instagram is feeding tiktok

April 08, 2022

*Read this newsletter on the web for the best experience*

Hello, Geeks!

Well… What a crazy-ass week it’s been for Twitter, huh?

We’ll dig into that in a moment.

First off…

And...

I have a shiny new website!

Send me a tweet to tell me what you think? Big thanks to Alexander Griffioen who designed and built it. I highly recommend his work.

—

🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

  1. Elon Musk became Twitter’s largest shareholder [UT-OH]

  2. Twitter confirmed an Edit Tweet button is coming [NO MORE TYPOS] 

  3. Meta is working on ‘Zuck Bucks’ and Creator Coins [FACEBANK] 

  4. ByteDance accused of scraping rival platforms content [THIEF-TOK]

  5. Twitter’s change to embedded tweets irks publishers [OOPS]

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I’ve read every single social media news update from my feeds, alerts, and notifications this week. Here’s a quick summary of the most noteworthy updates you need to know about…

Trump Media’s CEO is living on another planet (you’ll see what I mean - watch this)... Trump’s Truth Social app is pretty much dead… The NFT of @Jack’s first tweet is back on sale for $48 million (W.T.A.F).

Creators claim Instagram has cut payouts for Reels… This might be the first ever Presidential collab on Instagram… Instagram has improved its Reels video editing tools (TikTok’s are still better).

—

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY | The Challenges of Being a Social Media Manager 💬

Being a social media manager (or marketer) is no easy gig!

But what are the challenges of working in social media?

The Social Club want to hear from YOU for a new piece of research.

Go tell them what it’s *REALLY* like to work in social today!

—

Google Docs now has an emoji reactions feature (Why not? Every other platform has them)... Substack launched new podcast hosting tools… The Unicode Emoji Subcommittee wants the internet to come up with original ideas for new emojis (keyword being original).

Twitter’s crypto plans got revealed in a bit more detail… Twitter also launched improved alt text accessibility features and began testing an ‘Unmention’ button… TikTok added a new ‘Friends’ tab and removed the ‘Discover’ tab (for me anyway)... And finally… Why adding an Edit Tweet button is so tricky for Twitter.

—

WORTH A LOOK 👀

⭐️ TWITTER: You can now join Geekout on Twitter Communities [REQUEST INVITE]

📱 TIKTOK: Why kids get hooked on social video feeds [TIKTOK BRAIN] 

🏆 TWITTER: The winner of Twitter’s battle of the brands is… [DRUMROLL]

📄 WTF: The NYT’s controversial new Twitter policy for its journalists [NEW RULES]

🧪 EXPERIMENT: What happens when you buy TikTok comments [REVEAL RESULTS]

—

Right then, folks… Let’s dig a little deeper with analysis of the news generating the most headlines this week 👇

Matt

P.S. Join us for the Geekout Debrief on Twitter Spaces at 4PM UK / 11AM ET / 8AM PT today (APRIL 8) - LISTEN / REPLAY

🎥 In case you missed it...

This webinar was so popular, I'm making it available to watch on-demand. Check out the secrets to success for a career in social media, shared by Emplifi and me, plus tips on how to advance your career in social.

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

Just days after Elon Musk was musing over whether he should start his own 'free speech' social platform, it emerged that by then he was already Twitter's largest shareholder. Yes, in the middle of March he took a 9.2% stake in the company.

Musk's stake was initially described as 'passive' when the news broke via an SEC filing this week, but it quickly became anything but passive as CEO Parag Agrawal announced Musk would be joining the company's board.

Agrawal welcomed Musk as a "passionate believer and harsh critic" but employees seemed less happy amid concerns that Musk would push for free speech over moderation. Such a change in priorities could turn Twitter into a wild west of extremism, hate, and spam. It will be interesting to hear how Musk's upcoming AMA with staff goes.

