Managing Social Media is Hard Enough — Staying Up to Date Shouldn't Be.
"Formerly known as Facebook." We should all get used to saying that, following recent reports that suggest the social media giant is planning to rebrand under a new name that better represents all of its properties and its focus on building a metaverse. First reported on by The Verge, the report says the new name could be announced at Facebook's annual Connect conference on Oct. 28, or sooner. Stay tuned...
In today's top stories:
Instagram adds desktop posting, Collab, music (and more)
Oversight Board to Facebook: Cross-checkmate
PayPal is Pinterested
And who knew we all needed Noodle? 🦴
Read on ⬇️
Instagram: And Another Thing...
You may have noticed that Instagram unleashed a number of pretty big updates this week. I'm not sure if the Facebook-owned company is just worried about losing young people to other platforms (as per this NY Times article), or if it's proactively trying to catch up to TikTok and Snapchat. But either way, it felt like there was something new announced every day. And in case you missed any of the news, here's what you need to know...
Desktop Posting
Social media managers rejoice! Instagram has announced that you can now post photos and videos (less than one minute in length) to the grid directly from the desktop (note: you can also do this via Facebook's Creator Studio, but I guess this is one less step). The new feature was launched as of Oct. 21st. It doesn't currently include Reels or Stories.
In case you're wondering how to post to the grid from your desktop: Go to your profile on desktop, and look for the + icon in the top right-hand navigation. Once you click on it, you'll see a window pop up that allows you to select files from your computer. Enjoy!
Collab + Music
Instagram's VP of Product, Vishal Shah, tweeted about a new "Collab" feature the company is currently testing for grid posts and Reels. "From the tagging screen, you can now invite another account to be a collaborator on the post or reel. If they accept, both accounts will appear in the post or reel header, and it will be shared to both sets of followers," Shah tweeted. It essentially allows two creators to share likes, views, and comments. Only a small number of creators have access to this feature right now, says Shah.
In addition to Collab, Instagram also added new music effects for Reels, including Superbeat, Dynamic and 3D Lyrics. The CEO was a bit short on details, but TechCrunch reported that Superbeat will apply a variety of special effects that hit on the beat of the song you choose. And Dynamic & 3D Lyrics are unique ways to display on-screen lyrics. You can find all three under the "Effects" tab in Reels.
In Beta
Attention non-profits: Instagram is testing an option to create fundraisers. The feature was first spotted by app research Alexandru Voica. The way it might work, according to TechCrunch, is that when you tap on the + button in the top right-hand section of the screen, you'll see an option to create a "fundraiser." We'll have to wait and see if this is what the real feature might look like.
The company also announced it is testing several features that aim to make it easier for Creators to connect and collaborate with brands. This includes a "Preferred Brands List," a new folder within Instagram DMs for "partnership messages" and new filters to make it easier for brands to find Creators they want to work with. Oh yeah, there are also new Insights for Creators who work with brands.
That's it (for now).
Managing social media is hard enough — staying up-to-date shouldn't be. Level up your social media knowledge in minutes a week. Sign up for our newsletter today!
SOCIAL SNACKS
Cross-Checkmate
Facebook's Oversight Board, an independent group of experts in human rights and freedom of expression who review content decisions, released its first transparency report — and the news wasn't good for CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Among its findings: "Facebook was not fully forthcoming with the Board on cross-check." Cross-check is a system that Facebook uses to review content decisions related to high-profile users, such as politicians, journalists and celebrities. The Oversight Board said Facebook either failed to provide relevant information or provided information that was not complete. Facebook has now asked the Board to review the cross-check system and make recommendations (better late than never, I guess).
$45 Billion
That's how much PayPal has reportedly offered to pay for Pinterest. If the deal goes through, it would be the largest acquisition of a social media company ever (remember when we thought the $1 billion that Facebook paid for Instagram was a lot?). A source told Reuters that PayPal hopes to announce a deal by the time it reports quarterly earnings on Nov. 8. On an interesting side note: Pinterest just announced that co-founder Evan Sharp is leaving.
ICYMI
🔴 Twitter study says its algorithm favours right-wing parties and news outlets [Mashable]
🔴 Facebook introduces AR experiences for video calls on Messenger [Facebook Blog]
🔴 TikTok announces the top Creators of 2021 [TikTok Blog]
🔴 Pinterest introduces "Takes" and new ways to watch, discover and shop [Pinterest Blog]
🔴 Snap says iOS privacy changes hit its ad business harder than expected [TechCrunch]
🔴 YouTube outlines what it's learned one year after launching Shorts [YouTube Blog]
SELF-CARE
Noodle Knows All
If you've heard anyone talk about whether they are having a "bones day," they are referring to a meme that's circulating on social media featuring Noodle, a 13-year-old pug, and his TikToking human, @jongraz. Every day, Jonathan Graziano tries to stand up his pug to determine whether Noodle is having a "bones day" (Noodle is feeling good and is willing to stand up on his own), or a "no bones day" (when Noodle slides right back down into his cozy bed). On a "no bones" day, we're all encouraged to treat ourselves nicely and invest in some self-care. Thanks for the reminder, Noodle! (This is so much better than Groundhog Day, amirite?! 🦴).
Hey, congrats — you made it to the bottom of the e-newsletter!
If you really liked it, why not forward it to a friend. 💌