Social media updates from October 2024

The digital landscape is regularly changing and the need to stay ahead of the curve is increasingly important. Join us as we run through the exciting social media platform updates that have shaped the landscape this month.

October has seen a whirlwind of social media news and updates. From new features to a makeover that will appeal more to Gen Z. A lot has happened, so let’s dive in.

Facebook

Facebook is our first stop this month and it is getting a makeover following a surge of Gen Z users. This makeover will include a new local and explore tab. The local tab focuses on connecting users with nearby activities and is currently being tested across the US.

Next, a new AI-powered video tool Meta Movie Gen has been launched, giving users the ability to generate up to 16 seconds of video content from text prompts. This incredible tool also boasts editing features so users can create their content and overlay it with AI-generated content.

It’s finally available! Meta’s AI tool is rolling out in the UK. Users will be able to access the AI tool via Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger on their phones and the web.

Speaking of AI

We must mention this next update again. You can’t opt out of Meta using your data to train its AI by sharing a story to your Facebook or Instagram Story. We talked about this earlier and we get it! When everyone is sharing the modern version of a chain letter, it’s hard to not jump on and keep everything crossed.

Looking ahead to the new year, Facebook is looking to roll out a way to prevent online scams. Due to the increase in hacked accounts, Facebook is looking to combat this by introducing the ability to upload a selfie video, something that is becoming more common.

If your video matches previous content that you’ve posted, you’ll be able to regain control of your account. We’ll keep you posted on this update as we know more. In the meantime, don’t click on any links that you’re not 100% sure of, even if they come from friends or family!

LinkedIn

Last month it was Meta, this month it’s LinkedIn that is under fire for using personal data to train AI.  LinkedIn has been clear that integrating AI will help with business productivity and “professional growth by analysing user data to match opportunities”. As always, there is a way to opt-out if you’d prefer.

Next, LinkedIn is also expanding its video options, with the introduction of in-stream videos and new video and document options for ads. This will let people get more creative and also potentially see more marketers use LinkedIn ads.

LinkedIn has also added new features for LinkedIn Live Event Ads, which will allow you to add a sneak peek video. You'll also be able to better target people regionally, potentially making for more effective ads and be able to promote members’ posts with thought leader ads.

Finally, LinkedIn is experimenting with layout! The key point of this update is it’s only in the experimental phase. But if rolled out, it would see the notification bar at the bottom of the app move to the top.

Instagram

Hopping over to Instagram now and some exciting features have been added, including a new profile card, making it easier to connect with people. These cards are flippable and have all your profile info on one side and a QR code on the back.

Instagram is also testing a new Social Library section, where all the posts you interact with can be stored. This update is great if you’ve seen the perfect meme or video you want to share. However, this is still in development and we’ll let you know if it ever goes live.

In addition to these new features, Instagram launched Best Practices. Found in the Professional Dashboard, users can find features tips, what’s working well and inspiration for their next Reel.

Quality update

This next update comes straight from the boss of Instagram (Adam Mosseri). It's been confirmed that Instagram wants to ensure that the highest quality video is shown when someone is watching your Reels and Story content. However, content that hasn’t been viewed for ‘a while’ will move to being lower quality. In the event that content begins to gain traction again, then IG will make it higher quality by re-rendering it.

While this update kind of makes sense, there are concerns. If content is being made lower quality, it’s unlikely to gain traction again as it could impact the number of engagements and views, all because it’s lower quality. Sadly, this update is geared more towards bigger creators and could have a negative impact on smaller ones.

TikTok

TikTok has introduced Paid Search, which will allow creators to pay to show up in the search results. This update could see a huge shift in how the platform is used and makes it similar to Google’s SERPs. But, if TikTok wants to compete with Google for Ad spend, a little more work is needed. As always, we’ll be sure to keep you updated with any developments.

TikTok is also helping businesses get a better understanding of the impact of their ads on in-store visits. Teaming up with InMarket, it will help provide advertisers with a more accurate conversion lift report. This is a great update for small businesses and marketers alike!

Finally, TikTok has rolled out an Ad update just in time for the holiday season! Allowing users to maximise their advertising as we head into the festive period, this update means that users will be able to use automatic targeting options via Smart+.

Smart+ will do your whole ad creation, if you want it to, including the bidding process and placement! This is a great update for SMEs looking to maximise sales during one of the busiest times of the year!

X

We're starting with an update that is different from the other platforms. X will be using its user data to train its AI tools. Here’s how it differs from the likes of Meta and LinkedIn. You won’t be able to opt out of this as it’s included in the updated Terms of Service. This is a disappointing update from X and could see even more organisations leaving the platform.

Next, X has announced that it is changing how the block feature works. Users who have been blocked will still be able to see your page, however, they won’t be able to interact with it. This has triggered a mass exodus of X users with its competitor, BlueSky, seeing 100,000 new sign-ups.

For users sticking with X, the platform has further rolled out access to its keyword analytics option. As with a lot of new additions to X, this is behind a paywall. It’s hoped that the expansion will entice more users to want to pay to use the additional features, especially since it removed analytics altogether a couple of months ago.

The feature itself looks great, allowing users to track specific keywords and see the volume of conversation over a specific time. Is it worth paying for premium? The jury is still out.

Pinterest

It’s just a single update from Pinterest this month, but it’s a biggie!

The Pinterest Performance+ Suite has landed and users can utilise some fantastic AI-driven features and automation. Performance+ will focus on “lower-funnel ad products” and provide updated optimised targeting and the ability to automatically adjust bids. This new feature could save advertisers time when creating their campaign (by 50%) as it requires few inputs from users while still giving them control! This update gets a huge thumbs-up from us!

Threads

It’s been quiet for Threads this month. Meta is looking to tackle the engagement bait that seems to be going around. What’s engagement bait we hear you ask? It’s content that aims to get people to interact with the content often negatively. This has been spotted by Meta and it is working to get it under control.

Next, Threads has officially reached 275 million users! If you’re not yet using Threads, it could be time to start thinking about how Threads might be included in your social media strategy in the new year!

New platform alert

Loops landed in October and could be a good alternative to TikTok. Before we continue, we’d suggest holding off on jumping into another platform and adding another account to your growing social media portfolio. After all some platforms don’t stick around very long, remember ClubHouse?!

With signups opening, users will be able to share 60-second video content. With it still early days, the ability to remix other videos and add sounds isn’t available yet and hashtags aren’t even supported.

Our thoughts: For users affected by a potential TikTok ban, this could be a good alternative. We think people will just go all in on already established platforms like Meta Reels and YouTube Shorts. We’ll keep an eye on the social media news and updates for Loops as they come and keep you posted when we know more.

One down, two to go!

That’s the October social media news and updates in the books. With just two more updates left before the year ends, we’re expecting there to be some fab updates in the next couple of months. As always, we’ll scour the internet to bring you all the updates you need to know about!

Relevant resources

• Are these social media marketing trends part of your strategy?

• Lunch and Learn: How to create a social media plan

• Lunch and Learn: How to get more views and leads with video SEO