April’s social media updates ran the gamut from game-changing AI integrations to zesty new products preparing for launch. And underlining it all was the perpetual subtext of employment upheaval as AI’s job impacts came into sharper focus.
Meta barreled forward with its AI takeover, unleashing an onslaught of new features — some hit, some miss. TikTok quietly planted its flag in photo sharing’s fertile soil with a beta app launch. And summer wanderlusters were served piping hot travel inspiration from Pinterest.
Let’s explore the marquee headlines no social media marketer could afford to miss.
“Set It and Forget it” AI Ad Solution
Meta’s “set it and forget it” AI ad solution, Advantage Plus shopping campaigns, has been a source of frustration for some marketers. Numerous reports surfaced of the tool inflating costs-per-impression while blowing through budgets and delivering poor performance.
However, Meta maintains they have addressed technical issues and stated Advantage Plus is seeing strong growth in conversions.
AI-Powered Instagram Search
In an effort to further integrate AI capabilities, Instagram rolled out an update that forces all searches within the app to be powered by Meta’s AI technology. This new AI-powered search experience surfaces prompts like “Ask Meta AI anything” prominently in the search bar.
Instead of being able to easily look up friends, accounts, hashtags or other typical searches, users are now presented with a side-scrolling list of AI interaction suggestions. These include seemingly random and impersonal prompts like “Imagine rooftop gardens,” “advice for the modern stoic,” and “anime reels.”
While Meta claims the long-term goal is to improve discovery and user experience through AI integration, the current implementation has left many Instagram users frustrated and dissatisfied. After over a decade of data collection on user interests and behavior, the AI suggestions feel completely disconnected from individual users’ actual interests.
For example, a user may have no interest in rooftop gardening, stoicism, or anime based on their history and previous engagement on Instagram and Facebook. Yet the new AI search experience pushes these irrelevant prompts.
This flood of AI capabilities across Instagram has been characterized as a “bizarre” and “misguided bet” by Meta so far. Rather than enhancing the app’s core functionality of finding and connecting with friends/interests, it has made the search experience confusing and unusable for some.
New Meta/Ray-Ban Ferrari Collab with Video Calling and AI Vision
Meta and Ray-Ban continue to expand their partnership with the release of the new limited edition smart glasses design in collaboration with Scuderia Ferrari. As a part of the new Spring/Summer 2024 accessories offering, Meta has launched its first-ever limited edition glasses featuring video calling and Meta AI with Vision.
Available in exclusive Scuderia Ferrari colorways to coincide with the Miami 2024 race, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses help the brand’s roll out of the Meta AI with Vision function. It interprets what the user is seeing as well as what they are asking. For instance, by using the built-in camera, you can ask Meta AI for help with writing a caption for a photo taken during a hike or even use the glasses to translate text or signs, and even identify foreign or exotic objects like fruits on international adventures. As for the video call function, users will be able to share their view on a video call with WhatsApp and Messenger.
In collaboration with Ferrari, the glasses are available in various colors in exclusive co-branded packaging to elevate the experience.
Pay-to-Play for Viral Success on Threads
Meta is betting big on its new text-based app Threads, rolling out an invite-only bonus program that pays select creators thousands of dollars to post viral content. The payouts are directly tied to the performance of creators’ Threads posts, essentially rewarding them for generating massive engagement and eyeballs.
It’s a pay-to-play model similar to Meta’s bonus schemes for Reels creators on Instagram. By securing exclusive, promoted content from top influencers and celebs like Taylor Swift, Meta hopes to rapidly spark widespread adoption and interest in Threads.
While lucrative for creators, the program raises questions about authenticity versus manufactured virality. Will users be able to separate promoted Threads content from organic hits? Meta is wagering that a critical mass of the cool crowd will be enough to make Threads the next hottest social craze, even if it has to pay some heavy-hitters to get the party started.
TikTok: Exploring a Photo Sharing Future
The video-sharing giant TikTok has started rolling out its new photo and text-based sharing app called “TikTok Notes” to select Android and iOS users “for download and limited testing in Australia and Canada.”
A tweet announcing the launch, as well as the App Store and Google Play listings, showed off official images of the app that offer insights into how it works. In the images, we see that users can write headlines for images above their captions, which is a feature Instagram doesn’t natively offer.
The homepage appears divided into two sections — one page to view posts from accounts you follow, and a separate “For You” page with a two-column grid layout similar to Pinterest’s homepage, likely highlighting posts from suggested accounts.
Apart from these tweaks, TikTok Notes is very similar in design and functionality to Instagram, marking a shift where TikTok is now copying a competitor after years of Meta replicating TikTok’s features like Reels.
TikTok announced the new photo-sharing app earlier this month, stating it would populate the app with users’ existing public TikTok photo posts unless they opt-out. However, details on a wider rollout to markets like the US are still uncertain.
TikTok’s expansion into static photo/text sharing signals its ambitions to compete with Instagram for market share in the broader photo-based social media space that Instagram currently dominates.
AI Job Impacts and Verified Recruiters on LinkedIn
AI’s Potential Effect on Jobs and Recruiting
A recent report from the IMF predicts AI could impact a staggering 40% of global jobs — replacing some roles entirely while complementing others. The analysis suggests AI may exacerbate income inequality as higher-paid knowledge workers see productivity gains while others are displaced. For recruiters and talent brands, understanding AI’s trajectory and properly reskilling your workforce will be crucial.
Verified Recruiter Profiles
To combat scams plaguing the platform, LinkedIn rolled out profile verification for recruiters, indicated by a checkmark badge on profiles and messages. This added layer of legitimacy should help businesses sort credible opportunities from fraudulent activity when leveraging LinkedIn for recruitment marketing and employer branding.
Pinterest’s 2024 Summer Travel Trends
With summer rapidly approaching, Pinterest unveiled its Summer 2024 Trend Report highlighting what’s inspiring users as they plan travel. Key trends marketers should tap into include the following.
Adventure Travel
Searches spiked for adventurous activities like safaris, scuba, mountaineering, and camping – indicating a desire to get outside after the pandemic.
Quiet Life/Wellness Travel
Simultaneously, there’s been a major rise in interest around more laidback, rejuvenating “quiet life” experiences like glamping and wellness retreats.
Mysterious Destinations
People are craving travel that taps into their sense of wonder, with increasing searches for ancient cities, haunted places, and surreal environments.
Gen Z Road Trips
Younger users are heavily searching for affordable road trip ideas to experience with friends.
Interest-Focused Travel
Rather than just destinations, travelers want experiences aligned with hobbies like food, nightlife, culture, and more.
The diversity of trends reveals opportunities for travel/hospitality brands to tap into various adventure and serenity mindsets this summer.
Adapting with Brand Consistency
In today’s digital landscape, shifts and innovations are constant — both from the platforms themselves and the evolving behaviors/desires of users. While staying ahead of the latest updates is critical for social media marketers, true success still requires mastering the fundamentals of brand building and audience resonance.
As you digest these monthly platform updates, continually examine how to authentically integrate your brand’s core messaging and value proposition across channels. Lean into the features and content environments that make sense for your audience, but avoid reactionary tactics disconnected from your overarching strategy. Those able to fluidly adapt while maintaining brand consistency will be best positioned for long-term success.
We’ll continue monitoring and analyzing the latest developments to keep brands prepared for what’s next across social media’s ever-shifting terrain. Subscribe to our newsletter to ensure you never miss an essential update.
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