As we enter August, people are enjoying their last month of summer vacations and beach days, but that doesn’t mean fun and important days are coming to a halt. We are looking forward to Black Business Month and Back-to-School this month. Make sure to keep these dates and hashtags in mind for your content strategy this month:
- August is Black Business Month
- August 8: International Cat Day #InternationalCatDay
- August 14: International Financial Awareness Day #FinancialAwareness
- Late August: Back-to-School #BacktoSchool
- August 26: International Dog Day #InternationalDogDay
Staying up to date with all the latest platform updates is essential when planning your content strategies. Here are all the most significant announcements you should have on your radar:
Reels New Feature
Adam Mosseri announced that several new updates are coming to Reels. The first is a Reels Video Merge, making Reels the only video format on Instagram. This merge will make video creation on Instagram more unified and simple and give users access to Reels tools for all videos.
The other features include:
Reels Templates
- This provides reels ideas and templates to serve as inspiration for users. Users can preload audio and clip placeholders and then add their own content to the chosen format.
Reels Remixes
- This allows users to make remixes from public photos. This will also include the addition of new layout options, for example, split-screen remixes and green-screen remixes. Lastly, users can choose to have their videos play after the original reel they are remixing.
Dual Camera
- This function lets users record while using both their front and back cameras at the same time.
View this post on Instagram
Buy Products from Chat
Instagram is strengthening its social commerce features and has recently announced the addition of the purchase from chat feature to help sellers and consumers have stronger and more personal connections.
This new feature allows users to buy products from small businesses directly from their DMs. Now from within chats, users can not only ask questions but can purchase and track their orders.
Users will also be able to obtain item descriptions and prices more easily. Additionally, this feature allows people to use Meta Pay and make purchases with just a few taps.
Subscriber Chats
Instagram is launching the subscriber chat tool as an expansion on Instagram Subscriptions which they introduced earlier this year. The subscriber chat tool aims to help creators make a steady income from Instagram. The chat can consist of up to 30 people and ends automatically after 24 hours. Subscribers can also easily join through a “join chat” story sticker.
Instagram has also added new exclusive posts and Reel features, allowing subscribers to interact through likes and comments. Users can also access all things subscription-related through a subscription tag on the creator’s profile.
TIKTOK
Improved “Not Interested” Customization Tool
TikTok is always aiming to provide its users with the best viewing experience. TikTok has improved its “not interested” feature to help people filter out videos with specific words or hashtags they do not want to watch.
TikTok Inventory Filter
TikTok always aims to improve brand safety; to improve this goal, TikTok has launched the TikTok Inventory Filter. This filter is embedded into TikTok Ads Manager and gives marketers the ability to have more control over what videos their ads will appear next to.
This new feature will prevent ads from being shown before or after videos that do not resonate with the brand’s identity. There are three tiers for advertisers to choose from when deciding what type of content they want to appear alongside. The tiers are Full, Standard, and Limited inventory; each includes four levels of high-risk to low-risk content.
New Facebook Subscription Features
Meta also introduced new subscription features to make subscriptions run more smoothly for creators and users. The new features include:
- Gain access to subscriptions on mobile.
- Use mobile composer to share posts with subscribers only.
- Give new subscribers recognition posts and Stories.
- Receive recommendations of high-priority comments.
Expanding Facebook Stars
Stars are digital goods that users can buy to send support to their favorite creators.
Meta will be expanding its Facebook Stars feature to Facebook Live, on-demand videos, and Facebook Reels, and they will now be available to all eligible creators. The expansion to more creators will also make it easier for them to manage their earnings as influencer marketing on Facebook continues to evolve.
YOUTUBE
YouTube Shopify Integration
YouTube has announced a partnership with Shopify to expand its social commerce features and aid creators in earning money. Creators can now display product tags and storefront links directly on their channels and live streams, allowing users to complete purchases without leaving the page.
YouTube is also adding a new “Shopping” tab tool that makes it easier for creators to manage how products are tagged and appear on their channels.
Learn everything you need about social commerce with our social commerce trend report here!
And, of course, keep up with our blog to stay updated on all things creator marketing and social commerce. Need help planning your next campaign? Don’t hesitate to contact us!
Open Influence is an award-winning global influencer agency known for working with the world’s best-selling brands.
