Meta’s shift from political content
Across platforms, Meta is officially limiting political content from accounts users do not already follow. The new setting, specifically on Instagram, limits content “likely to mention governments, elections, or social topics that affect a group of people and/or society at large.” This change will impact users’ views on the explore page, reels, feed recommendations, and suggested users.
Meta has faced backlash for this decision, especially during a year with several pivotal elections in the U.S. and other countries. However, the company has wanted to shift away from political content and news for years.
Users can still choose to view political content by updating their settings. On Instagram, users can change their political content preferences by going to Settings > Content preferences > Political content > clicking “Don’t limit political content from people you don’t follow.”
We recommend engaging strong follower initiatives to build communities interested in political content, as well as paid content to reach new audiences. The Strategic Elements team is here to help with targeted strategies for political advocacy despite these new updates.
Facebook Features
No more News tab — In early April, Facebook officially removed its News tab in the U.S. and Australia, following removal from the U.K., France, and Germany last year. Users can still read and post news and article links, but there will not be a dedicated tab for this information. Facebook cites the reason for the removal to “better align our investments to our products and services people value the most,” like short-form video. This change aligns with Meta’s push for less political content on the platform.
Reducing Reporting Metrics — On March 14, Facebook began removing 89 Page Insight metrics to improve metrics quality, reduce user inconsistencies, and create a better experience for Pages. Page-level metrics for engagements will now be more simplified or limited. This update will impact native reporting and partners like Sprout or Hootsuite. Read more about the breakdown from Sprout here.
Instagram Innovations
View analytics on the web — Instagram now lets users view analytics on the web rather than just the mobile app. Want to view your account’s analytics? Click here.
Promo Codes— Instagram ads can now include promotional codes. When a user goes to purchase something through Instagram, the promo code will be automatically applied or quickly copied and pasted.
Hashtag Search Updates— Instagram just updated the discovery page when searching hashtags — providing broader search results, profiles to follow, and an option to follow that topic. Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, said the goal is to “simplify the hashtag and search experiences.” Brands can now use this to their advantage by tagging keywords in their profile or posts to boost their visibility.
Trendy Threads
Trending Now — Threads officially released its “Trending Now” page under the search tab. Users see five trending topics determined by machine learning AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems based on what is being discussed across the app. Users have been requesting this feature since the launch of the app, and it is now available only in the U.S. While Meta has stated Threads is not the place for politics, the company claims they will not demote that content or exclude it from the trending page.
Career Development Tools
LinkedIn is using its vast career data and LinkedIn Learning tools to provide professionals with valuable information on improving their skills and adapting to rapid changes in the professional world.
- Next Role Explorerprovides employees with a visualization of potential steps to take to find their desired next role at their current company based on individuals with similar job journeys. The tool guides learning journeys by listing skills needed for that next position.
- Internal career opportunitiesare the best way to retain employees, so LinkedIn is showing employees more internal roles and recruiters more employees as potential candidates. Employees can receive alerts about new internal roles and find the necessary skills for those roles available in LinkedIn Learning.
Message Company Pages
LinkedIn is officially taking advantage of the rising use of DMs (direct messages) by rolling out Pages Messagingfor all company pages. After initially testing this feature last June, company pages can now include a “Message” button on their profile, allowing users to contact their business more easily. Page Admins can enable and view the company inbox in their personal inbox, assign different conversation topics and track who responds to what messages to quickly sort and manage the inbox. LinkedIn already has six API partners to assist in managing messages, includingBird CRM, Brandwatch, Hootsuite, Oktopost, Sprinklr, and Zoho. This feature is an excellent opportunity for businesses to connect directly with their community and drive business growth.
Likes, Repost, and Favorites Removed — Elon Musk announced in a post on X that the platform will “definitely” be removing the count of comments, likes, and reposts, leaving only the view count on posts. With the new format, users will have to swipe right to reply, swipe left to favorite, and click into a post to view all metrics. Musk has talked about this plan beforeand even claimed he has “been dying to do this for a year.” However, he did not give a timeline for when this update would be rolling out.
Long-form Articles— Verified organizations and Premium+ subscribers on X can now publish posts of up to 15,000 words. Articles can include text formatting like headings, bold, italic, strikethrough, bullet points, and numbered lists. Users can also embed images, videos, and links for a visual element.
Establish a Solid Brand in Your Next Digital Marketing Campaign
Building a strong brand is more than just having a logo – it’s about creating an emotional connection. A well-defined brand that permeates throughout your entire campaign can lead to better outcomes. By establishing a solid brand, you can stand out from the crowd and individuals can quickly connect your brand with your mission.
Take the time to create a complete brand experience by sticking to these essential tips:
- Prioritize audience-centric messaging
- Maintain a consistent tone
- Use attention-grabbing content
- Incorporate appealing design elements
- Create a memorable logo
- Provide clear calls to action
- Ensure a seamless user experience
By using these as your guidelines when creating a campaign, you will grab the attention of your audience and achieve your desired results.
Follow our LinkedIn Showcase Pagefor more valuable branding and digital campaign strategies.
ANSWER THIS — How do you think limiting news and political content from Meta platforms will benefit or hinder user engagement?
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