What an exciting week in the digital world! Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google have been on fire, rolling out new features and LOTS of exciting tests. But that’s not all – Instagram has also dropped some tips and tricks to make your stories stand out from the crowd! So, step on through and join the fun as we explore the latest updates!

What’s new with Instagram?

Instagram Shares Tips to Help You Create More Standout Stories

If you’ve been feeling like your Instagram stories haven’t been getting much engagement lately, then this might help. Instagram has just dropped a guide full of tips and tricks for Stories. While there aren’t any new features this time, they’ve sprinkled in some really fascinating insights to help fuel your creative journey.

These include:

• Add yours sticker and template
• Make a collage using Layout
• Fill the background with a solid colour
• Turn live photos into a Boomerang
• Make emojis glow

👀 Tests spotted on Instagram this week:

• Instagram is testing a new feature that allows users to comment on specific images within a carousel post. Some lucky users can now link their replies directly to a photo or video based on its assigned number in the display. This update could drive more focused engagement, encouraging interaction around each element of the carousel post. Plus, it’s a great way to clear up any confusion when commenting on carousel posts!
• Instagram continues to test out more private engagement options, with its latest feature called “Blend”, which is essentially a combined Reels feed, based on the Reels that you’ve shared with a friend. It’s an exciting feature that enhances private interactions and strengthens connections through shared content experiences.

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What’s new with LinkedIn?

LinkedIn Adds Dynamic UTM Parameters to Campaign Tracking

LinkedIn has introduced dynamic UTM parameters for tracking ad campaign performance, allowing users to include custom tracking elements in their campaign URLs. This addition allows marketers to easily track the origin of clicks and analyse campaign results more effectively. Both static and dynamic parameters can be used in UTM elements, expanding tracking capabilities without relying on third-party cookies or IP addresses.

👀 Tests spotted on LinkedIn this week:

• LinkedIn is rolling out a limited beta test of a dedicated short-form video experience on its iOS mobile app. Selected members will notice a new video tab appearing in the app’s navigation bar, taking the place of the My Network tab.

Apply to work with us and get strategic with the content going out to your LinkedIn connections. Build relationships, grow connections and establish yourself as an authority in your field of expertise without your connections even knowing we’re the marketers in your pocket.

What’s new with Google?

Google Tests Out New Shopping Discovery Elements

Exciting news from Google! Google is experimenting with new shopping features, such as related style recommendations, brand preferences, and generative AI for product searches. These updates aim to personalise the shopping experience, allowing users to fine-tune their product searches based on visual preferences and brand choices. Additionally, Google is introducing AI-generated images to better align search results with user preferences and virtual try-on functionality to visualize clothing items on models of various sizes. While these features are currently limited and undergoing testing, they have the potential to enhance Google’s shopping discovery tools significantly in the future.

Evolving Google Analytics for more insightful measurement

GA4 is being updated to align conversions across Google Ads and Analytics, introducing “key events” to replace conversions for behavioural analytics. This change ensures a consistent view of advertising performance. Key events will be visible in existing reports and the Advertising Workspace for campaign performance reporting. The update aims to provide advertisers with cross-channel conversion reporting and enhanced measurement accuracy.

Want some help running your Paid Ads? Apply to work with us and stay compliant and across all the changes (without having to do a thing).

What’s new with YouTube?

YouTube Advises Channel Managers Not To Delete Uploaded Clips

YouTube Product Lead, Todd Beaupre recently advised YouTube creators against deleting their old video clips, emphasising the potential negative impacts on algorithmic ranking. Removing videos regularly may disrupt the viewer experience and make it harder for the algorithm to accurately assess a channel’s value and recommend its content. What’s more, deleting videos could affect how YouTube’s algorithm connects and ranks content across the platform, potentially lowering a channel’s overall ranking.

YouTube Adds Members-Only Shorts To Drive Creator Subscriptions

YouTube has introduced Members-Only Shorts, allowing creators to share exclusive short-form content with paying subscribers to incentivise channel subscriptions. Creators can designate uploads as “Members Only” during the upload process, and these exclusive Shorts will be indicated with a star icon on the thumbnail. Subscribers will have access to Members-Only Shorts in their Shorts and Subscription feeds, as well as in the Membership tab. This feature offers creators a simple way to provide perks to paying members and foster community engagement on the platform.

Want some help running your Paid Ads? Apply to work with us and never worry YouTube updates again.

Well, LOTS of compliance updates this round. But since you’re following us you’re already all across it huh? As always, we’ll keep you posted! Feel free to sign up for our weekly summary here so you never miss the best updates.

XOXO

OMD SQUAD