Outside the company, the American Right was happy about the move, seeing it as a sign Twitter might become more welcoming of the kind of people who have had to shuffle off to smaller platforms like Parler in recent times. It remains to be seem if the Agrawal and Musk era of Twitter will see a return for Trump, a move that would be hugely (yugely!) controversial worldwide.

But what if Agrawal's warm welcome to Musk was through gritted teeth? The board seat comes with an agreement that the billionaire will not buy more than 14.9% of company stock. Is this a case of 'keep your friends close but your enemies closer' in a bid to stop him leading a hostile takeover?

If he wanted to, Musk could feasibly take his insights from his time on the board, resign, and then push to buy a controlling stake in the company. 😬

It's finally happening. Days after an apparent April Fool joke about an edit button, it turned out not to be an April Fool at all. A Twitter edit button is finally on the way.

Twitter shared a GIF of the feature that didn't reveal much, so we don't know how it will work, but it will initially be a perk for Twitter Blue subscribers when it launches in testing "in the coming months".

Given the obvious problems an edit button presents in a world where retweets and embeds exist, it's no surprise that Twitter hasn't prioritised the feature until now, as TechCrunch discussed:

In the past, the company has downplayed its interest in giving users the ability to edit tweets, saying that the feature barely ranked on its list of priorities. But 2022 Twitter is a very different beast, one that bears little resemblance to the stagnant social platform of yore — and one that’s no longer led by CEO Jack Dorsey, who faced investor pressure toward the end of his tenure to pick up the company’s pace.

Now the edit button is definitely on the way, even those who have passionately argued against it need to consider how it could work in a way that doesn't make every retweet a risk (will 'I love carrots' be changed to 'I hate carrots' after you retweet it?).

A recent design concept by Simi Akinbode did the rounds this week as a thoughtful way to allow edits without destroying everything that is good about the platform. Let's hope Twitter takes an approach like this. Check it out - if you hate the idea of an edit button, it might just change your mind.

What do you do if your cryptocurrency plans are in tatters? Launch a virtual currency without a blockchain! The Financial Times reported this week that Meta's financial arm is exploring the idea of what has been internally nicknamed 'Zuck Bucks':

Meta is leaning towards introducing in-app tokens that would be centrally controlled by the company, similar to those used in gaming apps such as the robux currency in popular children’s game Roblox...

Meta is also looking into the creation of “social tokens” or “reputation tokens”, which could be issued as rewards for meaningful contributions in Facebook groups, for example. Another effort is to make “creator coins” that might be associated with particular influencers on its photo-sharing app Instagram.

The news comes in the same week we learned that Instagram has cut the payments it makes to creators for Reels. Depending less on cash payouts and more of an 'internal economy' could work out more rewarding for Meta while keeping creators motivated.

And as the FT noted, the 'Facebook Credits' currency accounted for 16% of the company's revenue when it went public in 2012. But the cost of running the Credits system meant it was shut down nine years ago. It seems Meta's ready for another try.

📃 Report of the week

What's the best way for brands to use Snapchat in 2022? Snap has published a guide to explain.

👀 Must-read of the week

"Achieving a more transparent and less manipulative online media may well be the defining political battle of the 21st century."

📈 Chart of the week

💬 You can quote me on that

When I’m mentioned in the news, you’ll find it here…

I spoke to Digital Trends about what we can expect next from Mr Musk.

I spoke to Observer about ByteDance's historical scraping of other platforms might mean for TikTok

❓ Question of the week

What makes a great social media boss?

This Twitter thread is full of ideas and inspiring stories from social media managers around the world.

Drop a reply and @mention your best ever boss! 👇

🔵 Meta news

All the latest from Meta brands: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and beyond:

There will be no F8 in 2022. Instead, a messaging event will take place next month, followed by a VR, AR, and metaverse-focused event later in the year.

