Social Media June Updates
June is in full swing, and social media platforms are turning up the heat with the latest updates. Here at Gerber Media, we love to keep you in the loop on all things social. Today, we'll dive into the newest updates from three of our favorite social media platforms: Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Check out these updates and leverage them for your brand’s success!
Instagram is experimenting with a new feature that introduces unskippable ads, similar to YouTube’s format. Users have reported encountering these ads while scrolling through stories and posts. A Meta spokesperson noted that this feature aims to drive value for advertisers. However, the buzz around this announcement has sparked some backlash, with users threatening to leave the app if unskippable ads become permanent. Stay tuned to see how this feature evolves and consider how it might impact your advertising strategies.
LinkedIn: New Newsletter Tools
LinkedIn has introduced several new features for newsletter publishers to help grow their audience and engage readers. The updates include:
Custom Cover Images: Use Microsoft’s AI-powered Designer tool for visually appealing covers.
Enhanced Subscriber Notifications: Improved email alerts and in-app messages to boost readership.
Embedded Profiles: Add links to other LinkedIn profiles and pages directly into newsletter articles.
Preview Links: Access a staging link to preview the newsletter URL before publishing.
These updates are designed to help digital marketers and industry professionals create engaging and visually appealing content on LinkedIn.
Pinterest: Ad Labs and Brand Safety Partnerships
Pinterest has launched Pinterest Ad Labs, a new innovation program where brands can test prototypes of new creative and ad tools. New features include
personalized backgrounds and collages for advertisers
Pinterest Performance+, an AI and automation tool currently in closed beta to enhance campaign creation and performance.
Additionally, Pinterest has partnered with Integral Ad Science (IAS) and DoubleVerify (DV) to provide brand safety and suitability measurement, ensuring safe and effective advertising campaigns.
YouTube
YouTube is always testing new tools and features to enhance the user experience, often referred to as "experiments" or "betas." If YouTube looks different for you compared to others, you might be seeing one of these tests. Here are some of the latest experiments:
User-Submitted Notes on Videos: Allows users to add notes to videos, visible if found broadly helpful.
AI-Generated Live Chat Summaries: Summarizes live chat conversations to help viewers catch up quickly.
Channel QR Codes: Makes it easier for creators to share their channels.
Google Lens Search Integration: Lets users search via Google Lens within YouTube.
User-Generated Effects in Shorts: Enables creators to design and use unique effects.
AI-Summarized Shorts Comment Topics: Organizes comment sections into themes for easier navigation.
AI-Generated Green Screen Backgrounds for Shorts: Offers customizable backgrounds for Shorts using AI.
These features are initially available to a limited number of users, with broader rollouts planned based on feedback. Keep an eye out for these updates to see how they can enhance your content strategy.
TikTok
TikTok recently unveiled several exciting new features to help creators and brands produce standout content:
Symphony Digital Avatars: Utilizes generative AI to create lifelike avatars of real people. These avatars can scale and globalize branded content, offering a personalized, human touch with diverse gestures, expressions, nationalities, ages, and languages.
Stock Avatars: Pre-built avatars using paid actors, licensed for commercial use.
Custom Avatars: Tailored to represent a creator or brand spokesperson with multi-language capabilities.
These digital avatars can significantly impact how brands connect with audiences, building trust and bringing content to life. With 58% of TikTok users more likely to trust brands endorsed by TikTok creators, these avatars can revolutionize your content strategy
No time to create content? No problem. Reach out to Gerber Media for on-brand content support with a personal touch that will make your socials shine.Keep these updates in mind as you plan your next social media campaigns. Leveraging the latest features can give your brand a competitive edge and keep your audience engaged. Happy posting!No time to create content? No problem. Reach out to Gerber Media for on brand content support and a personal touch that will leave your socials
