There are 4.2 billion users on social media around the world who use it for an average of over 2 hours a day. This puts platforms in stiff competition against each other to keep their users hooked to them. Every month, there is beta-testing of platform changes, removing unwanted features, monetization tips, and introducing new updates about the community and content moderation. This might seem a lot to keep up with, especially if you’re trying to run your day-to-day business.
With the rapid growth of the digital medium, various social media trends have emerged to outrank the competition. Adapting to these innovative and upcoming trends is what will help brands keep abreast of the fierce competition. Below we have collated our hand-picked list of the new platform updates of July, we think you should know as you’re a brand marketer:
1. Snapchat adds a new element in SnapMap called ‘My Places’ To highlight popular businesses
The fun platform had been wanting to improve in-app discovery for a long time. So it comes with a new element in SnapMap called ‘My places‘ that shows popular businesses and places you previously visited on the map. My Places will help you to find a range of businesses on the Snap map – places that are popular with your Snap friends, places that you have already liked and places that you have visited before. For accessing My Places, users need to tap the new ‘Places’ button at the bottom of the Snap Map.
2. Youtube launches Live stream trailers and polls to boost its streaming options for users
To make its live-streaming options more refined and user-friendly for creators, YouTube’s recently expanded its Premiere trailers option to upcoming live-streams that will help creators in adding a short preview clip to the stream event page which will allow a quick showcase of what they’ll get from your stream.The platform also expanded its access to Live Chat Polls option helping users to provide another way to maximize engagement within live-streams.
3. Clubhouse adds a new direct messaging element ‘Backchannel’ to extend conversations
The new emerging platform has recently launched a new way for users to extend their conversations beyond just live Rooms and chats with a new direct messaging element called ‘Backchannel‘. Backchannel will help enable Club members and participants to continue their discussion in various ways. The process adds a new immersive step to the live audio experience, with more ways to engage with speakers, participants, and chat with Clubhouse friends beyond the Rooms themselves.
4. Facebook broadens its payment reach with Facebook Pay as a check-out option on third-party websites
Facebook Pay has extended its reach after a lot of testing beyond its huge and unique platform of social media enabling online merchants to add services as a direct payment alternative to their website or third party websites. Introduced in 2019, Facebook Pay has incorporated payment services that work with apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp. After serious testing, it has now joined hands with PayPal, Google, Apple and many others to become the payment option at checkout.
5. Pinterest adds new shopping tags to upload short video clips displayed along the app’s top row
In order to better promote products through influencer partnerships, Pinterest has recently added new shopping labels called Idea pins allowing its users to upload short video clips that are displayed along a top row in the app. Similar to Stories options, Idea pins will help creators to tag specific items in their Idea Pin clippings giving way to more inclusive affiliate marketing.
6. Instagram expands reels from 30 secs to 60 secs for all users giving way for more creativity
Instagram Reels duration can now be up to one minute(60 secs) long which was 30 secs earlier. TikTok recently also introduced videos that are 60 seconds long which made the platform a huge hit among its followers. To join the latest bandwagon of short clips, Instagram also expanded its short video limit to give creators showcase their talent and reach their fans.
7. Instagram users now have the option to save their Instagram Stories as drafts within the app
Announced back in March, Instagram now rolls out the option to save Instagram Stories as drafts within the platform itself. When users choose the option to save a Stories draft, a new alert will pop up addressing that Stories drafts will be deleted a week after it’s saved. This option provides users with the scope for putting across more comprehensive, crafted compositions, which can be then shared at the best time for your audience.
8. Messenger launches ‘Soundmojis’ which are emojis that play a short audio clip from the user
Soundmojis are the next-level emojis users had been waiting for. It lets you send short sound clips in a Messenger chat to audio clips from your favorite artists. In case you’re wondering how to get started with it, open your Messenger app, start a conversation and then tap the smiley face you like to open the expressions menu and choose the loudspeaker icon. It’s interesting that users can also playback their favorite Soundmojis how many times ever they wished to.
9. WhatsApp rolls out a new Group Calls Update where users can join a group after the call has begun
WhatsApp rolled a new group call feature for its users to participate in calls which let them join a group call even minutes after it started. So now users won’t have to worry about missing any important group call even when busy. This new group call addition will allow users to join after they are done with work as well and can also be left midway or rejoined as many times the user wants to.
These latest social media trends launched in July can help fuel your campaign strategy and make your brand stand apart from the rest. Such social media updates can help brands launch new products, create campaigns, gain customer feedback and insights. Don’t forget to share with us your favorite social media update that can act as a game-changer in brand communication.