September 2024 Digital Updates – Threads Cross-Posting, IG Tips on Stories v. Newsfeed, and SearchGPT Could Disrupt Search

Krista Neher

Sep 05 2024

Members of our All Access Pass get the first look at the latest digital marketing news updates each month. We cover what matters to marketers during a live, interactive session and answer questions. We spend hours combing industry news sites looking for the most critical updates, so you don’t have to! September 2024 has major updates from Meta, Instagram, Google, and LinkedIn.

Facebook and Meta News Updates

• Meta Lets You Cross-post from Facebook and Instagram to Threads, making sharing content on the platform easier. This shows that Meta is committed to boosting Threads activity. Whether people will actually go to Threads and consume content remains to be seen.
• Meta Shuts Down Spark AR – Spark AR was a tool for creating AR content. It didn’t seem to take off, so Meta announced it is shutting down.
• Meta and Universal Sign New Deal – After Universal music was removed from TikTok, Meta could have an edge. They just expanded licensing on Meta platforms.
• New Facebook Ads Updates – There are a handful of new updates for conversion ads, including attributions and optimizations. If you are running these types of ads, look for new options to improve your tracking. 
• Meta Business Suite Allows Switching Between 10 Profiles – This will make it easier for managers with multiple accounts! You can save up to 10 profiles and quickly switch between them.

Instagram News Updates

• Instagram Tips on Stories vs. Newsfeed – According to Instagram, Stories generally reach fewer people than Newsfeed posts. Stories’ reach should be viewed as incremental, and there is no harm in reposting your newsfeed posts as stories—unless they would result in a poor user experience. 
• You Can Add Music To Your Instagram Profile – Myspace flashbacks, anyone?!?!?! LOL. By adding music, you can set the tone for your profile and express yourself!
• Commenting on Stories – You can now add comments to stories – this can be a way to drive more interactions on the post type.
• Instagram Tests a Rectangular Newsfeed Grid – If you meticulously plan your posts for your grid, you may need to think again. With the prominence and push toward video, it isn’t surprising that they are testing a vertical image grid. This is ONLY A TEST, so stay tuned!

LinkedIn News Updates

• LinkedIn Launches Newsfeed Video Carousels – This shows that LinkedIn is pushing video content. We’ve already noticed video getting its own navigation on the mobile app, and now this. If you want to expand your reach, include vertical videos to take advantage of this trend.
• LinkedIn Improves Semantic Search – This means their built-in search will find more relevant results more easily by understanding the context. This may also make hashtags less relevant (were they ever relevant in driving more visibility, though?!?!).
• Sponsor Newsletters With Thought-Leader Ads – LinkedIn lets you sponsor Newsletters (with permission) of users on LinkedIn. This could be a great way to partner with influencers and reach their audiences. 

TikTok News Updates

• TikTok Holiday Guide 2024 is Out – If you are ramping up for the holidays on TikTok, check this out! The holiday guide is full of tips and tricks to break through the noise.
• TikTok Integrates Amazon Shopping – This could be huge as the social networks battle to get commerce on their platforms. TikTok is partnering with Amazon to allow shopping on Amazon completely in TikTok.
• Create Your Own AI to Speech Voice – TikTok now lets you create your own AI voice. This could be great for businesses wanting an on-brand voice. 

X News Update

• X Provides New Analytics to Verified Organizations – This allows users to dig into keywords and trends on the platform. This data could help brands create more relevant and trending content. 
• X Users Aren’t Down As Much as You Think – Media headlines suggest an X exodus with tons of users leaving the platform. This isn’t actually the case. Data doesn’t support huge declines in traffic.

Google News Update

• Google to Replace Classic Merchant Center by September – This means you’ll have to switch to the new version. If you haven’t done so yet – get familiar with it!
• Data Shows SearchGPT Could Disrupt Search – While there is a lot of speculation about how AI will impact search engines, the latest data shows that Search GPT was able to provide highly relevant results in many cases. Does this mean SEO is dead? NO – but as user behavior changes over time, there will likely be a split of what people use search for vs. AI.

Digital Research and Industry News Update

• YouTube Becomes First Streaming Platform to Break 10% of TV Audience – YouTube is not only the first to break this benchmark, but clearly the biggest (by far) online streaming platform. Don’t underestimate it.
• Meta and Snap Plan New AR Glasses – The new glasses with built-in AI will transform this space. As AI wearables become the new frontier, smart glasses could make a resurgence.

Read some more of our recent posts

• 2025 Digital Marketing Workshop Heads to Cincinnati!
• December 2024 Digital Updates - Meta Andromeda Ads, TikTok Affiliate Marketing, and Latest Trends in Social Media
• November 2024 Digital Updates - Meta Movie Gen, Influencing TikTok's Algorithm, and LinkedIn's Record Engagement
• October 2024 Digital Updates - Meta Upgrades AI, TikTok Search Ads Campaign, and Google Rolls Out AI Ad Image Editing Across Platforms
• 5 Digital Trends That Will Take Us Into 2025