Big changes are shaking up the digital world this week! Instagram is ditching hashtag follows, LinkedIn drops fresh do’s and don’ts to boost your content, and Australia moves forward with its teen social media ban. Read on for the hot goss!

What’s new with Meta?

Facebook’s New Metric: What ‘Views’ Means for Your Business

Facebook is switching to “Views” as its main performance metric—just like Instagram did earlier this year. This change simplifies how content performance is tracked across all content types, from videos to photos and text posts. For businesses, this means clearer insights and more consistent data across Facebook and Instagram.

What You Need to Know:

• New Video Metrics: “Minutes Viewed” and “Average Minutes Viewed” replace previous watch time metrics for a clearer picture of video engagement.
• “Views” Explained: Counts the number of times your content appears on a screen, including repeat views.
• Impact on Stories & Photos: “Views” will replace “Impressions,” so expect higher numbers as repeat views are now included.

Facebook Is Removing Public Followers on Personal Profiles

Big changes are coming to Facebook! Soon, the option to allow public followers on personal profiles will be phased out.

What You Need to Know:

• No More Public Followers: You’ll need to either remove your public followers or switch to Professional Mode, which transitions your profile to a Page.
• Why the Change? Meta wants to streamline personal profiles and encourage those using public followers to adopt creator or business tools through Professional Mode.

Tips for Creators & Businesses:

• Switch to Professional Mode if public followers are important for your content strategy.
• Leverage the transition to access tools like ad options and the Boost button for increased reach.
• Reassess your audience strategy to align with the new setup.

If you’re a business owner or marketing team that wants to solidify your point of difference, win customers and grow your market share — enquire now to meet your dream team.

What’s new with Instagram?

Instagram Downgrades Video Quality for Less-Viewed Clips

Instagram is giving your profile a refresh! Story Highlights are moving from the bubbles above your grid to a dedicated tab with a sleek new look. While this change makes profiles cleaner and less cluttered, it might impact how often users tap on your older Stories.

What’s Changing:

• New Location: Highlights will now live in their own tab (marked with a heart icon) and feature vertical thumbnails for each topic.
• Main Grid Impact: Highlights will also appear in the grid, but how they’re sorted is still unclear.
• Simpler Profiles: Instagram’s goal is to declutter and showcase more content “above the fold.”

Tips for Business Owners:

• Reorganise your Highlights for the new tab to keep them visually appealing.
• Use the grid placement to spotlight key content or promote evergreen Stories.
• Track engagement to see how these changes affect user behaviour.

This shift may reduce tap-throughs, but with thoughtful planning, you can still use Highlights to boost your brand!

Instagram’s New Tool to Clean Up Your Follower List

Instagram just made it easier to tidy up your audience by identifying inactive profiles among your followers.

What’s New:

• Inactive Profile Insights: See deactivated accounts and flagged profiles in a new section of your follower list.
• Quick Removal: Easily remove inactive accounts with a simple tap.

Why It Matters for Creators & Businesses:

• Boost Engagement Metrics: Removing inactive followers can improve your engagement rate and make your stats more accurate.
• Optimise Ad Targeting: Refine your audience insights by focusing on active, relevant followers.

Instagram Is Removing the Option to Follow Hashtags

Instagram is ditching hashtag follows in an effort to combat spam and improve your feed experience.

Why It Matters:
This change reflects Instagram’s shift toward algorithm-driven content discovery rather than relying on hashtags. It’s also a nudge for users to follow individual creators and businesses for more curated content.

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What’s new with Snapchat?

Snapchat Adds New Safety Tools for Parents and Teens

Snapchat is stepping up safety with new features to keep teens and parents connected:

• Location Sharing Reminders: Teens will get regular prompts to review their sharing settings.
• Live Location Requests: Parents can request their teen’s real-time location and even share their own.
• Who Can See What: Parents now have visibility into who their teen is sharing location data with.
• Travel Notifications: Get alerts when your teen leaves or arrives at key locations like home or school.

What’s new with LinkedIn?

LinkedIn Shares Do’s and Don’ts for Better Posts

LinkedIn just dropped fresh insights to help you craft posts that thrive in its algorithm—and steer clear of content that might get penalised.

What Works:

• Share original insights and professional expertise.
• Post thoughtful, engaging content that sparks meaningful conversations.
• Leverage video—LinkedIn reports video views are up 36% year-over-year!

What to Avoid:

• Negative or unconstructive posts that stifle discussion.
• Overly personal updates with no professional relevance.
• Spammy content like engagement bait or irrelevant self-promotion.

Pro Tip for 2025: Focus on adding professional value to your posts to stand out in LinkedIn’s algorithm. Use these tips to refine your strategy and grow your presence on the platform

LinkedIn Launches Exclusive Hub for Creators

LinkedIn has unveiled the Build Your Voice hub, designed to empower creators with all the tools they need to succeed on the platform. This one-stop shop includes:

• Upcoming events tailored for creators (more coming soon!)
• Guides and playbooks, including tips for LinkedIn video
• Support and feedback links for quick assistance
• Trending moments calendar to inspire timely posts
• A new LinkedIn Content Fundamentals course, complete with a profile certificate upon completion

What’s new with Google?

Google Shopping Gets Smarter with Price Comparisons & Local Inventory

Google is transforming holiday shopping with powerful new tools! The latest updates to Google Shopping and Google Lens let you:

• Find Local Stock Fast: Use Google Maps to search for items and see which stores nearby have them in stock.
• Compare Prices Instantly: Snap a photo of an item in-store, and Google will show you prices at nearby stores or online.

Other Digital Updates

Australia Moves Forward with Teen Social Media Ban

The Australian government is advancing a bill to ban social media use for teens under 16, sparking debates about its practicality and impact.

What’s Happening:

• The Proposal: Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook will be required to block under-16 users, with fines up to $32M for non-compliance.
• Challenges: Enforcement lacks a universal standard, leaving platforms to self-regulate. Messaging apps like WhatsApp and YouTube are exempt, creating loopholes.
• Criticism: Experts argue the bill is unenforceable and may not address the root issues of online safety.

📔 Other noteworthy updates or tests:

• Instagram is testing a new “Reset Suggested Content” option that allows users to clear their personalised recommendations across Explore, Reels, and Feed, enabling a fresh start while keeping ad targeting preferences unchanged
• Instagram is testing AI-powered tools that allow users to generate creative profile images and stickers, offering imaginative depictions like competing in the Olympics or riding a UFO, aiming to enhance personalisation and creativity in the app.

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Well, lots of changes as always this week! Make sure you’re signed up for our weekly updates here so you’re always in the loop with the latest tools and tips to boost your strategy. And if you missed last week’s highlights, catch up on our recent blog posts here!

XOXO

Oh My Digital Team