  • Instagram is rife with misogynist abuse of high-profile women, according to a new study. [The Guardian]

  • Meta is looking into new ways to crack down on Russian government misbehaviour on its platforms. [Engadget]

  • ...the news comes as Meta shared details of Russian and Belarusian operations such as hacking Ukrainian soldiers' accounts to spread misinformation. [CNN]

  • Meta has launched an $800,000 anti-misinformation fund for WhatsApp, in partnership with Poynter. [Poynter]

  • Some Facebook users found themselves inexplicably locked out of their accounts last Friday. [BBC News]

  • Meta's encryption plans are a boon for human rights, says a new report paid for by Meta. [Washington Post $$$]

  • Meta has launched a new 'Good Ideas Deserve to Be Found' ad. [AdWeek $$$]

  • 'Meta Quest 2' branded hardware has started appearing on store shelves as the Oculus brand continues to fade away. [Road to VR]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • Want to grow a small business via Instagram? The platform's new guide could help. [Social Media Today]

New features and tests:

Facebook:

  • Meta has launched a 'Share to Reels' SDK to let developers add Reels integrations to third-party apps. [Social Media Today]

  • Facebook is working on support for digital collectibles. [@alex193a]

  • Facebook has been spotted offering a 'test broadcast' option for live video. [@jonah_manzano]

  • Reels could soon auto-scroll on Facebook. [@alex193a]

  • Facebook Gaming is testing ways to stream simultaneously on both Facebook and Instagram. [The Information $$$]

Instagram:

  • Instagram has stopped offering in-stream video ad placements. [Social Media Today]

  • Instagram has changed the Reels editing tools to make them easier to use. [Social Media Today]

  • Instagram is testing a new share interface for Reels. [@ahmedghanem]

  • Instagram is rolling out new Story insights. [@hammodoh1]

  • Instagram has added options to choose a Reel cover and profile grid in the same place. [@ahmedghanem]

  • Instagram's location pages now link to Guides. [@LindseyGamble_]

  • Instagram is working on redesigned profile buttons. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram could soon let you 'like' as Story with a double tap. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram might add an alert telling you not to use the app while driving. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram now offers stickers in support of Ukraine. [@hammodoh1]

  • Instagram could soon offer an Explore feature for current live videos. [@alex193a]

WhatsApp:

  • WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to create an end-to-end encrypted backup of your messages on iOS and Android. [Engineering at Meta]

  • WhatsApp is testing a new camera interface on Android. [WABetaInfo]

  • A new third-party app called WristChat lets you use WhatsApp on your Apple Watch. [9to5Mac]

  • WhatsApp is working on new options for handling phone numbers in chat bubbles. [WABetaInfo]

  • WhatsApp's emoji reactions feature might support more emojis than originally thought. [XDA Developers]

  • WhatsApp is limiting the number of messages users can forward to group chats. [WABetaInfo]

  • More details have emerged of WhatsApp's upcoming group polls feature. [WABetaInfo]

Quest/VR/devices:

  • Horizon Home is getting a home office space. [Engadget]

  • Quest is moving closer to offering social experiences in home spaces. [Road to VR]

🐣 Twitter news

Twitter has changed how it handles embeds of deleted tweets, which is causing problems for publishers.

  • The Bluesky team, building a decentralised version of Twitter, has shared an update on its progress. [Bluesky]

  • Twitter is has limited the reach of Russian government accounts. [BBC News]

  • Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal received a $30m pay package in 2021 as he was being lined up to take over. [The Hollywood Reporter]

  • The New York Times is cracking down on its journalists' time on Twitter. [Insider $$$]

  • Skittles has won this year's Twitter 'Brand Bracket' competition. [Social Media Today]

  • Formula 1 has extended its content partnership with Twitter. [AdWeek $$$]

  • Almost 800m tweets about gaming were sent in Q1 of this year, Twitter says. [AdWeek $$$]

  • An NFT of the first ever tweet is on the market again for $48m. It originally sold for $2.9m. [Bloomberg $$$]

