Social Swipe Roundup: September
Brands and agencies must stay ahead of the game when it comes to social, reacting fast to remain competitive. Knowledge is power, and that’s what our Social Swipe supplies.
Each month, Digital Natives give you bite-sized updates on social developments. Take a look at what hit the headlines this September, from Twitter’s shoppable content to Instagram’s ‘Map Search’ function.
TIKTOK
TikTok continues to experiment with video length. It’s now allowing creators to upload clips up to 5 minutes long, making space for fresh creative possibilities - and more ad slots.
Keep your eyes peeled for #TikTokFashionMonth, which will include livestreams, events and collabs. The programme will put key TikTok fashion influencers centre stage, establishing the app as a hub of style content and trends.
The platform’s also testing an option that lets users pin selected videos to the top of their profile, showcasing specific clips. It’s a small but useful change to factor into TikTok planning.
Twitter is introducing a shopping tool providing in-stream product listings tied to in-app business profiles. This will take the platform into shiny new e-commerce territory, making it possible for users to save items and purchase from tweeted content. If it becomes a permanent fixture, it will be intriguing to see how brands utilise it.
After announcing the retirement of Fleets, Twitter is trialling a visual editor incorporating Fleets tools. It will give those editing uploaded videos and images access to stickers, text, crops and more, allowing for greater personalisation and creativity on feeds.
Over to Insta. To spotlight IG live-stream shopping, it has launched a ‘10 Days of Live Shopping’ event, featuring a range of celebrities streaming product launches.
The platform’s also testing ‘Map Search’, through which users can discover businesses and locations of interest on the in-app map, along with relevant information and tagged public posts. Watch this space, Google...
Finally, to encourage uptake of Reels, Instagram has developed a ‘Montage’ option. This will allow users to convert their Stories into short Reel video clips.
Lastly, Pinterest is testing out a TikTokesque vertical feed format with a new ‘Watch’ mode option for Pin discovery.
It’s also floating an Idea Pins function that facilitates direct sharing to Instagram and Facebook Stories, giving pinners the ability to broadcast content to a far wider audience.
