ICYMI: This Isn't the IG Feed We Need or Deserve
Here's (some of) what happened on social media this week, March 25
Hello! I meant to take this week off but Instagram’s chronological feed announcement — It’s back! Sort of! — was too much to ignore. So, here’s an abbreviated version of ICYMI with a handful of noteworthy headlines…
🔄 Instagram finally rolled out two new chronological feed options:
Favorites, which shows you the latest posts from a list of specific accounts that you choose. You can select up to 50 accounts as your favorites and they won’t be notified of the status.
Following, which shows you posts from the accounts you follow.
But it’s an effort that seems doomed to fail. The algorithmic feed is the default setting, so you’ll have to select Favorites or Following every time you log in or refresh. And the chronological feature is so clunky it seems unlikely to stick.
In fact, Instagram says it plans to add more recommendations to your main feed based on your interests, putting it more in line with TikTok’s For You Page than a return to 2016’s chronological feed.
People have clamored for a return to the chronological feed for so long — maybe out of a mistaken sense of nostalgia — but to sabotage the comeback with this half-hearted effort seems like a passive aggressive move designed to prove us all wrong.
🛍 The Verge: Instagram now lets all users tag products in their posts
Starting this week, you don’t need to be a business or a creator to tag products in posts. That’s especially good news for smaller brands who might benefit from the added tagging and also interesting for nano or micro influencers who may be hoping to get the attention of brands for sponsored content deals.
🍷 San Francisco Chronicle: Why TikTok — not Instagram — is a rising platform for winemakers desperate to lure Millennials
TikTok is being called the rising platform for winemakers looking to appeal to millennial customers. One reason is its algorithm which shows users content they are likely to be interested in, even if they weren’t searching for it or following that account. (Paywall link)
💰 Business Insider: YouTube is the top platform for influencers to promote products, according to new data
YouTube is the top platform for influencers to promote products — 26% of US social-media users said the video platform was the most effective in getting them to try new products, ahead of Instagram (24%) and TikTok (14%). (Paywall link)
🔍 Social Media Today: Twitter Rolls Out Keyword Search for DMs
Twitter users will now be able to search their DMs for past conversations, products and people mentioned, links shared, etc.
💵 The Guardian: Unlicensed (Australian) Instagram and TikTok influencers offering financial advice could face jail time
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is cracking down on influencers who provide financial advice. Anyone providing stock tips or sharing affiliate links to an online broker needs an Australian financial services license or face up to five years in jail.
🏈 CNBC: Adidas announces new network that will allow more than 50,000 student-athletes to be paid ambassadors
Adidas announced a new “name, image, likeness” network that will allow more than 50,000 student-athletes to become paid spokespeople for the brand, starting with historically Black colleges and universities and Power Five conference partners this fall, and then scale across other participating schools by April 2023.
👟 The Drum: Nike debuts 3D billboard in Shinjuku in run-up to Air Max Day
Nike’s the latest brand to take advantage of Tokyo’s 3D billboard for this Air Max campaign, temporarily replacing this awesome virtual cat installation.
🎙 Refinery29: KhaeNotBae Is The Creator Behind Your Favorite TikTok Sounds — & Don’t You Forget It
Mikhaela Jennings (otherwise known as @KhaeNotBae) has been working overtime to ensure she gets paid her due for the sound bites she created that went viral.
😂 Fast Company: How former Labor Secretary Robert Reich got TikTok-famous
The 75-year-old Berkeley professor says he used humor in an effort to reach younger audiences. “If their minds open for even just an instant, it’s an opportunity.”
📲 CNN: David Beckham hands over Instagram account to Ukrainian doctor in Kharkiv
The soccer star had a Ukrainian doctor in Kharkiv take over his Instagram account to highlight the “amazing work” of medical professionals operating in the war-torn country.
🇺🇦 Vice: Inside the Rise of the Niche Twitter Expert
“There are a lot of ‘TED talk’ intellectuals floating around online,” which has led to a significant chunk of people getting their Ukraine updates through viral tweet threads.
🌟 Vanity Fair: Can TikTok Help Save the Oscars + Hollywood Reporter: Instagram Influencers to Attend Ceremony to Create Behind-the-Scenes Reels
The Oscars are this Sunday — get your reaction posts ready! The best movie TikToks and behind-the-scenes Reels aren’t expected to come from the Academy’s own account but from creators they’ve invited to the event.