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🎥 Instagram Reels Camera Gets a Major Upgrade
Instagram is rolling out a suite of updates to its Reels camera to improve the in-app creation experience. The biggest change? You can now record Reels up to 20 minutes long directly in the app, giving you more freedom for storytelling. They’ve also added a simplified “Undo” button to easily remove the last clip you filmed and a new slider to control the intensity of the “Touch-Up” feature. These tweaks are designed to make editing on the go smoother than ever.
Check out all the new camera functions at Social Media Today.
📈 YouTube Dominates as Top Platform for US Adults
New data from Pew Research shows that YouTube continues to be the most widely used online platform among US adults, with 84% saying they use the site. This puts it well ahead of Facebook (71%) and Instagram (50%). The report highlights that while platforms like TikTok are rising, YouTube’s growth and daily usage remain bedrock strong across demographics. It’s a powerful reminder of where the majority of eyeballs still are.
Dive into the full data report at Search Engine Journal.
🌍 X Exposes “Fake” Accounts with New Location Feature
X (formerly Twitter) has rolled out an “Account based in” feature that reveals the country of origin for users on their “About this account” page. This update is already exposing “patriotic” accounts that claim to be from one country but are actually posting from another—like a “US citizen” account posting from South Asia. It’s a move toward transparency designed to help users identify potential bot networks and bad actors.
See how this feature is catching fakes at Mashable.
🎭 Facebook Groups Get Reddit-Style Usernames
In a significant shift for privacy, Facebook is introducing a feature that allows Group members to use unique nicknames or usernames instead of their real profiles. This “Reddit-style” option is designed to help users engage more openly in communities where they might want to maintain some anonymity or separate their group activity from their main profile. Group admins will need to enable this feature for members to start using their new digital identities.
Read the full scoop on this update at The Verge.
🛍️ Don’t Miss “Q5”: The Post-Holiday Shopping Rush
While most brands pull back their spend after Christmas, Snapchat’s latest “Snapchat Generation” report highlights a massive opportunity in “Q5” (mid-December to mid-January). The report shows that Snapchatters are actively hunting for bargains and using gift cards during this period, often with a “New Year, New Me” mindset. With less ad competition and high purchase intent, brands that shift their mindset to view shopping as a “shared cultural journey” rather than a hard sell can see huge returns.
Learn how to win the post-holiday season at Social Media Today.
🗓️ Newsjacking opportunities
Opportunities to celebrate this week:
- Wed 26 Nov – Cake day🎂
- Thu 27 Nov – Thanksgiving🦃
- Fri 28 Nov – Black Friday💸
- Sat 29 Nov – Aura Awareness Day✨
- Sun 30 Nov – International ESG Day🌱
- Mon 1 Dec – Cyber Monday 🛒
- Tue 2 Dec – Play Basketball Day🏀
And next…
- Wed 3 Dec – Let’s Hug Day🤗
- Thu 4 Dec – International Cheetah Day🐆
- Fri 5 Dec – ‘Pakjesavond’🎁
- Sat 6 Dec – Candle Day🕯️
- Sun 7 Dec – Volunteer Day🤝
- Mon 8 Dec – Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day⏳
- Tue 9 Dec – Christmas Card Day🎄
Anything else you would like to discuss and see for next week’s social newsflash? Just share it with me via e-mail or slide in my LinkedIn comments or DM.
And don’t forget to subscribe to our Weekly Social Round Up newsletter so you get this delivered directly into your inbox each week!
Until the next one. XoXo, Erik 👋
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