pushing the content out further.
2. Meta moves to community notes
Possibly the most controversial update on social media recently, is Meta’s decision to move away from third-party fact-checking programs, instead opting for a ‘Community Notes’ model. But what exactly does this mean for users?
Community Notes will see Meta replacing its professional moderation team with a diverse group of users, who will assess whether posts need additional context or can be deemed as misinformation. Although, Meta has assured users that harmful and illegal content will still be policed by its own moderating policies.
As the update has only been rolled out in the US, it is tricky to deem its effectiveness. However, there has been push-back to this decision, with users expressing concern over the risk of misinformation slipping through. Users will have to wait and assess the efficiency of this new system when it hits Meta platforms globally.
3. Instagram is changing the face of your profile
One of the most visual changes to social media recently has been Instagram’s switch from the classic 1:1 square profile grid, to 3:4 portrait grids.
This change in shape mirrors the ‘Reels’ tab on your Instagram profile, suggesting Instagram’s vision to create a more video-friendly platform, especially in the wake of TikTok-turmoil in the US.
Although, the new rectangular grid layout has caused frustration for both personal users and companies. For users who enjoy curating their profile to fit an aesthetic, myself included, the new update has cropped our previously curated images. Companies may also struggle to post whole team photos or posters, as people on either side of the image will be cropped out of the grid layout.
Of course, this is more of an inconvenience than an issue, as users can click on the grid image to enlarge it and view the full post. Nevertheless, it is important to keep in mind when planning future posts and campaigns.
4. Instagram is making room for the ‘mini vlog’ with its new three-minute Reels
Short-form video content has seen a rise in popularity from TikTok, but Instagram is making room for the longer ‘mini vlogs’, by increasing its Reels length to three minutes.
When Reels first appeared on Instagram the limit was 15 seconds, and so the gradual increase to three minutes highlights the popularity of video content on the platform. Three minutes also lends itself to a different style of content, breaking out of the traditional 60-second short-form video.
I have already seen a noticeable increase in ‘mini vlog’ Reels, with influencers adopting a more personal and uncut approach to their videos. The longer time limit allows creators to edit clips less harshly, as they do not have to crop as much out. Companies can also benefit from this, as they can try their hand at more personal content, such as ‘get to know the team’ style videos or more in-depth campaigns.
5. LinkedIn introduces ‘Videos for You’
LinkedIn has gradually been transforming into a social media platform for business-professionals, highlighted in its new ‘Videos for You’ tab.
The update shows a deliberate move towards content that is proving to be popular across other platforms, with videos becoming the dominant form of content consumed across social media (Forbes).
Whilst I’m sure that we can all name a few ‘LinkedInfluencers’ that we follow, some users are reluctant to view LinkedIn as a form of social media. Cleverly, LinkedIn understands this, and have kept the ‘Videos for You’ tab separate to the main homepage, so that users can choose whether they interact with it or not.
How to benefit from these changes
Knowledge really is power when it comes to the social media algorithm, as in order to have your content boosted across a platform, it is important to understand what the algorithm actually looks for.
Whilst personal accounts may be more concerned with visual updates, for companies and influencers the key changes are those that affect the algorithm, engagement and policy. This is what will lead to either a positive or negative effect on your account.
Judging by these recent updates, creators should put an emphasis on video content, looking for unique ideas that will gain views.
If you’d like to chat to the 8020 social media team, please drop us a line: https://www.8020comms.com/contact/
