April Showers have brought May flowers just in time for Mother’s Day, as well as the unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day.
May is also Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, and there are days dedicated to Star Wars, the Armed Forces, and Mexico (Cinco de Mayo).
Social Media Holidays to Mark on Your Calendar
- May 1: First day of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
- May 1: First day of Mental Health Awareness Month
- May 4: Star Wars Day
- May 5: Cinco de Mayo
- May 10: Mother’s Day
- May 16: Armed Forces Day
- May 17: International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
- May 20: National Rescue Dog Day
- May 25: Memorial Day
- May 25: National Wine Day
- May 28: National Burger Day
Social Media Platform Updates
TikTok
Cameo Appearances
TikTok announced a partnership with Cameo enabling creators to offer personalized Cameo videos to fans without leaving the TikTok application.
Creators who are not yet on Cameo can sign up within the TikTok app.
New call-to-action buttons can be added to creators’ content to let followers request personalized Cameo videos, or users can search Cameo to see the full library of creators using the integration.
Meme Remixer
TikTok began testing a new Meme Remixer feature that lets users tap generative artificial intelligence to edit frames from creators’ videos.
The platform added a privacy setting enabling creators to choose whether to allow their videos to be remixed with AI.
Users who are in the test group can click the “remix image” button in the comments section, choose a still from the video, and type a prompt to modify it with AI, with the edited image added to the comments section.
Those images can also be saved and shared elsewhere, and they will automatically be labeled as AI-generated.
Other TikTok News
- TikTok is teaming up with HOORAE to bring free, ad-supported micro-series to TikTok and PineDrama.
- More than 6 billion tracks have been saved to premium music streaming services over the past 12 months using TikTok’s Add to Music App feature. The most-saved track during that time period was “Die on This Hill,” by Sienna Spiro, the next artist to star in the company’s “Behind the Breakthrough” campaign.
- TikTok backed three new music releases with special features: a global karaoke experience and in-app listening party for Olivia Rodrigo’s “drop dead” single; an in-app experience for Dandelion, the new album from Ella Langley; and an exclusive preview of Noah Kahan’s new album, The Great Divide.
- Finally, a secret game within direct messages on TikTok lets people use their fingers to bounce as high as they can by hopping across alligators.
Happy Birthday to Edits
Stand-alone app Edits celebrated its first birthday, and Brett Westervelt, who leads the Edits team, shared a look at features that are set to join the 130-plus that were already added in year one.
Improvements slated for year two include:
- Upgrades for captions, including bilingual captions.
- Advanced color adjustments.
- Speed curves.
- Making more tools customizable.
- Pinning favorite tools.
- More insights about followers.
- Starting every project with setup ready to go.
- More examples and techniques from creators.
- Easier ways to trade creative building blocks within the Edits app.
Paying a Premium
Parent company Meta began testing a premium subscription on Instagram in a few countries, including Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Exclusive features include:
- The ability to view a Story without the poster knowing.
- Seeing how many people rewatched their own Stories.
- Creating unlimited audience lists for Stories, beyond Close Friends.
- Extending Stories for 24 hours.
- Spotlighting one Story per week.
- Adding an animated “Superlike” to other people’s Stories.
- Searching for specific people on this list of users who viewed their Stories, rather than having to scroll through the entire list.
Other Instagram News
- A new image-sharing app, Instants, is being tested in Italy and Spain, letting users share disappearing photos with friends, which are available for 24 hours and can only be viewed once.
- Live Chats were added to stand-alone app Threads, starting with the NBAThreads community.
- Instagram shared a guide to uploading high-quality videos from Edits to Instagram.
- Finally, the platform extended its restriction of content for teen accounts, based on 13+ movie ratings, globally.
YouTube
You Look Like …
YouTube is extending its likeness detection technology to the entertainment industry, including talent agencies, management companies, and celebrities.
The technology locates content generated by AI with a participant’s likeness and gives that participant the option of requesting its removal.
The platform said it is working with agencies and management companies including Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, Untitled Management, and WME.
Generating Demand
Parent company Google is expanding its Commerce Media Suite to support Demand Gen inventory in Google Ads. It was already supported in Display & Video 360 and Search Ads 360.
Advertisers can now use retailers’ first-party catalog and conversion data to target high-intent shoppers across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.
In addition, Demand Gen campaigns can now be optimized toward view-through conversions on YouTube.
Other YouTube News
- YouTube is testing a way for users to search in a conversational format, enabling them to enter complex questions like, “plan a three-day road trip between San Francisco and Santa Barbara,” and add follow-up questions.
- YouTube Live Product Manager Barbara Macdonald shared four ways to level up YouTube Live engagement.
- Annual upfront presentation Brandcast returns to Lincoln Center in New York Wednesday, May 13, at 5:30 p.m. ET, hosted by Emmy Award-winning comedian Trevor Noah.
- Finally, Albertsons Media Collective is bringing first-party shopper data to YouTube and third-party inventory in Display & Video 360.
Pinned to the TV
Advertisers can now reach Pinterest’s high-intent audience on connected television screens via tvScientific by Pinterest.
Pinterest said advertisers can use its commercial intent signals to reach audiences across premium inventory on CTV platforms, while leveraging tvScientific’s AI-powered optimization technology.
The company called this launch the first step in a broader vision for a unified cross-screen advertising experience.
Other Pinterest News
- The Pinterest Wedding Trends Report 2026 was released.
Snapchat
AI Sponsored Snaps
Brands can now make their presence felt in Chat on Snapchat via its new AI Sponsored Snaps offering, which lets users interact directly with brands’ AI agents.
Snapchat said AI Sponsored Snaps bring personalized AI-powered interactions to the surface where conversations are already happening.
