Social media platforms offer numerous benefits for brands looking to connect with their audiences. One of the key advantages is the ability to reach a vast and diverse audience in real time. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and SnapChat allow businesses to showcase their products, share updates, and create brand awareness through targeted content.
In addition to reach and targeting, social media platforms are constantly evolving to enhance brand engagement tools. From Stories and Reels to interactive features like polls, live streams, and in-app shopping, these platforms regularly introduce new ways for brands to interact with consumers. Innovations such as AI-driven ad optimization, advanced analytics, and integration with e-commerce tools allow businesses to measure success and refine their strategies with greater precision.
As consumer behaviour shifts and new trends emerge, platforms adapt quickly by introducing enhancements such as improved algorithms for discoverability, better customer service integration, and creator-brand collaborations.
Here are some of the most recent updates made by major social media platforms in our fortnightly series:
X
After adding “Parody Account” labels in December 2024, X (formerly Twitter) is now making it even clearer when accounts are for parody, commentary, or fans. Starting April 10, 2025, these accounts must include a word like “parody,” “fake,” “fan,” or “commentary” at the beginning of their display name. They also can’t use the same profile picture as the person or group they’re imitating. For example, a parody of Elon Musk would need a name like “Fake Elon Musk” or “Parody Elon Musk,” and the profile picture must be clearly different from Elon’s real one. This rule helps people recognise what kind of account it is, even when the full name doesn’t show up in the feed. These rules apply even if the account already has the “Parody” label from X.
Meta
1. Teen Accounts: Meta is introducing Teen Accounts on Facebook and Messenger, which are special versions of the apps with extra safety features for younger users. These accounts were first added to Instagram last September after U.S. lawmakers raised concerns about teen safety online. Now, Meta is bringing similar protections to Facebook and Messenger, and also adding more safety tools to Instagram. With these changes, teens will automatically be put in a safer, more controlled environment. This helps protect them from inappropriate content and unwanted messages. Teens under 16 will need a parent’s permission to change any safety settings. Under these rules, teens will only be able to get messages from people they follow or have chatted with before. Their stories will only be seen by friends, and only friends or people they follow can tag, mention, or comment on their posts.
2. Monthly Recap: Instagram is testing a new monthly recap feature that helps creators quickly see how their content is doing. Some users are starting to see prompts inviting them to view a summary of their activity from the past month. The recap appears as a full-screen slideshow, similar to Stories, and shows important stats. It includes things like total views on Reels and posts, with comparisons to the previous month. Creators can also see how many views came from people who don’t follow them, insights into audience activity, and tips on how to improve their performance. The recap also highlights their best posts and suggests the best times to post based on when their audience is most active.
3. Lock Reels: Instagram is secretly testing a new feature called “locked Reels.” This lets creators and brands share special videos that can only be watched if you have a secret code. The feature was spotted on Instagram’s official Design account, where viewers are asked to “Enter secret code” along with a clue. For example, on the Design account, the clue was “1st # in the caption,” and the code was “threads.” Entering the code unlocked a banner that teased the account’s upcoming debut on Threads.
SnapChat
1. Agency Partner Program: Snapchat has expanded its Agency Partner Program with a new badging system and extra support for agencies using Snapchat’s advertising platform. The updated program includes badges for agencies based on their level of involvement. Agencies can now earn a “Strategic Agency Partner” badge, which is for top-performing partners, or an “Agency Partner” badge for agencies with great growth potential. Both badges give agencies access to special resources to help them improve client campaigns on Snapchat.
2. Sponsored AI Lenses: Snapchat has introduced Sponsored AI Lenses, a new feature that gives brands a more interactive way to connect with users. While sponsored lenses have been around for a while, this new version uses Snapchat’s advanced AI technology to create personalised and engaging experiences for each user. With these lenses, users can take selfies and see themselves placed into different AI-generated scenes. Snapchat’s AI scans the user’s face and fits it into different poses and settings, offering up to ten unique experiences in one lens. This makes ads more fun and interactive. Big brands like Tinder and Uber are already trying out this new feature.
YouTube
Monetisation Options for Creators: YouTube has introduced a range of new ways for creators to make money, aiming to make sure everyone knows about the earning opportunities available on the platform. These updates are part of YouTube’s ongoing efforts to improve how it shares revenue with creators. In total, there are now ten main ways to earn, including traditional in-stream ads, revenue from YouTube Premium subscriptions, and the new Premium Lite option. Creators can also make money through YouTube Shopping by tagging products in their videos, and through YouTube BrandConnect, which links them with sponsorship deals, now also covering Shorts. Other features include paid channel memberships, viewer contributions through Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks, as well as options like selling concert tickets and receiving digital gifts.
Enhancing ‘Shorts’: YouTube has introduced new tools to help creators make Shorts more easily and creatively. The video editor now lets creators make videos that match perfectly with the beat of the music they choose, saving time and effort. There’s also a new AI-powered feature that lets users create custom stickers for their Shorts just by giving a prompt. On top of that, adding music to Shorts is now simpler—creators can pick a song, and YouTube will automatically sync their video to the beat. YouTube is also adding support for two types of stickers that can be used in Shorts videos.
Reddit
Reddit has introduced new updates to its advertising tools to help small and medium-sized businesses manage their ad campaigns more easily and track their performance better. One of the main updates is a new feature in Reddit Ads Manager that lets advertisers quickly move their campaigns from Meta to Reddit in just three steps. This tool supports goals like building awareness, getting more traffic, boosting engagement, collecting leads, and promoting apps, although some data may not transfer fully.
Spotify
Spotify has officially launched the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX) in India after testing it in the US and Canada with The Trade Desk. Now, advertisers in India can reach Spotify users through real-time bidding, with tools to target specific audiences and measure results. Here, Spotify has teamed up with Google DV360, The Trade Desk, and Magnite to offer audio, video, and display ads through SAX, along with measurement tools. Podcast ads will be added soon. The company also uses partner systems to help advertisers find the right audience and see how their ads perform across different platforms.
