Happy Friday! It’s been a stormy week here weather-wise, but The Weekly Download remains calm and serene, even if the latest in social media news isn’t. This week, Instagram continues to chase TikTok by offering full screens, TikTok is pulling an Instagram by letting people view who has watched their content, LinkedIn is adding new product offerings to profiles, Google is modernizing its calendar, and YouTube Music is rolling out seasonal recaps. Please read to the end to learn more about Pop-Up Chapel.
Instagram Tests New Full-Screen Experience
Once again, TikTok is defining design for other social media platforms. Instagram, which is part of Meta, is testing a full-screen mode for its feed as well as an updated navigation bar for a limited group. The white bars that frame video content will disappear, but the description as well as the Favourite and Comment buttons will show up along the bottom. The Instagram logo and other top buttons will float over the video.
The goal is to make the content more discoverable and immersive — and by content, we mean video, Reels, etc. As we know, Instagram is prioritizing video content over photos. So if you’re a marketer focused on video, this is great news for you.
TikTok May Let You See Who Viewed Your Posts
Speaking of TikTok, the platform is letting creators see who has viewed their videos. While we don’t know too much about if or when the feature will be rolled out to everyone on the platform, it seems to be part of TikTok’s option to see who has viewed your profile.
Creators have to opt in to see who has viewed their profile, but nothing has been said about whether it will be the same to see who has viewed your content.
For marketers, this could be a good thing, as it can provide additional data on their audience and they can see who is interacting with the content. Identifying possible brand ambassadors? We can see it.
LinkedIn Adds Product and Project Listings to Profiles
LinkedIn doesn’t make as many announcements as other platforms, but when it does, we pay attention. The platform is adding the ability for users to highlight specific products and projects they’ve worked on through their careers.
This means you can add that amazing project to your profile. This does give LinkedIn more data to help its algorithm, but it also helps job seekers and finders find the right match.
LinkedIn is also adding some connection features to its newsletter with the @ mention and hashtags. Those callouts are expected to expand reach, because who isn’t going to read (and possibly subscribe to) a newsletter that mentions you or your brand?
Google Makes Changes to Calendar Invites
We love Google Calendar for its ease of use and ability to manage several calendars at once. So when we read the headline, we wondered how else it could be improved. This week, Google announced that Google Calendar invites will look more modern and will quickly surface important information like date and times changes.
The example cited says that if an event changes from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., the previous time will be shown crossed out under the new time. Google will also flag what has changed at the top with the note “Changed,” so you and other invitees see it — saving you time in searching for meeting changes.
YouTube Music Rolls Out Seasonal Recap Playlists
Last year, YouTube introduced its version of Spotify’s Wrapped, showcasing their users’ year on the platform. It was received so well that the company is rolling it out seasonally, starting with the Spring recap.
It’s available on YouTube Music’s landing page, and users can swipe through their personal stats such as their top artists, songs, and albums.
Apart from data, which we always like, it’s about sharing. Spotify users love sharing their Wrapped across various platforms (Instagram is a popular one), and that tends to lead to conversions for people who haven’t yet tried Spotify. We’re assuming YouTube is hoping for the same organic sharing.
Pride Month: Client Feature
Weddings are expensive, and these days many couples aren’t interested in traditions that don’t speak to them. That’s where Pop-Up Chapel, a company that values diversity and offers gender-inclusive weddings, comes in. Couples get a one-of-a-kind inclusive wedding that creates memories. (And saves money. Win.)
Friday Fun
This week we are loving Ms. Marvel — starring Ontario’s own Iman Vellani!
