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📺 YouTube’s 2026 roadmap: Text-to-game & AI Shorts
YouTube’s CEO has dropped the plan for the year, and it’s heavy on sci-fi. The platform is rolling out new AI tools for Shorts creation, allowing you to remix and edit faster than ever.
But the wildest update? “Text-to-game” features that turn prompts into playable experiences. 2026 is also bringing image posts directly into the Shorts feed and a revamped “In-App Shopping” checkout, making it easier to buy products without ever leaving the video.
👉 See the full roadmap at Search Engine Journal.
📉 The weekend TikTok broke
If your “For You” page felt a little too quiet this weekend, you weren’t alone. TikTok suffered a widespread outage that left millions of users staring at broken feeds, 0-view counts, and videos stuck in “review” hell.
While the app is back online, the glitch was a stark reminder of how fragile our digital ecosystems can be. For social managers, it was a stressful weekend of explaining to clients why their viral masterpiece had zero views.
👉 Read what happened at The Verge.
📌 Pinterest launches “Media Planner” for ads
Pinterest is getting serious about helping you spend your budget wisely. The platform has introduced a new “Media Planner” tool designed to help advertisers draft plans, estimate reach, and manage campaigns more effectively.
The tool allows you to plug in your budget and audience targets to see predicted performance before you spend a dime. It’s a game-changer for brands looking to diversify their ad spend beyond Meta and Google.
👉 Check out the new tool at Social Media Today.
🤖 TikTok’s guide to “Smart+” AI campaigns
Confused by all the automated ad options? TikTok has published a new guide to its “Smart+” campaigns, which use AI to automate everything from creative assets to targeting.
The guide explains how to leverage these tools to drive conversions with less manual work. If you are looking to scale your TikTok ads in 2026 without hiring a full production team, this is your manual.
👉 Download the guide at Social Media Today.
📝 Richard van der Blom’s 10-Point Social Selling Checklist
Forget random acts of social; selling on LinkedIn is a system. A new viral framework from LinkedIn expert Richard van der Blom outlines the 10 non-negotiables for closing deals this year, and it starts with a mindset shift: “Build for buyers, not browsers”.
Key takeaways? Adopt a “3+1” posting rhythm (three teachable insights + one credibility moment per week), keep your DMs strictly to three sentences (Context → Insight → Question), and stop booking hour-long meetings—aim for “micro-calls” of 10 minutes instead.
👉 Save the full checklist from Richard van der Blom on LinkedIn.
🗓️ Newsjacking opportunities
Opportunities to celebrate this week:
- Wed 28 Jan – International LEGO Day🧱
- Thu 29 Jan – Puzzle Day🧩
- Fri 30 Jan – Croissant Day🥐
- Sat 31 Jan – International Zebra Day🦓
- Sun 1 Feb – Change Your Password Day🔒
- Mon 2 Feb – Crepe Day🥞
- Tue 3 Feb – Carrot Cake Day🥕
And next…
- Wed 4 Feb – World Cancer Day🎗️
- Thu 5 Feb – World Nutella Day🍫
- Fri 6 Feb – Start Olympic Winter Games🏅
- Sat 7 Feb – Ice Cream for Breakfast Day🍨
- Sun 8 Feb – World Marriage Day💍
- Mon 9 Feb – National Pizza Day🍕
- Tue 10 Feb – Umbrella 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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