New features and tests:

  • Twitter is testing the ability to 'unmention' yourself from other people's tweets. [TechCrunch]

  • Twitter has been spotted testing a tweaked layout on iOS. [@hammodoh1]

  • Twitter has extended member search for Communities to Android. [@HiCommunities]

  • Twitter has fully rolled out improved support for alt text on images. [The Verge]

  • Twitter may soon recommend third party blocking tools on its mute / block settings tab. [@nima_owji]

  • More details have emerged of Twitter's upcoming Articles feature. [@nima_owji]

  • Twitter is working on a 'Share Moment' buton. [@nima_owji]

  • Twitter might soon let Android users select text in tweets. [Android Police]

  • Twitter could add highlighted text for search results in DMs. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is working on a label that shows when the author of a tweet has liked a reply. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is still developing its status feature. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is working on seasonal icons for Eurovision, May the 4th, and more. [@alex193a]

🔺 TikTok news

33% of American teens favour TikTok over its rivals, up from 29% in late 2020, according to a new survey.

  • TikTok has delayed the opening of its first European data centre again. It's now not expected to be fully up and running in Dublin until next year. [TechCrunch]

  • TikTok has commissioned an original musical called 'For You, Paige'. It'll be performed live on the platform on 14 April. [Variety]

  • ByteDance reportedly bolstered traffic on TikTok predecessor Flipagram with content scraped from Instagram and Snapchat. [BuzzFeed News]

  • A pro-Biden group has launched a TikTok account to spread the US President's agenda more widely ahead of the midterm elections. [The Verge]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • What happens when you buy TikTok comments? Hootsuite ran a $200 experiment. [Hootsuite blog]

  • Want to use TikTok smarter as an agency or freelance creative? Its new CAP University can help. [AdWeek $£$$]

New features and tests:

  • TikTok has replaced the Discover tab with a Friends tab. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok has added a background player option for TikTok Live. [@jonah_manzano]

  • TikTok is testing a comments box showing in-feed as you scroll. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok has changed the screen you see before going live. [@jonah_manzano]

  • TikTok has added a 'privacy highlights for teens' option to its menu. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok now has a Stories archive, in the 'private' tab. [@KenSchillinger]

💥 More social media news and updates

"Former President Trump’s social media app Truth Social remains unavailable for many, despite promises that it would be "fully operational" in the U.S. by Thursday."

  • ...and two execs have resigned from the troubled Truth Social project. [The Verge]

  • LinkedIn will soon employ nearly 200 journalists worldwide as it expands its editorial team in the UK. [Press Gazette]

  • Twitch viewers are derailing chats by talking about their personal problems, AKA 'trauma dumping'., [Input]

  • Pinterest has banned climate misinformation across its platform. [New York Times $$$]

  • The FBI is spending millions of dollars on software to track activity on social media. [Washington Post $$$]

  • Discord and Reddit are major piracy threats, according to music industry body IFPI. [TorrentFreak]

  • What emoji do you wish you could use? The Unicode Emoji Subcommittee wants your original but useful new emoji ideas. [Android Police]

New features and tests:

  • Snapchat can now help users learn American Sign Language with a new lens. [Social Media Today]

  • Snapchat has added a GIF button for chats. [@KenSchillinger]

  • LinkedIn could soon let you add picture or video slideshows to your posts. [@nima_owji]

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📖 Weekend reading

"The duo behind Twitter Crypto say NFT profile pics and crypto tipping are just the beginning."

😳 And finally...

Find out how bad your Wordle strategy is (tbh I just chuck in any first word that comes to mind and 🤞)

📅 Back next week...

…And that’s your social media news download for this week.

Don’t forget to hit ‘save’ in your brain. ✅

Right…I’m heading off to refine my Wordle strategy.

(the fact I even have a Wordle strategy may explain why I'm still single)

Goodbye, geeks!

— Matt

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