Social Media News: December 2021

Each month I recap the biggest changes in social media so you can stay informed and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. Here are the highlights of what you should know as we head into December 2021:

Instagram Emphasizes Videos: Instagram has slowly moved more towards showcasing video content in the Main Feed and Stories recently. Instagram’s emphasis on consolidating and streamlining video content shows they will likely continue to push video content in 2022.

LinkedIn Expands Creator Mode: LinkedIn has added new tools to Creator Mode, including LinkedIn Live access—a way to broadcast to their followers—as well as a newsletter tool. Not all users can sign-up for Creator Mode yet, but this expansion helps keep LinkedIn as the leading platform for business connections. Read the announcement here.

Instagram Tests Longer Videos: Instagram has officially begun testing 60-second videos in Stories. This change expands videos in Stories from 15 seconds to 4-times its previous length. This fits in with Instagram’s consolidation of video products, and the growing emphasis on video as a media.

Twitter Tests Themed App Icons for Twitter Blue: New app icons have been discovered in the back-end code of the app, ranging from season-related icons to holiday celebration icons. Variable app icons is one of the features of Twitter’s subscription program, Twitter Blue. Twitter Blue offers features such as reader mode, bookmark folders, and ad-free articles. Learn more about Twitter Blue  here.

Facebook Launches Academic Research Tool: Facebook has introduced an API designed to aggregate the platform’s data. This tool is limited to academic researchers, to assist them in conducting research on Facebook data. This API is intended to protect user privacy and ensure that data cannot be re-identified. The tool is now in early access for select researchers. Read more here.

TikTok Expands Monetization and Marketing Options: TikTok adds video tipping and virtual gifts to regular TikTok videos. Live tipping and digital gifts have previously been available for select live-stream creators in its Creator Next program. This expansion allows users in the Creator Next program to generate income via their regular TikTok videos. Additionally, TikTok is lowering requirements for their Creator Next program. Read the announcement here.

What do you think of these social media updates? Leave us a comment below!