do not use this tiktok feature

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

Hello, geeks!

Welcome back :)

Had a fun week working in social?

RadioShack’s social media manager certainly has! More on that in a bit.

But first…

And…

I revealed my social media trend predictions for 2022 / 2023. Watch the replay.

Okay. Let’s jump into the HOTTEST developments in social this week:

—

🔥 GEEKOUT HOT 5

  1. Instagram tests making EVERY video you post a Reel [ENOUGH ALREADY!] 

  2. Meta exec warns of ‘serious times’ ahead in leaked memo [WHY SO SERIES]

  3. Elon Musk hit 100m Twitter followers + mysteriously stops tweeting [U OK HUN?] 

  4. Facebook Groups is getting a very Discord-like revamp [CTRL-C / CTRL-V]

  5. TweetDeck for Mac is officially dead [RIP TD]

—

It’s time for my brain dump of EVERYTHING else I think you should know about this week. Set your brain to download mode. Let’s go…!

Twitter Spaces are becoming more like live podcasts. Spaces recordings will now no longer expire after 30 days… Meanwhile, Twitter appears to have started testing its custom timeline feature (pick your own algorithm).

Brands on Twitter can now create their own ‘Branded Like’ button animation (I bet they’re crazy expensive)... Meanwhile, Elon Musk has hit 100m followers (mostly bots, ironically), making him the 6th most followed person in the world.

Meta has begun testing NFT features on Facebook in the U.S… Instagram added a delete account option in-app on iOS (only because Apple forced them to)... Meta expanded access to live chat support for businesses and rebranded it ‘Meta Pro Team’ (but still not available to all users)... Mark Zuckerberg have been branded a hypocrite regarding Quest VR app store fees.

—

⭐️ EMPLIFI’S SOCIAL MEDIA SUPERSTARS 2022 ⭐️

Emplifi’s FOUR social media pros reveal how they created winning social media strategies for their companies + their top tips to help you advance your career in social in 2022. | [BECOME A SOCIAL MEDIA SUPERSTAR]

—

Facebook is killing its video ‘Premieres’ feature… Meta was accused of removing or hiding abortion related posts and hashtags… Facebook started asking users to set a new default audience preference (it hopes you’ll pick ‘public’)... And Facebook Watch for Apple TV is dead (insert shrug gif here).

TikTok is testing a dedicated Shops feed… YouTube is cracking down on spammers and imposters with three new policies, including stopping channels hiding their subscriber count… Twitch is making it easier for creators to bring guests onto streams with 'Guest Star' mode…Spotify launched new initiatives to help podcast creators including a new Spotify Creator Discord.

And finally… 

Great news for social media managers!

—

WORTH A LOOK 👀

🔥 EXCLUSIVE: Join the PRIVATE Geekout Group for SMMs on Facebook [INVITE ONLY]

#️⃣ INSTAGRAM: The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Hashtags 2022 [CHECK IT OUT]

📱 TIKTOK: The 10 Most-Viewed TikToks of All-Time [REVEAL]

💯 TWITTER: How to Max-Out Carousel Posts on Twitter [TOP TIPS]

✨ YOUTUBE: MrBeast Explains YouTube’s Algorithm + Top Tips for Creators [TEACH ME]

—

Right then… Let's dig a little deeper into the social media news headlines EVERYONE’S talking about. My analysis of this week’s biggest developments coming up next 👇

– Matt

P.S. Geekout on Twitter Spaces WILL be coming back… Promise… More info soon.

🚨 Everyone's talking about...

As businesses around the world start tightening their belts with an eye on inflation and a possible recession, even the biggest names in social media aren’t immune.

As the Verge reported, a memo to Meta staff laid out the challenge:

Meta is warning of “serious times” and preparing for a leaner second half of 2022, according to an internal memo circulated to employees this week. The note comes from chief product officer Chris Cox and outlines the company’s priorities and challenges to its business going forward.

“I have to underscore that we are in serious times here and the headwinds are fierce,” Cox wrote in the memo obtained by The Verge and published in full below. “We need to execute flawlessly in an environment of slower growth, where teams should not expect vast influxes of new engineers and budgets.”

Beyond the wider economic pressures felt by almost every business, Meta is worried about the end of third-party tracking cookies in Chrome next year and other privacy changes and regulations that will impact its ad business.

Even as it cuts back in some areas, expect Meta to invest heavily in fields like the metaverse, A.I., messaging, and meeting new privacy requirements. Oh, and Reels. Lots of Reels.

