Social Media News You Can Use
Let’s get right into the social media and influencer news you can use to start your week. We’re covering the latest social media platform, Instagram once again leaning into another popular social media platform, potential security issues involving Twitter, and the latest data that highlights the effectiveness of Reels.
If you’re new to my website, you can see more of my latest social media updates and more deep dives on specific topics on my blog,
BeReal Feature Teased on Instagram
We touched on it briefly last week, but I’ve got more updates for you! Instagram has discovered yet another way to mimic its new and rising competitor, BeReal.
To recap, BeReal is a social media platform in which users are prompted to "BeReal" at one random time each day. They then have two minutes to take and post an unfiltered look at their daily activities.
According to screenshots of the new feature shared on social media, Instagram is testing a feature called "IG Candid Challenges," which prompts Instagram users "every day at a different time" to share a photo to their Stories within a two-minute time frame. It also appears to use dual-camera shots — taking a selfie and a rear-camera photo at the same time — which is one of BeReal's key features.
This feature, according to Meta, is an internal prototype that has not been tested with a broader audience. More on Instagram's approach to overtaking BeReal can be found here.
Twitter Security Issues?
More Twitter news! If this shocking whistleblower allegation is accurate, Twitter executives may have misled government officials about serious security flaws in the platform that expose users' private information to risk and may even jeopardize national security.
Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, a former security chief for Twitter, is the whistleblower who made his identity public. Zatko claimed that senior Twitter executives covered significant security problems for over a decade and that various foreign intelligence agencies may have operatives entrenched within the firm. According to a report acquired by the Washington Post and CNN, an 84-page complaint was addressed to Congress last month.
Although there were no provisions for bot numbers in the legally binding contract Musk signed to buy the social media platform, the claim that Twitter deceived regulators and shareholders about the number may support Musk's position. Learn more about these potential security concerns here.
Reels Generating the Highest Reach on Instagram
Meta noticed the trend that video content is becoming more popular thanks to platforms like TikTok and YouTube. And leaned into heavily on Instagram. In early August, the platform announced that all video content under 15 minutes would be shared as a Reel in the future. According to a recent report, Reels have the highest estimated reach on Instagram, despite images and carousels having a higher overall content distribution.
More users engaged with Reels than static images. However, the number of comments on Reels remains low compared to static images. If your brand wants to increase your Instagram engagement, Reels are your best bet. If TikTok has taught us anything, it's that short and engaging videos are becoming increasingly popular. It's also an excellent way to share content with your target audience. Despite the growing interest and trend, Instagram still sees fewer users posting Reels.
That's it for this week's social media news worth knowing! What other marketing or social media tips do you know that would be helpful to other digital marketers? Be sure to visit my blog for more social media-related content.
