As the digital landscape continues to evolve, social media is becoming the heartbeat of modern advertising and marketing strategies. From viral memes that catapult a brand into the spotlight to the art of moment marketing that turns a trending topic into sales gold, social media is where brands rise, fall, and find their footing in the fast-paced world of consumer engagement.
To keep pace with the ever-changing social media scene and avoid the dreaded FOMO, Marketing Mind is here with our fortnightly series of ‘unmissable’ social media platform updates. Whether you are a social media enthusiast or a brand strategist, these insights are your go-to guide for staying ahead in the game.
In this edition, we are diving into the latest developments that could redefine brands’ social media game. Recently, Meta’s power duo- Instagram and Threads- have rolled out new features designed to elevate brands’ and content creators’ visibility and impact. These tools, if harnessed wisely, could be the key to not just capturing attention, but also driving meaningful engagement and boosting sales.
Meanwhile, addressing the elephant in the room, we have shocking updates from Telegram, which is currently making headlines with its Co-Founder and CEO- Pavel Durov being arrested by the French Authorities over the platform giving room to criminal activities in the absence or lack of moderators. And while this development might’ve spurted the platform’s downloads and rankings in markets like the US and French, the app is currently on the verge of being banned in the country, if found guilty in the probe carried out in India.
So, let’s unpack what’s new and how you can leverage some of the latest social media updates to make brands and content creators shine on social media.
Here is a social media platform-wise breakup of some of the many updates that caught our eyes this fortnight:
1. Telegram
The one social media platform that is comparatively less talked about in India as compared to the Metas and Googles of the world but has made significant noise in recent times due to its Co-Founder and CEO- Pavel Durov being arrested by French Authorities at the Le Bourget airport near Paris on August 24 is- Telegram.
As per reports, Durov was arrested as part of a preliminary police investigation into “allegedly allowing a wide range of crimes due to a lack of moderators on Telegram and a lack of cooperation with police”. However, in a post on X, the platform dismissed it as ‘absurd’ for the authorities to arrest the owner of Telegram and hold him responsible for abuse on the platform.
But despite this media furore, Telegram has witnessed a surge in its app downloads, leading it to the second top spot in The U.S. App Store’s Social Networking charts and boosting its global iOS downloads by 4% so far. This, as per reports, may be a short-lived bump at the moment.
In continuation of this, the platform is also reportedly being investigated in India over alleged concerns for crimes like extortion and gambling, thereby treading the thin line of being banned in the country.
2. Instagram
When it comes to Instagram, the two things that instantly come to mind are Reels and Posts, isn’t it? And what is common between the two is not just images, texts or videos but also ‘Music’!
Hence, with Instagram rolling out- ‘Add Your Music’ feature in its Bio section on User Profiles. But is it something that’s uniquely new? No! The platform has been testing the same for quite some time now. But why are we mentioning it as one of our top updates?
Because we feel that it is going to change the sonic brand identity game of brands forever as it’ll give them a spot to run their brand anthems and engage with audiences in an even better fashion!
In addition to Music, Instagram is also amping up its game plan for Broadcast Channels as users will now have the option to tag their preferred or relevant channels while uploading posts. With this development in place, it becomes even easier for brands to bring audiences to the comparatively under-tapped element of Channels and drive engagement therein. Little birdie also tells us that this feature is going to spark brand wars on Instagram going forward, similar to the one that continues to go on air in Out-Of-Home settings via billboards, but contextually.
3. Threads
In the latest buzz, Threads is gearing up to explore potential ad formats, hinting at what’s to come for the app’s monetisation strategy. While Meta has previously stated that ads wouldn’t appear on Threads until the app is on “a clear path to a billion users,” it seems they are laying the groundwork in anticipation of future ad opportunities.
When ads do make their debut, they will feature a “Sponsored” label next to the username, clearly indicating that they are advertisements. These promoted posts will be targeted to relevant users and integrated into the stream, with Threads becoming an option in Meta Ads Manager.
However, don’t expect these ads to roll out just yet. The official launch of Threads ads is still on the horizon, as Meta continues to prepare for this next step in monetisation.
In another intriguing development, Meta has rolled out the ability to cross-post from both Facebook and Instagram to Threads. You can now find the option to cross-post to Threads within the composer settings on both Facebook and Instagram. Meta has been experimenting with various forms of Threads cross-posting over the past few months, and it’s now available to all users, though you’ll need to manually activate it in your post settings.
Here are a few key details to keep in mind:
a. Reels cannot be cross-posted at this time.
b. Auto-sharing to Threads can be enabled for all your Instagram posts.
c. Facebook videos cannot be cross-posted; only text and link posts are supported.
d. When you cross-post from Instagram, the post caption will be transferred as text to Threads, and hashtags will be converted into plain text.
So, if you are looking to streamline your content across these platforms, this new feature might be just what you need!
3. YouTube
YouTube Premium has become a must-have for many, transforming the way we enjoy our favorite content. But here’s some news that might make you do a double-take: Google has just upped the subscription prices for YouTube Premium in India, with some plans seeing a jaw-dropping increase of up to 58%!
If you are a student, brace yourself for a 12.6% hike on the monthly plan, jumping from Rs 79 to Rs 89. For those on the individual plan, the cost has climbed by 15%, moving from Rs 129 to Rs 149. But the real shocker is the family plan. It’s gone from Rs 189 to Rs 299 – yep, that’s a staggering 58% increase! This plan, which lets up to five family members share one subscription, now comes with a significantly heftier price tag.
But before you start wondering if it’s still worth it, let’s not forget what YouTube Premium brings to the table. For your money, you get ad-free streaming, high-bitrate video in 1080p, offline downloads for those times when you are on the go, background playback so you can keep listening while you multitask, and an uninterrupted, ad-free experience on YouTube Music. So, while the price might be higher, the perks are certainly still enticing!
Also, in an exciting news for YouTube creators, the platform has introduced a new Q&A Shorts Series aimed at answering your burning questions about growing your YouTube channel. This new feature is a fantastic resource for anyone eager to boost their presence on the platform.
Over the past week, YouTube Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie has been sharing a series of Shorts that tackle specific queries about YouTube growth. Each video features insights from Todd Beaupré, YouTube’s Senior Director of Growth and Discovery. The format is refreshingly brief, offering quick, clear answers to common questions.
So far, the series has covered:
a. Does the filename of your video impact the algorithm? Not directly, but the title definitely does.
b. Does the video category you select during upload affect the algorithm? It plays a minor role.
c. Are keyword tags important? Yes, including misspellings of your channel title and focus topics can be beneficial.
These bite-sized responses are designed to give you actionable insights that could significantly enhance your YouTube strategy. And the best part? YouTube plans to keep rolling out these helpful Shorts, so stay tuned for more valuable tips!
