Social Media Trends and New Features Monthly Report | November 2024
⚡Welcome To The November Social Media Trends Report
Want to stay on top of the latest trends? Welcome to the Monthly Empowered Social Media Trends Report! We’ll help you choose the trends that matter most to your business. We analyze social media data all month and deliver a report at the end of the month so you can get ahead.
But first...
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Now on to the monthly trends…
Content Recommendation Reset Feature
Instagram is testing a new feature that will allow users to reset their content recommendations across Explore, Reels, and Feed, giving them the chance to start fresh with the app's algorithm. While the platform will retain user activity data for ad targeting, this reset will enable users to clear unwanted recommendations and review followed accounts. Targeted primarily at teen users, this feature aims to enhance their experience and ensure safer interactions on the platform. The "Reset Suggested Content" option will soon be rolled out globally, providing users with greater control over the content they see. Source: Social Media Today
Feature to Remove Inactive Followers
Instagram has rolled out a new feature that allows users to see and remove inactive profiles from their follower lists. By viewing a new category labeled "Deactivated accounts," users can easily identify and eliminate these inactive accounts, which may skew engagement metrics and ad targeting. This update enables users to maintain a more accurate representation of their audience, improving insights into follower interests and enhancing overall audience quality. The feature is now available in the latest version of Instagram, offering users greater control over their follower base. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Eliminates Option to Follow Hashtags
Instagram is removing the option to follow hashtags in an effort to combat spam and improve user experience. Users will no longer see posts and Reels from followed hashtags in their feeds, aiming to reduce irrelevant content that has plagued the platform. While hashtags will still be usable for posts and searches, this change reflects a shift towards relying on improved algorithms to understand user interests and deliver relevant content. The move indicates a gradual decline in the relevance of hashtags as a connective tool, aligning with Instagram's focus on fostering individual creator engagement. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Moves Stories Highlights to a Dedicated Tab
Instagram is set to redesign its profile display by relocating Story highlights from above the profile grid to a new dedicated tab. This change aims to simplify the profile layout and enhance user experience by making content access more straightforward. The new tab, indicated by a rounded heart icon, will feature vertically aligned thumbnails for each highlight topic. While this update may streamline the profile's appearance, it could also result in fewer users engaging with Story highlights. The rollout of this change is expected to begin soon, with Instagram emphasizing the importance of a cleaner and more organized display. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Introduces DM Filters to Help Creators Manage Inboxes
Instagram has launched new messaging filters for creator accounts to streamline the management of direct messages (DMs). Creators can now sort message requests by various criteria, including sender follower count, verified accounts, and brand inquiries. A new "Story replies" folder has also been added, enhancing the ability to differentiate between regular messages and Story interactions. These updates aim to alleviate the overwhelming nature of managing DMs for creators, ensuring they can quickly access important collaboration requests and maintain engagement with their audience. Instagram plans to continue improving DM functionalities to support creators further. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Enhances DMs with New Stickers and Location Sharing
Instagram is preparing for increased DM activity during the holiday season by introducing 17 new sticker packs and an updated sticker interface, making it easier for users to express themselves in messages. The platform is also adding features like nicknames for friends within DM chats, allowing for more personalized interactions. Additionally, Instagram has introduced optional live location sharing for up to an hour, enabling users to facilitate real-life meet-ups safely. These updates reflect Instagram's commitment to enhancing direct messaging as the primary means of connection and sharing on the platform. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Expands Boosting Options for More Post Types
Instagram has enhanced its post boosting feature, allowing a wider array of content, including most GIFs and stickers, to be eligible for promotion. This update aims to help users maximize the value of their best-performing organic posts by simplifying the ad setup process. While some restrictions on music still apply, users can swap out songs for boost-eligible tracks. The updates are now live in the app, providing creators with more opportunities to enhance their reach and visibility on the platform. Note that users must have a Professional Account to access these boosting options. Source: Social Media Today
Instagram Integrates Recent Story Highlights into Stories Experience
Instagram has begun displaying recent Story Highlights within the Stories interface, allowing users to view highlights from accounts they follow while swiping through live Stories. These highlights are marked with a "Story Highlights" label and indicate when the highlight was created. This move is part of Instagram's efforts to enhance the visibility and discoverability of Story Highlights, which have become less utilized by some creators over time. By integrating highlights into the Stories experience, Instagram aims to encourage more creators to engage with this feature again, potentially revitalizing its use among users. Source: Lindsey Gamble
⚡BlueSky
Should You Consider Adding Bluesky to Your Social Media Strategy?
