Instagram Tests Collaborative Carousels
Sharing is caring on Instagram. The platform is testing collaborative carousels that allow friends to add images and videos to a post. Once approved by the creator, the content appears with the contributor’s name displayed.
TikTok Publishes Festive Marketing Guide
Is it too soon to think about Christmas? TikTok is preparing marketers for the busy festive shopping season with a new 18-page guide packed with tips and insights. It also outlines a “winning formula” for creatives: one killer hook, unique selling points, and one clear CTA. Around 20% of shoppers are looking for gifts four or more months before the big day, so perhaps it’s time to start planning your strategy.
Threads Might Not Be Best for Breaking News
Threads has struggled to rival X for breaking news, and a new study may have found out why. Three-quarters of posts in the “For You” feed are over six hours old, making it difficult for users to follow live events and react to trending stories. The reverse-chronological “Following” feed performs better, with 38.4% of posts served within one hour of publication, but most breaking news comes from varied sources. Will Threads update its algorithm for the US Election later this year?
Google Updates a Big Threat for SEOs
SEO consultants are frustrated with Google updates—52% cite regular algorithmic changes as their top threat in 2024. More specifically, SEOs fear updates that will favour specific sites, such as “big brands”. Other top threats include Google favouring its own services over others (48%) and the emergence of AI Overviews (41%). To mitigate risks, SEOs are focusing on improving content quality and diversifying traffic sources.
Kai Cenat Tops Rolling Stone’s Influencers List
Twitch star Kai Cenat has topped a new list of top social media influencers and creators by Rolling Stone. The 22-year-old has 12.7 million subscribers on the platform, where he regularly hosts stars including Kevin Hart and 21 Savage. Fashion model Nara Smith is TikTok’s top creator at number four. Smith has amassed over 9 million followers by posting “tradwife” content, where she cooks meals in glamorous clothing.
No Perfect Formula for Search Ranking Success
Google’s John Mueller provided a timely reminder this week that there is no single best practice checklist that guarantees search ranking success. Mueller says the “most effective elements of SEO” vary across websites. He also notes that positive changes can have a “minimal effect” on rankings.
Telegram Nears 1 Billion User Milestone
Telegram’s CEO is facing criminal charges in France, but the messaging platform continues to soar in popularity. New data shows 950 million people use the platform every month, up from 700 million just two years ago. This latest figure puts it ahead of X and Snapchat.
Google’s August 2024 Update Rollout Continues
It’s now two weeks since the launch of the August 2024 core update, which is about the halfway point for its rollout based on Google’s timeline. Volatility remained “very high” this week according to SEMrush, and SEOs are still trying to gauge its impact.