Speaking of which…

If there’s a topic that really got my Twitter followers talking this week, it’s the news that Instagram is testing making every video you post a Reel.

As Gizmodo explains:

If you’re part of the test group, attempting to make a video post on Instagram will lead to a notification that says “video posts are now shared as reels,” according to a screenshot shared on Twitter by social media consultant Matt Navarra. In practice, this means that Instagram is considering eliminating the option to share a video just with your followers. Instead, everything posted on the app that’s not a still image could end up in the endless, lawless sea of Reels.

It’s no secret that Meta sees massive growth potential in Reels. It’s why the TikTok-aping feature is suddenly all over Instagram and Facebook. If it makes the apps more sticky, Meta wants it in there.

But set aside whether you spend ages swiping through Reels and ask yourself whether you actually want the feature in the first place. Instagram seems to be becoming ever more blatantly a monetisation engine at the expense of user experience.

Just look at Martin spotting that only 25% of items in his feed were from people he follows. And he’s not alone - plenty of users are telling me they’re seeing less of what they want and more of what Instagram thinks they want.

We knew the app was going down this route, but it’s a careful balancing act to make sure users are kept happy. Scrolling through Instagram these days, it doesn’t seem to be getting the balance right.

He liked tweeting so much, he’s buying the company. So why has Elon Musk stopped using Twitter?

Axios reports:

Elon Musk celebrated his 100 millionth Twitter follower in uncharacteristic fashion: By not tweeting at all. In fact, he hasn't tweeted in over a week…

By the numbers: Over the five weeks leading up to June 16, Musk averaged 145 tweets and retweets per week, or about 21 per day. That was the day an open letter appeared signed by SpaceX employees, characterizing Musk's tweets as "a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment."

Did the SpaceX controversy make him want to hide away? Or has he realised there’s value in keeping your powder dry? When you’re as rich as Musk, you can maintain an aura of power and influence if you keep quiet. It’s not like people are going to stop talking about you.

Tweet like a 17-year-old edgelord (or like Donald Trump) though, and people start to see through the facade and realise you’re a fallible human like everyone else, and maybe not as smart as the image you project.

Most of us need to use social media to have a public voice. Musk’s money and his companies’ accomplishments achieve that without him having to jump on the latest meme bandwagon. There’s a reason why most billionaires are happy to keep quiet. Put your head too far above the parapet and people might start to wonder whether you really deserve to be there.

Chances are, Musk will be back. But perhaps he’s best sticking to occasional product announcements.

Meanwhile in Elon-buying-Twitter land:

  • He claims Twitter still hasn’t sent him enough data for his team to analyse its bot problem. [Insider $$$]

  • ...but analysing the data might not be easy, experts say. [Wall Street Journal $$$]

🐣 Brands on Twitter

American electronics store brand RadioShack became more like RadioSHOCK this week with a parade of wild tweets. What was going on…?

Turns out that since the stores shut down, it’s now a cryptocurrency company. Either that or it’s Elon’s burner account.

🤯 WTF?!

📊 Chart of the week

🗣 Interview of the week

Gadget reviewer Marques Brownlee built his career on YouTube. So what does he think about the rise of TikTok and the lifecycle of a digital creator?

📆 Coming soon?

Hot features in development

Twitter’s upcoming Status feature looks like it could be a lot of fun.

This new WhatsApp feature could make video calls more interesting if you don’t want your face too be seen. Unfortunately, we can’t see what the avatars actually look like yet.

👀 Must-read of the week

This is a fascinating read from Pew Research, who spoke to leading experts about the likely evolution of 'the metaverse'

🙊 Industry gossip

Don’t do it, Firefox!

🐥 No-context tweet

📄 Report of the week

A good thread looking at a new report into journalist-influencers, from someone who definitely is one…

💡 Insight spotlight

Speaking of journalists, maybe they’re in the wrong place…

🔨 New tool

“Backed with 18 months of data from brands, agencies, and influencers, Hashtag Pay Me’s base-rate calculator uses factors such as an influencer’s reach, technical skill, content-creation ability level, and years of experience to determine what similar influencers are paid at minimum per sponsored post (such as a 30-second TikTok, for instance) in the US.”

🌟 New feature spotlight

After Twitter Blue comes Snapchat+. At $3.99 it offers a bunch of extra features, but you’ll still have to see ads.

