With September closing, we are almost entering our favorite spooky month. We don’t want to sound too eager but aren’t we always this excited for Halloween, for its festive vibes, and of course, the amazing discounts and offers that it brings with it.
And how can we forget the amazing exclusive discount coupons on Social Champ to automate your social media accounts?
So what happened on social media this month?
As it is all turning orange just like us, we have been busy excelling as a stronger social media management tool and digging up hot and trendy social media updates for you. Like TikTok reaching their latest milestone with a billion active users, Twitter introducing ‘Super Follows’ for its creators, and much more – so let’s get started.
Twitter Launches ‘Super Follows’
Twitter finally launches its premium subscription option ‘Super Follows’ for creators as a helpful tool for monetization.
For now, it is rolled out for specific creators in the US and Canada for iOS only.
According to Twitter, creators can set the price for Super Follow subscriptions at $2.99, $4.99, or $9.99 per month to monetize bonuses. This way, they can share their exclusive updates and news with their subscribers, who will then be flagged in-stream so that Super Followers know that only they can see that content. At the same time, creators can continue to reach their unpaid follower base in regular tweets.
Reddit launches ‘Conversation Placements’
Reddit launched its newest advertising option as a marketing opportunity for brands called ‘Conversation Placement.’ It is an ad space positioned within relevant conversations, beneath the original post and just above the first comment.
As per Reddit: “Conversation Placement allows advertisers to connect with their audiences as these exchanges are unfolding, and it works in collaboration with Reddit’s in-feed advertising to reach even more users where they’re most leaned-in.”
These ads will now allow businesses to add a CTA as well, along with an opportunity to reach users who directly come from a search engine instead of a subreddit’s feed.
Twitter is Testing New Control Options
In an opportunity to provide more freedom, protection, and control to users, Twitter has been considering and testing some new privacy tools to manage in-app interactions.
Features include:
- Archive Old Tweets – Twitter will now give an option to users to manually set a time for an archive to occur, varying from 30, 60, or 90 days or a full year after being tweeted.
- Remove Followers – Initially blocking a follower and then unblocking were the only option to remove a follower. Recently Twitter has been testing the ‘Remove this Follower’ option.
- Leave This Conversation – Tested last month, the feature enables users to untag themselves from a tweet to leave a conversation instead of repeatedly mentioned.
- Hiding Liked Tweets – Twitter tests the hiding of liked tweets in order to be viewed by general users.
Twitter Officially Launches Test of Full-Width Images and Videos on iOS
Twitter tests its edge-to-edge full-width visual display of tweets, enabling images, video, and even GIFs to have more room and space for the app on iOS.
The display’s rounded corners will also discontinue, resulting in a complete horizontal space take-up in the tweet feed.
Twitter explains: “By reducing the margins on Tweets, we can better use the space in a Tweet so the focus is on your message and what you have to say while bringing the timeline to life with larger photos and videos.”
Twitter Tests ‘Communities’ – Topic-Based Groups
We all agree that not every conversation is for everyone, and keeping this in mind, Twitter announced live testing of ‘Communities’ – a way to easily find and connect with people who want to talk about the same things you do.
Communities provide a topic-based area that you can join in tweeting directly for all your relevant content. Your tweets will be received and responded to by only the members of the same Community instead of all your followers.
While keeping conversations intimate and relevant, the Community pages will be publicly available for all users to read or Quote Tweet.
New ‘Birthday Reminder’ Element by Snapchat
After Facebook notifications, Snapchat has now added a new tool, ‘Birthday Mini,’ for its users to remember their friends’ birthdays.
Snap says:
“See an inventory of upcoming and up-to-date birthdays, in addition to birthdays organized by Zodiac Signal. Want your pals a cheerful birthday with distinctive stickers and enjoyable Lenses to commemorate their huge day! You may even countdown your individual birthday, proper all the way down to the second!”
The ‘Mini’ is a micro version of the full app constructed with Snapchat consisting of birthday reminders and great celebratory options, like AR lenses.
Twitter Tests Tweet Reactions in Turkey
Is Twitter turning more like Facebook? Twitter announced a live test for ‘Tweet Reactions’ with a variety of emotions. These reactions will be accessed by pressing the like or 🧡 reaction longer.
Currently, this feature is launched in Turkey before a worldwide rollout.
The anger emoji 😠 will not be a part of it in order to keep things civilized and positive.
“Because a Like doesn’t always capture all the feels, we’ve added a range of emoji including 😂 , 🤔 , 👏 , 😢,” explained by Twitter.
LinkedIn Launches ‘Dark Mode’ on Mobile and Desktop
Millions of LinkedIn users’ highly anticipated and much-requested feature was finally launched this month, as the Microsoft-owned company hopped on the ‘Dark Mode’ bus on its mobile app and desktop.
After Facebook, Instagram, and recently Google, LinkedIn will now have an option to view white content on a dark background which will be easier on the eyes in low-light situations.
To switch to either dark or light mode:
- Click the Profile icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- Select Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu.
- Under Account Preferences on the left, click Display.
- In the Display section, click Change next to Dark Mode.
- From here, you can select:
- Device setting: This is selected by default for members who have dark mode enabled on their device.
- Dark mode: To switch to dark mode.
- Light mode: To switch to light mode.
New ‘Map Search’ Tool Within Instagram
Instagram launches a new feature, ‘Map Finder’ for live testing in Australia and New Zealand. This feature will allow users to discover businesses and attractions via in-app maps and find information and tags on public posts for each business and location listed.
Users will find the map icon in the upper right corner of the Explore tab. Then it will be linked to the new map search, which will mainly highlight cafes and restaurants, as well as shops, entertainment venues, etc.