Bluesky is experiencing a significant surge in usage, reportedly increasing by 500% in the U.S. and surpassing 20 million users as it garners attention amid dissatisfaction with other platforms like X and Threads. While its growth suggests emerging opportunities, it still lags behind competitors in audience size. Experts recommend signing up to reserve your handle, as Bluesky may carve out a niche for certain discussions. However, much of its current hype may be driven by tech media, and the platform's longevity will depend on its ability to maintain engagement in a competitive landscape. Source: Social Media Today
Bluesky Emerges as the Best Platform for Sharing Links
Amid growing concerns about link penalties across major social media platforms, Bluesky stands out as a favorable option for those looking to share external links. Unlike competitors like X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, which limit the reach of link posts or impose restrictions, Bluesky embraces external links as a key component of its user experience. This makes it an attractive platform for marketers, publishers, and content creators who want to drive traffic to their websites without facing engagement penalties. As Bluesky gains traction, it could become a go-to destination for link-sharing in a landscape where other platforms are increasingly restrictive. Source: Social Media Today
⚡ Threads
Threads Begins to Establish Independence from Instagram
Threads is taking initial steps toward establishing itself as a distinct platform, as Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced the removal of Instagram graph imports during the onboarding process. This change, aimed at enhancing user experience, reflects user preferences for building a unique network on Threads, separate from their Instagram connections. While Threads will still utilize Instagram data for recommendations, the shift indicates a move away from its close ties with Instagram. With over 15 million new sign-ups this month, Threads is poised for significant growth, but it faces the challenge of refining its content strategy to prioritize real-time discussions and news, as it competes against X and the rising interest in Bluesky. Source: Social Media Today
Expanded Drafts Feature
Threads has upgraded its mobile app to allow users to save up to 100 drafts, aligning it with the desktop version and catering to those who may need more time to finalize their thoughts. This feature enables users to easily store and manage multiple posts for later, reflecting Threads' commitment to improving user experience as its user base continues to grow, now reaching 275 million monthly active users. While the app faces challenges in becoming the leading real-time social platform amid X's ongoing changes, these updates indicate that Threads is on a promising trajectory for fostering active communities. Source: Social Media Today
New Features Ahead of Holiday Season
Threads is enhancing its platform with updates aimed at improving user experience, including expanded AI-generated trending topics and new search filters. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced that Threads will now display more than five trending topics, complete with AI summaries for added context. Additionally, users will benefit from improved search capabilities, allowing for more specific queries based on date ranges and individual accounts. Another notable update includes the ability to view videos in landscape mode, making the app more competitive for sharing video content. These updates come as Threads aims to solidify its position in the social media landscape amidst rising interest in Bluesky. Source: Social Media Today
Threads Surges to 275 Million Users Amid X's Challenges
Threads has reached 275 million monthly active users, a significant increase from 200 million reported in August. This rapid growth, driven by discontent with political discourse on X, positions Threads as a potential contender in the social media landscape. The app's user base has expanded by 100 million in just three months, indicating a shift in user preferences toward a platform less focused on political content. While Threads aims to challenge X's 500 million users, experts suggest that its aversion to political discussions may hinder its growth in the real-time conversation space. Nonetheless, Threads is on a promising trajectory, potentially paving the way for future advertising opportunities as its user base expands. Source: Social Media Today
Threads Adjusts Strategy to Focus on Followers Amid Bluesky Rivalry