❓ Quick question

Go on… tell share what you’d REALLY like on your big day… (a day off is BY FAR the most popular request) 👇

🔵 Meta news

These apps are so toxic for teens.

  • Facebook has been criticised for displaying ads for unproven treatments to cancer sufferers. [MIT Technology Review $$$]

  • Meta has expanded its customer support for SMBs and renamed it Meta Pro Team. [Meta Business]

  • Instagram let a man accused of selling photos of children to paedophiles run two accounts for months after he was charged by police. [Forbes]

  • Facebook started banning users who talked about mailing abortion pills in the US on the day Roe v Wade was overturned. [Motherboard]

  • ...and Instagram restricted some abortion resources and hashtags. [NBC News]

  • VR developers are unhappy with Meta's fees for selling content in the Quest App Store. [Financial Times $$$]

  • Facebook has made some minor changes to its privacy policy and terms of service. [@MattNavarra]

  • Meta says the metaverse will enhance freedom of expression. [Social Media Today]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • The 2022 ultimate guide to Instagram hashtags. [Adespresso]

  • Want to make the most of Reels? Instagram has some tips for you. [Social Media Today]

New features and tests:

Facebook:

  • Facebook has launched a feature to support collabs. [Social Media Today]

  • Facebook is testing Groups features that seem to be inspired by Discord's success. [The Verge]

  • Facebook now lets you assign a Community Manager for your live streams, to help deal with antisocial behaviour among the audience. [@MetaforCreators]

  • Facebook now prompts users to set a new default audience for future posts, setting public as the default. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook Groups admins can now access a new monetisation page. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook has added an ‘About this Account’ section (for my profile, at least). [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook has added a 'Direct Play' feature for Groups. [@MattNavarra]

  • Facebook has added a button to quickly switch between Groups on desktop. [@ahmedghanem]

  • Facebook is testing NFT support with a small group of users in the US. [TechCrunch]

  • Facebook could be renaming Groups to Communities. [@wongmjane]

  • Facebook has discontinued its Watch app for Apple TV. [9to5Mac]

  • Facebook is killing off its Premieres feature for videos on 22 August. [@GerryMcG]

Instagram:

  • Instagram has opened its API for Reels, meaning third-party tools will soon be able to handle things like scheduling and publishing Reels. [Social Media Today]

  • Instagram has a new trick to let you view a chat without it being marked as seen. [@hammodoh1]

  • Instagram now automatically shares video posts as Reels. [@yousufortaccom]

  • Instagram ‘story mentions’ is rolling out to more users. [@WFBrother]

  • Instagram has added a ‘delete account’ option on iOS, to comply with Apple rules. [TechCrunch]

  • Instagram now shows a ‘New’ badge on new accounts. [@ahmedghanem]

  • Instagram has been spotted promoting Facebook Bulletin newsletters in notifications. [@kyurieff]

  • Instagram now has an option to mute all future message requests from a user. [@ahmedghanem]

  • ...and Instagram could soon let you block all other existing accounts by a user when you block them. [@alex193a]

  • Instagram Reels has a new menu for saved Reels, audio, and effects. [@jonah_manzano]

  • ...and a bookmarking button similar to TikTok's. [@jonah_manzano]

WhatsApp:

  • WhatsApp is testing the ability to request an appeal to an account ban from within the app. [WABetaInfo]

  • WhatsApp is working on a blur tool for its media editor. [WABetaInfo]

VR/Quest/devices:

  • Meta has announced open source software to allow for more realistic spatial audio effects in virtual spaces. [Axios]

  • Meta has added Quest video record settings, but only for developers. [UploadVR]

🐣 Twitter news

The Indian government is forcing Twitter to silence Pakistani voices in its country.

  • Reminder: the TweetDeck app for Mac shuts down today. [9to5Mac]

  • Researchers have recommended the steps Twitter could take to slow viral misinformation. [CNet]

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • Want to make the most of Twitter's Carousel format? The company has shared some tips. [Social Media Today]

New features and tests:

  • Twitter has launched its ‘branded likes’ ad product in the US, UK, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. [Social Media Today]

  • Twitter is testing Custom Timelines in the US and Canada on the web, according to a new Help page. [@wongmjane]

  • Twitter has launched Spaces that are available indefinitely on Android. The option is coming soon to iOS. [@TwitterSpaces]

  • …and it’s testing the option on iOS to save a recording at the end of a Space even if you didn’t hit ‘record’ at the start. [@TwitterSpaces]