Reddit Launches New Updates for Its Ad Platform
Reddit adds another feather in the Ad Platform’s cap by introducing some significant updates this month. In order to strengthen brands and businesses by increasing their efficiency towards better marketing and targeting social platforms, Reddit introduced bid recommendations, improved editing functionality, and enhanced system performance.
Reddit explained:
“What’s new with the ads platform?
- Bid Recommendation: Leverage the bid recommendation tool in the ad group build page for guidance on what to bid to reach your target audience.
- Improved Bulk Edit Tool: Save time optimizing campaigns by simultaneously updating bids and budgets across multiple ad groups.
- Updated look w/ Better Performance: Loading times with the updated dashboard is also now 2x faster than before!”
WhatsApp Launches Test of ‘Business Nearby’
Facebook takes a new step into empowering Whatsapp as a critical connector between users and businesses by testing ‘Businesses Nearby’ in the contact listing. This will be an in-app directory enabling users to search active local business profiles to view their details and products on display.
The successful launch of this feature will transform a dominant messaging platform (in many regions) right into an eCommerce juggernaut.
Twitter Experiments With New Visual Editor, Which Would Incorporate Fleets Tools
Hopefully, you don’t have to say goodbye to Twitter’s Fleets option after all.
In an announcement of the discontinuation of stories-like feature Fleet last month, Twitter noted that it would take the lessons that it had learned from Fleets and apply them to new development areas.
Getting a primary glimpse of the new editor features might be, with app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi uncovering this in-development characteristic, which might assist you in making the most of all the Fleets options in a brand new visible editor procedure in your common tweets.
This won’t be bringing the Fleets back, but surely its media editor.
Idea Pin Sharing Direct to Facebook and Instagram Stories
After the massive popularity of ‘Idea Pins,’ Pinterest in a new course will now allow users to re-share these pins directly to Facebook and Instagram with Pinterest watermark. Highlighted in a tweet from whimchic, the new process will enable users to re-share their Idea Pins via the ‘Send’ option, with Facebook and Instagram Stories listed as distribution channels.
If Pinterest is your thing, then Idea Pins are everything you need as a functional way to create interesting content efficiently. A direct connection to Pin presence can be a big boost for various eCommerce brands seeking brand awareness
TikTok Tests to Pin Selected Video Clips on Top
With this new feature option in testing, Tiktoker’s will be able to pin their selected videos to the top of their profile view. This will help showcase specific clips to their profile visitors that might get users the engagement and following they seek.
In this test, a user can pin up to three clips, taking up the whole top line in the display, providing another strategic opportunity to help build an audience and maximize engagement by putting the spotlight on the chosen work.
Most social networks already have the post pinning option live and running, allowing social media managers and users to better control the way their content is displayed.
Facebook and Twitter are the two main platforms where you can use it in many ways-some share their most attractive tweets or posts, while others share promotions, their new blog posts, their latest books, or anything else.
Clubhouse Adds New ‘Wave’ Option
When it came into the market, Clubhouse was a thing with limited invite options and its availability only on iOS devices. Later, the drop of various limitations like invite-only restriction and being available globally (on Android) resulted in a decrease in interest for many.
But for users who are still interested and are on the app, Clubhouse this week has added new functionality that leans into a different use case for the platform, facilitating spontaneous social hang-outs and meet-ups among friends.
Clubhouse tweeted:
“There are over 700k rooms open every day in the Clubhouse. Yes, that includes the big moments you see in the news — but it’s also lots of lovely, small rooms between friends.
So we built a new feature to make those casual chats even easier! Say hello to Wave 👋”
TikTok Reaches a Billion Active Users
Years earlier than Facebook and Instagram reached this milestone, TikTok has announced it hit 1 billion monthly active users.
After almost facing a ban in the United States and despite many challenges from rivals, Tiktok made it to one of the most-used and fastest-growing social media platforms a year after its fate seemed cloudy.
As per TikTok:
“More than 1 billion people around the world now come to TikTok every month to be entertained as they learn, laugh, or discover something new. We’re honored to be a home for our immensely diverse community of families, small businesses, and creators who transform into our favorite stars.”
TikTok has gone from 54 million users in January 2018 to a billion now, meaning it added some 950 million users in around 45 months.
Facebook Launches Reels to US Users
Facebook has been testing its short-form video competitor since March. After TikTok announced reaching 1 billion active users, Facebook launched its Reels for iOS and Android users in the United States.
With the public launch, creators will be able to create their Reels directly on Facebook and share their existing Instagram Reels to Facebook to help them build a following across both apps.
Facebook explained:
“Reels on Facebook can consist of music, audio, effects, and more. You can find them in News Feed or Groups, and when viewing a reel on Facebook, you can easily follow the creator directly from the video, like and comment on it, or share it with friends.
WhatsApp Message Ads on Instagram
Instagram has now announced that all Whatsapp Business accounts can now be directly connected to Instagram to facilitate more opportunities for brands. Businesses will now be able to add a button on their Instagram profiles to let people send a WhatsApp message to the company with one click.
In addition, once users have connected their WhatsApp business accounts, they’ll also be able to boost posts that drive customers to message them in the app.
Instagram stated:
“With this launch, we look to create a more seamless way for businesses to connect with people on WhatsApp and provide another way for businesses to reach their goals. We recognize that every business is unique, and this ad destination provides another way for businesses to reach their objectives.”
That’s All Folks for the Month of September..
This month was quite overwhelming and buzzing on social media around the globe with new features going into testing and some underperforming features taken down.
We will be back with the latest buckets of the news next month, till then try these new exciting things from your favorite social media platforms and share your experience in the comment section below.
Stay tuned with Social Champ for more updates in the coming month. Cheers 😀