In response to the rising popularity of Bluesky, Threads is rolling out updates aimed at addressing creator concerns regarding audience growth. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced a shift in content ranking that prioritizes posts from followed accounts over algorithmic recommendations, which had previously dominated user feeds. Additionally, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Threads will soon allow users to set their "Following" feed as the default, enhancing personalization in the app. While this move may reduce overall engagement driven by AI suggestions, it aims to foster a more connected community where creators can build their followings more effectively. As Threads continues to evolve, these changes reflect a desire to reclaim the real-time social experience reminiscent of Twitter, while countering the momentum of Bluesky. Sources: Social Media Today | Social Media Today
Ads May Be Coming to Threads Sooner Than Expected
Speculation is growing around the potential introduction of ads on Threads, with reports suggesting that Meta could roll out advertising features as early as next year. Despite initial claims that ads wouldn’t appear until Threads reached a billion users, Meta has been experimenting with ad formats and is now facing pressure as user numbers climb to 275 million. While Meta has denied a definitive timeline for ads, stating its current focus is on user value and engagement, it remains to be seen how the competitive landscape, including the rise of Bluesky, may influence its monetization strategy moving forward. Source: Social Media Today
Facebook Embraces ‘Views’ as Primary Metric
Meta has announced that Facebook will adopt “Views” as its primary performance metric, aligning with Instagram's earlier shift. This change simplifies the way creators measure content performance across both platforms, replacing variable metrics like “plays” and “impressions” with a unified count of views. Notably, this means that repeat views will now contribute to total view counts, potentially inflating metrics compared to previous impression counts. Additional metric updates include renaming “Watch Time” and “Average Watch Time” to “Minutes Viewed” and “Average Minutes Viewed.” These changes are set to roll out in the Meta Business Suite and Professional Dashboard over the coming weeks. Source: Social Media Today
LinkedIn Leans Into Short-Form Video
LinkedIn is leaning into the TikTok trend by promoting its new full-screen vertical video feed, which has seen a 6x increase in immersive video views quarter-over-quarter and a 36% rise in total video viewership year-over-year. To optimize engagement with short-form videos, LinkedIn advises creators to keep videos between 15 seconds and 2 minutes, include relevant descriptions, and encourage sharing and comments. This strategy aims to attract a younger audience while enhancing content visibility on the platform. Source: Social Media Today
Pinterest Hits Record User Levels in Q3 2024
Pinterest has reported a significant surge in user engagement, adding 15 million monthly active users in Q3, bringing the total to 537 million. This marks a strong recovery and growth momentum as the platform prepares for the holiday shopping season, following a challenging period post-COVID lockdowns. Despite this growth, Pinterest faces stagnation in its key revenue markets, the U.S. and EU, which could impact its advertising potential. Nevertheless, the platform generated $898 million in revenue, reflecting an 18% year-over-year increase. Pinterest is also enhancing its shopping features, including AI-powered tools, aiming to solidify its position as a premier shopping destination. Source: Social Media Today
⚡ TikTok
Enhanced Music Sharing with Apple Music and Spotify Integration
TikTok has introduced a new "Share to TikTok" feature, allowing users to easily share music from Apple Music and Spotify directly to the app. This integration includes various sticker options that highlight the track, and users can also share music via direct messages, which link back to the respective streaming services. This move aims to enhance music discovery on TikTok, a platform where users are increasingly finding and sharing new artists and songs. With 75% of TikTok users reporting they discover new music through the app, this feature further cements TikTok's role as a significant player in the music industry. Source: Social Media Today
Guide for Post-Christmas Marketing
TikTok has released a new 13-page guide aimed at helping marketers maximize their outreach during the post-Christmas shopping period, referred to as "Q5." This timeframe presents a unique opportunity for brands to engage with consumers who are actively seeking deals and trends as they enter the new year. The guide provides insights on TikTok usage during this period, highlights the shift in consumer focus toward self-care, and emphasizes the importance of online sales. By adapting marketing strategies to align with this distinct consumer behavior, brands can effectively boost their end-of-year results. Get the guide here. Source: Social Media Today
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Thanks for reading our November trends report!
-The Empowered Team
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