  • Twitter has added more information about live Spaces in the top bar of its Android app. The feature will come to iOS soon. [@TwitterSpaces]

  • Twitter is testing a 'Tweets & Replies' tab for profiles. [@WFBrother]

  • Twitter has made some tweaks to Notes since it launched in beta last week. [@TwitterWrite]

  • Twitter could soon show on your profile how many tweets you create per month. [@nima_owji]

  • Twitter is still working on the Status feature. [@alex193a]

  • Twitter is working on a redesigned nav menu. [@nima_owji]

  • The old version of TweetDeck now has a new link card design. [@MattNavarra]

🔺 TikTok news

The prospect of a TikTok ban has reared its head again in the US, following BuzzFeed News’ recent story about how much TikTok data is seemingly accessed in China.

Insights to give you an edge at work:

  • Want to understand beauty enhancement trends on TikTok? A new report will help. [Social Media Today]

New features and tests:

  • TikTok has a new activity status feature. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok is rolling out screen time breaks. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok can now tell you how many times you open the app and how long you use it for. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok has a new ‘Live Setup’ screen with a ‘Live Goal’ feature. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok now has a ‘TikTok Friends’ share button. [@MattNavarra]

  • TikTok has added an option to allow users to ‘nudge’ you. [@TechnicalMJTV]

  • TikTok has updated its activity feed with a busier, more visual look. [@brendangahan]

  • TikTok has changed the layout of the Live interface. [@jonah_mazano]

  • TikTok is testing a dedicated Shop feed. [TechCrunch]

  • TikTok is testing a new DM icon. [@hammodoh1]

💥 More social media news and updates

There’s drama afoot about Pinterest’s origin story.

  • Meta and TikTok are lobbying to stop a new law in California that could see them being sued for getting kids addicted to their apps. [Wall Street Journal $$$]

  • MrBeast says creators should focus on audiences rather than algorithms. [TubeFilter]

  • Very few young people report harmful content they see online, according to new Ofcom data. [The Guardian]

  • Twitch streamer Ibai has smashed the platform’s concurrent viewers record with a 3.3m peak. TheGrefg previously held the record at 2.5m. [Eurogamer]

  • YouTube Gaming has signed up Brazilian streaming star Nobru. [TubeFilter]

  • Kids have been spotted using Discord to sell malware. [TechRadar]

  • Twitch has added new clarifications over self-harm related content in its community guidelines. [Engadget]

  • Donald Trump’s parent company for Truth Social is under federal grand jury investigation in the US. [Variety]

New features and tests:

  • YouTube has introduced changes to crack down on spammers impersonating creators. These include channel no longer being able to hide their follower count. [The Verge]

  • YouTube has launched a referral programme for Premium, offering up to 12 free months. [9to5Google]

  • YouTube is testing disappearing community posts and has expanded access to membership gifting. [Social Media Today]

  • YouTube is also testing improved video progress bar scrubbing. [9to5Google]

  • Snapchat is still working on voice notes transcription. [@alex193a]

  • Twitch has introduced a ‘guest star’ mode. [TechCrunch]

  • Discord could soon let you log out of sessions opened on other devices. [XDA Developers]

💲 Advertise in Geekout

  • Geekout has 20,000+ subscribers

  • Geekout subscribers manage social media for the world’s biggest brands including Apple, Amazon, BBC, Edelman, Redbull, Twitter, McDonalds, Nike, and more

  • Geekout has an industry-beating open rate of 51% and a 30% click rate!

You should advertise in Geekout!

Get in touch: [email protected]

📖 Weekend reading

China: Where Black Mirror is real-life, not a Netflix show.

This is a fascinating but frightening read.

😳 And finally...

Do you remember using Google Buzz, Friendster, Bebo, Secret, and FriendFeed?

📅 Back next week...

… You made it to the end! 👊

If you’ve achieved nothing else this week, you can chalk this up as a win 😆

Support Geekout ❤️

I LOVE reading your tweets and IG posts about Geekout.

If you enjoyed reading this week’s edition:

I will retweet the best ones!

–

Right… I’m off to watch the Stranger Things finale! Fingers crossed Steve doesn’t die.

Goodbye, geeks!

Matt

PS. I’m travelling to Berlin next week. Meta invited me to be a guest speaker at their ‘Road to the Metaverse’ event.

Reply to this email with any recommendations for things to see/do in Berlin!

Join the conversation

or to participate.