TikTok videos now up to 10 minutes

TikTok has increased the max. video length from 3 mins to 10 mins, which it says "will unleash more creative possibilities for creators around the world". In addition, Conde Nast brands Vogue and GQ have partnered with TikTok to create exclusive content for the platform. The media publishers will produce content for live streams, hashtag challenges and short-form videos. The teams will collaborate to secure adverts for the content with a focus on securing sponsorships for live events. Read more here and here.

Facebook Reels rollout, AI tools demo

Facebook has rolled out Reels globally, following testing in the US. Content creators can now share short-form videos on the platform, or cross-post Reels from Instagram to reach a wider audience. Facebook has also announced it plans to test overlay ads on Reels, and new creative tools including Remix, 60-second Reels, Draft and Video Clipping. Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently unveiled new AI products that can "unlock the metaverse" and revealed that Horizon Worlds has now hit 300k users – a 10x increase in three months. Find out more here, here and here.

Battenhall blog: Insta subscriptions 

Instagram is testing creator subscription options for a select group of influencers in the US ahead of a potential wider rollout internationally. As the subscription model grows in popularity across social networks, more users are dipping their toes in the water, and looking at ways to monetise their follower bases. But will ordinary users want to pay a premium for exclusive content? And what kind of extras can we expect? In our latest blog we take a look at this new feature and how brands and creators might want to get involved.

Insta reveals four ranking factors 

Much has been written about the vagaries of the Instagram algorithm, but recently the social network provided an overview of the key factors that determine the reach of posts, Stories and Reels and how the algorithm affects what users see. The four elements are: information about the post, information about the person posting, your activity, and your history of interacting with someone. For feed and Stories, information about the post and the person posting are the top reach-deciding factors, whereas for Reels, activity and interaction history are the most important. Read more here.

Trump launches ‘Truth Social’ app

After getting banned from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube last year, former US President Donald Trump has launched a new platform called Truth Social. The app, which bears similarities to Twitter and went to #1 in the iOS App Store chart on launch day, “encourages open, free and honest global conversation”. According to Trump, Truth Social's goal is to advocate for free speech and avoid censorship. Read more about it here.

Instagram adds new safety features 

Instagram rolled out some new security features for the app on Safer Internet Day on February 8. A new ‘Your Activity’ display now makes it easier for users to manage their content, by providing the option to do things such as ‘bulk delete’ likes, comments and posts. It also provides a better overview of activity. In addition, a new Security Check-up tool will provide advanced options and step-by-step guidance to secure your account. Read more here.

Unwanted DMs 'most annoying' on LI

A recent poll by Social Media Today has revealed the key things that frustrate LinkedIn users most. More than 2,000 people responded to a post that asked: ‘What’s the most annoying thing about LinkedIn?’ The top answer was ‘Unwanted direct messages’, which got 33% of votes, ‘Irrelevant notifications’ was second with 26%, while 'Spammers and scammers' received 24%. The research suggests that it’s better to build relationships by engaging with user posts and communities, rather than by random outreach. More here.

Snapchat adds ‘live location’ feature

Snapchat has launched a new feature which enables users to share their location with friends in real-time. The ‘buddy system’, which aims to keep people safe, can be seen in the Snap Map. The feature will be 'off' by default, but users can click it on in an instant if they wish. It can be set to stay on for 15 minutes, 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Snapchat has also introduced the ability to change a username for the first time. Read more here and here.

Facebook swaps 'news feed' for 'feed'

First it was the ‘wall’, then the ‘news feed’, and now it’s just ‘feed. In a move to differentiate the dedicated ‘Facebook News’ section from users’ posts, the main section of Facebook will now just be called ‘feed’. Facebook says the move has been planned for some time and “is a better reflection of the broad variety of content people see as they scroll”. Facebook has also just announced that ‘Facebook News’ will be a new feature in France. Read more here.

YouTube gives Shorts prominence

YouTube is doubling down on its Shorts feature by giving it more prominence on the platform. The social network has now added a dedicated ‘shelf’ to the desktop version of creators’ channel pages, specifically to showcase Shorts videos that they have created. In addition, YouTube has also added live ‘rings’ to show when a creator is now streaming and encouraging viewers to head into the streaming broadcast. Find out more here and here.

LinkedIn debuts podcast network

LinkedIn is piloting a new podcast network that features a host of in-house shows from the LinkedIn News Team, in addition to well-known industry figures. The podcast shows, which will primarily focus on topic such as tech, mental health and recruitment, are targeted at professional audiences. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman will co-host a show called The Start-Up of You, which will premiere in the spring. All the shows will be available to view on LinkedIn, or via Apple, Spotify and other podcast publishers. Find out more here.

Reddit gives app new look and feel

Reddit has introduced changes to its mobile app for the first time in two years. New features include a Discover Tab, which provides personalised recommendations, as well as a navigation system that enables users to reorganise their subscriptions and access their profile settings. The new Discover tab can be found to the right of the Home button and when clicked will show users a new visual style of recommended subreddits. Read more.