Instagram Ups Share Limit to 20 Slides
Instagram has doubled the number of slides users can share in carousels. Previously, the limit was set at 10 photos or videos, but it has now been increased to 20. The popular “photo dump” feature was first rolled out seven years ago. The new update brings Instagram closer to the 35 pieces of content that TikTok supports.
92% of SEOs Believe Competitors Are Buying Links
SEOs are suspicious of competitors when it comes to links. A new survey found that 92% of 113 industry experts believe their competitors buy links. This black hat SEO technique is highly risky; Google states in its guidelines that severe search ranking penalties await anyone paying for backlinks.
Instagram Goes All-In on “Views”
Views will soon become the primary engagement metric across every Instagram format. In a new post published on Thursday (9 August), Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said the shift will make it easier for users to understand how their content is performing. Historically, Meta’s image and video-sharing app has used different primary metrics for Reels, Stories, photos, and carousels.
Google Tests a “You May Like” Label in Search
Google is testing a “You may like” label at the top of some organic search results. A user on X spotted the change during a product-related search about wedding bands (wedding rings for British speakers). The label is positioned above the top organic links and below a product carousel. It appears to be a small-scale test for now.
Snapchat Now Has 11 Million Paid Subscribers
Snapchat’s paid subscription service is thriving. The instant messaging app now has 11 million users paying to access “exclusive, experimental, and pre-release features”. In a statement, parent company Snap said: “In 2022, we started Snapchat+ with just six experiences. Now subscribers have access to over 40 exclusive features, including Chat Wallpapers, Custom App Icons, and AI Bitmoji Pets.”
Search Volatility Heats Up Again
After a relatively quiet week, search volatility ramped up again on Wednesday and Thursday. SEMrush recorded a “very high” reading of 9.4 on the volatility scale. The spike has sparked further chatter about the next broad core algorithm update, which is expected to arrive soon.
X Removes All Ads for Premium+ Subscribers
X’s subscription service might not be hugely popular—there were roughly 640,000 ‘Premium’ subscribers at the last count—but it continues to reward loyal customers. This week, X removed all ads for its top-tier Premium+ subscribers. Previously, the ad blocker was limited to For You and Following feeds, but it has now been extended to “most areas of X”.
US Judge Rules Google Is a “Monopoly”
Finally, a potentially significant ruling for Google. A US judge has stated that Google violated antitrust laws to build and maintain its dominance as a search engine. The decision comes four years after Google was sued by the Justice Department for monopolising search and advertising. A 277-page opinion from US District Judge Amit Mehta concluded that Google had acted illegally to “maintain its monopoly”.