Brands can use AI Sponsored Snaps to drive full-funnel outcomes, while Snapchat users can ask questions about the brand and receive personalized recommendations within the conversation.
Snapchat is launching AI Sponsored Snaps in alpha with Experian.
April Fool!
Snapchat used an April Fools’ joke about renaming Spotlight as Reals to share some data highlighting Spotlight’s momentum.
According to the company:
- Creators posting to Spotlight daily in the U.S. were up by more than 70% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026.
- Unique viewers also posted double-digit growth.
- During the April Fools’ stunt, the number of users posting to Spotlight was up more than 15% week-over-week.
Layoffs and New CFO
CEO Evan Spiegel announced that the company laid off roughly 1,000 employees, or 16% of its full-time work force, and closed more than 300 open roles.
He cited advancements in AI that helped reduce repetitive work and speed up processes, saying that the company expects to slash over $500 million from its annualized cost base by the second half of this year.
Spiegel also announced that Chief Financial Officer Derek Anderson left the company, and he was succeeded by Vice President of Finance, Strategy, and Corporate Development Doug Hott.
Saluting Loyalty
Snapchat’s Snap Map feature added a new way for users to celebrate the places they visit most often and highlight them for its global community, Place Loyalty.
Snap Map users who are among the top 25% of visitors to places will receive Top Visitor badges: gold for top 1%, silver for top 10%, or bronze for top 25%.
Other Snapchat News
- The winners of the first-ever Snappys Awards Show were announced.
- The company released research on: health management on social platforms, with Ipsos US; Snapchat’s role in planning vacations, with Suzy; and the role of Snapchat and other social platforms in insurance decision-making, also with Ipsos.
Meta
All in One Place
Meta introduced Meta Account, giving people a way to sign in and manage their accounts on Meta apps and devices from one place and login with a single password.
Settings including personal details and ad preferences are part of Meta Account, and available security features include passkeys, 24/7 threat protection, and personalized security recommendations.
The company said its Accounts Center will automatically be updated to Meta Account, with a gradual rollout over the next year, at which point a user’s app and devices will show up automatically. People who added messaging app WhatsApp to Accounts Center will also see it carry over to Meta Account, but it can be removed at any time and kept separate.
Supported apps and devices at launch are: AI glasses, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Meta AI, Meta Quest virtual reality headsets, and Threads.
Ad Performance Updates
Meta announced updates to the Meta Pixel and Conversions API (application-programming interface) designed to help advertisers improve the performance of their campaigns.
A new Meta Pixel feature lets advertisers use AI to automatically include additional information on pages and products with events shared with Meta, such as product names, availability, and business details.
And a new one-click option lets businesses easily set up the Conversions API with no technical knowledge required.
Meta AI Means Business
The beta of the Meta AI business assistant was extended to advertisers and agencies of all sizes across major global markets and languages.
The Meta AI business assistant provides tailored insights, performance benchmarks, optimization recommendations, and direct account support across ad surfaces including Ads Manager, Meta Business Suite, and Business Support Home.
Other Meta News
- Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer, Product Michel Protti provided an overview of how AI has been integrated into Meta’s Risk Review program.
- Meta teamed up with BAMM Global on Generation Zeitgeist 2026, a global study showing that the gap between Generation Z and baby boomers using its apps has drastically narrowed.
What’s New at the NewFronts
Creator Corporate Natalie hosted LinkedIn’s NewFronts 2026 presentation, where the professional network unveiled its “Cut the Bullspend” campaign and introduced new options for business-to-business marketing on its platform.
“Cut the Bullspend” is aimed at encouraging B2B marketers to focus less on vanity metrics and more on measurable business value.
New video offering Top Voices 360° lets brands kick off with an exclusive editorial show on the professional network, supported by BrandLink pre-roll ads, with the option of extending their sponsorship across co-branded posts, appearances at industry events, and integrated moments on- and off-platform.
Creators taking part in Top Voices 360° include Steven Bartlett, Sue Bird, Corporate Natalie, Meghana Dhar, Cat Goetze, Allie K. Miller, Candace Nelson, Guy Raz, Ramit Sethi, Simon Sinek, and Aishwarya Srinivasan.
Brands can now bundle BrandLink and Event Ads into a single sponsorship to create impact before, during, and after live events.
Finally, expanded access to LinkedIn CTV Ads is available via programmatic buying through The Trade Desk.
Other LinkedIn News
- Dan Shapero is LinkedIn’s new CEO, reporting to former CEO Ryan Roslansky, who remains with parent company Microsoft in the role of Executive Vice President of LinkedIn and Microsoft Office. And Mohak Shroff was named President of Platforms and Digital Work.
- The professional network revealed the winners of its LinkedIn Marketing Partner Awards 2026.
- LinkedIn ran an ad during the National Football League Draft featuring the No. 1 pick, Las Vegas Raiders Quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
- Finally, LinkedIn Ads Content Strategy Lead Alexandra Lynne shared tips on increasing visibility and engagement with LinkedIn Articles.
X
Grok Solid
X tapped its Grok AI models for two new features: automatic translation of posts, and a new photo editor that lets users modify images via natural language posts.
Users can tap the gear icon on a translated post and toggle off automatic translation for that particular language.
The image editor includes drawing and text tools, as well as a blur tool to help hide faces or sensitive information such as credit card numbers.
Other X News
- The platform is further reducing payouts for aggregators, and it is planning permanent deductions for what it calls “habitual bait posters.”
- The cost to post links through the X API soared to $0.20 per link from $0.01.
- The XChat app officially rolled out on iOS.
- XChat now supports joinable links for group chats, and X Communities will be shuttered May 6 due to declining usage.
- Finally, the platform shared guides to Exclusive Threads and Grok Imagine images.
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