TikTok and YouTube Debut Several Ad Products; Instagram Rewards Originality

This entry was posted in News on May 29, 2026.

As temperatures begin heating up in June, social media managers’ calendars remain red-hot, as well.

Juneteenth and Father’s Day anchor the month on the 19th and 21st, respectively, and the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity kicks off June 22. Plus, the entire month is Men’s Health Awareness Month.

Social Media Holidays to Mark on Your Calendar

June 1: First day of Men’s Health Awareness Month
June 1: Global Day of Parents
June 5: National Doughnut Day
June 14: Flag Day
June 14: International Children’s Day
June 19: Juneteenth
June 21: Father’s Day
June 21: First day of summer
June 21: National Selfie Day
June 22: First day of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity
June 28: New York Pride
June 30: World Social Media Day

Social Media Platform Updates

TikTok

It’s TikTok’s World

TikTok announced several new advertising solutions at its sixth annual TikTok World product summit:

New premium ad solution TopReach combines previously existing high-visibility placements TopView and TopFeed into a single buy, enabling advertisers to back key brand moments by reaching all available users in a single day.
Branded Buzz lets advertisers and creators collaborate on large-scale campaigns with tools that help generate hundreds of organic creator videos in a short time period.
Brand-owned pages can appear at the top of search results on TikTok with Search Hubs.
Creator AI Search—a new creator discovery tool that taps artificial intelligence to give brands a curated list of relevant creators, based on an analysis of campaign briefs and creator profiles—was added to creative command center TikTok One.
TikTok parent ByteDance’s next-generation AI video model, Dreamina Seedance 2.0, has been integrated into creative AI tool suite TikTok Symphony.
AI-automated performance solution Smart+ now includes: Auto Selection, which centralizes all ad creative (creator content, product assets, Symphony-powered creative) and determines what will perform the best; new centralized commerce management hub Asset Manager, which offers access to product catalogs, data connections, and creative; and an AI-powered Summary feature to evaluate the performance of campaigns and provide deep insights and actionable optimization suggestions.
TikTok Shop solution GMV Max added new features to help optimize campaigns for profit and performance, factoring in seller costs like affiliate costs, coupons, and fees to give advertisers a more accurate look at their return on investment.
Three new modules were added to TikTok Market Scope: Industry Analysis, Commerce Insights, and Creative Insights.
On-platform experiences are being extended to advertisers, starting with travel, entertainment, and gaming brands.
New ad solution TikTok Growth Max lets media companies and game developers target users to engage with on-platform entertainment experiences Mini Series and Mini Games.
Travel advertisers can target and convert high-intent viewers with TikTok GO Ads.
Finally, the TikTok Ads Model Context Protocol Server is a new interface that allows developers and advertisers to build AI agents and tools directly on top of the TikTok Ads ecosystem.

@tiktokforbusinessToday, at the 6th annual #TikTokWorld product summit, we’re announcing solutions that integrate strategic applications of AI, enhance creativity, engage audiences, and measure impact effectively. Our latest innovations enable advertisers to organically leverage on-platform discovery, maximize AI-driven insights to activate on the moment between discovery and purchase, and build on customer intent with actionable, measurable plans. Learn more about TikTok World and join the Global Broadcast on May 14 on TikTok Academy! (link in bio) #TikTokForBusiness #Marketing #Advertising♬ original sound – TikTok for Business

GO GO GO

People in the U.S. now have a way to discover and book local services such as hotels, attractions, and tours directly via the TikTok platform with TikTok GO.

When users find something that interests them through videos, search, or location pages, they can see further details, check availability, and book in a few steps.

Partners in TikTok GO include Booking.com, Expedia, Viator, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and Trip.com.

Creators who feature hotels, attractions, and local services can connect their content directly to bookings via TikTok GO, giving them the chance to earn via commissions or campaigns.

Other TikTok News

Users 18 and older in the U.K. can now opt to pay £3.99 ($5.35) per month for TikTok Ad-Free.
The company teamed up with Vistar Media to adapt TikTok creative for out-of-home surfaces like billboards.
TikTok and FIFA teamed up on FIFA World Cup 2026 Creator Correspondents, a group of 30 TikTok creators who will bring fan-first storytelling to soccer’s biggest tournament.
Finally, TikTok and Universal Music Group announced a new multiyear strategic licensing agreement.

Instagram

Be Original

Instagram extended the policies on rewarding original content that it applied to Reels in 2024 to photos and carousels on its platform.

Content aggregators who primarily re-upload content from other creators in photos and carousel posts are no longer eligible for recommendations across Instagram.

The platform specified that the move will not impact how people see content from accounts they follow, nor will a group of publishers it identified that have licensing agreements with or explicit permissions from creators be affected.

Accounts can regain eligibility following a 30-day period during which most of the photos, carousels, and Reels they upload are considered original.

For Instants

New Snapchat-like feature Instants lets Instagram users share ephemeral photos with friends, who can react and reply, with the latter going straight to direct messages.

Instants are saved in a user’s archive for up to one year and can be reshared as a recap in Stories.

Instagram also rolled out an Instants companion application for quicker access to a device’s camera.

The platform’s protections for teens apply to Instants, including shared time limits, Sleep Mode, and parental supervision.

Other Instagram News

Stand-alone app Threads now has access to third-party content block lists from DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science, Scope3, and Zefr. This option was already available for Facebook, as well as Feed and Reels on Instagram. Also, Channel Factory and Protected by Mediaocean were onboarded as brand safety and suitability partners.
Several updates were announced for stand-alone app Edits: duration controls on clip transitions; text and sticker opacity; live photos; and 200 more sound effects.
Finally, DMs rolled out on Threads.

YouTube

Brandcast 2026

YouTube made several announcements at its Brandcast 2026 event:

A slate of new, exclusive Creator Shows includes Keep the Meter Running from Kareem Rahma and Before the Steps, a Met Gala docuseries from Alex Cooper.
New ad product Custom Sponsorships uses AI to dynamically surface videos that are tailored to a brand’s desired moment.
Masthead With Custom Content Shelf lets advertisers tap the app’s masthead for additional content to complement their hero creative.
Viewers can complete purchases directly via their connected TV platforms with just two clicks following the launch of Buy With Google Play.
Affiliate Partnerships Boost enables brands to amplify organic content that their products are already tagged in.
Creators can use the latest AI models from Google—including Gemini, Nano Banana, and Veo—to speed the transition from creative brief to final production with the new Multimodal Video Creation option.

AI Label Updates

YouTube shared updates to its process of labeling content when creators disclose their use of AI tools.

Disclosure labels for photorealistic and meaningfully AI altered or generated content are being moved to more prominent positions: directly below the video player and above the description for long-form videos, and as an overlay on Shorts.

In cases where content is unrealistic, animated, or slightly altered, the disclosure can be found in the expanded description.

Finally, YouTube began rolling out new internal signals to help identify AI-generated content on its platform.

Other YouTube News

Parent company Alphabet announced during its first-quarter-2026 earnings call that people in the U.S. are consuming more than 200 million hours of YouTube content every day. Alphabet added that 10 million channels were publishing Shorts every day as of March.
The new Ask YouTube interface, available for U.S. YouTube Premium members 18 and older, lets users ask more complex search queries and follow-up questions.
Gemini Omni, an update for YouTube Shorts Remix and the YouTube Create app, enables creators to Remix eligible Shorts by adding their own prompts and images. Those remixed Shorts will have digital watermarks, identifying metadata, and links back to the original video.
Finally, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced at Broadcast 2026 that over 2 billion hours of YouTube Shorts are watched on TVs every month.

Snapchat

Unified Attribution

Snapchat unveiled Unified Attribution, new optimization and app measurement capabilities that account for multiple touch points across the buyer journey.

Unified Attribution aligns closely with the platform’s mobile measurement partners to help app advertisers evaluate and optimize campaigns in real-time. It enables advertisers to:

Optimize campaigns using real-time signals, including MMP conversions.
Scale investments in channels driving true business outcomes.
Understand the full impact of campaigns all within Snap Ads Manager.

Other Snapchat News

The company’s $400 million deal to integrate Perplexity’s AI search engine directly into Snapchat was “amicably ended.”

LinkedIn

B2B on CTV

LinkedIn expanded programmatic buying on its platform for CTV Ads, which are now available via Amazon DSP.

Advertisers can plan, buy, and measure LinkedIn CTV Ads campaigns either via Campaign Manager or programmatically, and those running full-funnel campaigns via Amazon DSP can target professional audiences without fragmenting their media buy.

Amazon DSP enables advertisers to use precise LinkedIn targeting for categories including job title, industry, and seniority, and reach buyers across premium streaming inventory through Microsoft Monetize.

But, Are You Certified?

The professional network introduced LinkedIn Ads Agency Certification, a global program aimed at recognizing agencies that have demonstrated expertise with LinkedIn Ads and commitment to the platform’s best practices.

In order to become certified, agencies must meet requirements including Business Manager setup, invoicing readiness, and completion of key LinkedIn Marketing Academy certifications.

Agencies that pass muster gain:

Official LinkedIn Ads Certified Agency status.
A certification badge to showcase across websites, pitch materials, and marketing channels.
External messaging rights, including approved language for announcements and client communications.
A communications and promotion kit with ready-to-use assets.
Ongoing recognition within initiatives such as LinkedIn-led marketing campaigns and industry spotlight moments.

Small But Growing

LinkedIn detailed updates aimed at helping small and midsized businesses thrive on its platform.

Advice Sessions lets SMB owners offer paid one-on-one consultations directly via their LinkedIn profile, where they can manage bookings and secure payments.
Competitor Analytics enable LinkedIn Premium subscribers to track up to nine similar companies on the professional network, comparing follower growth and content engagement.
Subscribers to the Premium All-in-One solution now have the ability to boost their posts via mobile.
Finally, a new chat experience within Applicant Evaluation gives SMB owners an easier way to collaborate, refine qualifications, and share feedback.

X

Ads Manager Overhaul

X rebuilt its Ads Manager from scratch with a focus on three key pillars:

Simplicity: an intuitive, AI-powered platform to make campaign creation effortless and precise.
Unmatched Control: giving advertisers full control and speed.
Superior AI-Powered Performance: stronger results, faster optimization, precise targeting, and AI-powered relevancy.

The company said state-of-the-art AI powers retrieval and ranking systems that analyze user behavior at a deeper level to enable more precise, relevant, and dynamic ad delivery.

Updates will roll out gradually over the coming months.

Creator Connect

New AI-powered solution Creator Connect helps brands match with ideal creators on the platform to further their specific campaign goals.

Creators are suggested based on the advertiser’s campaign objectives, audience interest, and real-time trends.

X said it manages the entire process, from creator discovery and outreach to content creation and distribution, ensuring that brands maintain control with approvals at every stage.

Other X News

X officially topped 1 billion downloads.
A new History tab on iOS lets X users keep track of all their favorite content on the platform.

Open Influence’s team stays on top of the latest trends and is here to help you maximize your creator campaigns. Open Influence is a leading global creator marketing agency dedicated to creating engaging campaigns.

Reach out to us today.

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