Latest Social Media Platform Updates & What They Mean For Brands

Here’s your most recent social platform roundup. We're covering 20 key updates, including what changed, why it matters, and exactly what it means for brands. 

Here’s your most recent social platform roundup. We’ll cover 20 key updates, including what changed, why it matters, and exactly what it means for brands.

Let’s get started.

1. TikTok debuts Change Makers (50 creators) + donation tools for in-app giving

Source: TikTok

TikTok announced the 2025 Change Makers Program to support 50 mission-driven creators with training, resources, and real-world opportunities. 

It also launched donation amplification tools so anyone can re-share a creator’s fundraiser via profile links and donation stickers, with user-amplified posts showcased on the fundraiser page. An in-app list of existing fundraisers helps people discover campaigns in select countries.

What this means for brands:

• Cause activations at scale: Partner with Change Makers and their communities for trusted social-impact campaigns.
• Frictionless fundraising: Add donation stickers and profile links to turn views into donations.
• Discovery flywheel: List campaigns in-app, prompt fan re-shares, and spotlight top supporter posts on the fundraiser page.

2. Spotify × TikTok debut “Big on BookTok”

Source: Spotify

Spotify and TikTok are piloting a co-branded “Big on BookTok” hub in the U.S. through November, which turns viral #BookTok picks into a biweekly-updated audiobook destination on Spotify. This initiative uses TikTok trend data, curated shelves, author playlists, and themed lists to help move TBRs (to-be-reads) to “to be listened.”

What this means for brands:

• Trend-to-consumption bridge: Convert BookTok buzz into audiobook plays with a data-fed hub that updates every two weeks.
  
  
• Partner placements: Explore sponsorships around shelves, themed lists, and author playlists, and pair with creator tie-ins on TikTok.
  
  
• Measurement & targeting: Link TikTok content to hub playlists, use UTMs and retargeting on Spotify, and time launches around the biweekly refresh.
  

3. Meta launches Vibes

Source: Meta

Meta introduced Vibes, a short-form feed of AI-generated videos inside the Meta AI app (and on meta.ai). Users can create from scratch or remix videos they see—swap styles, add visuals and music—then post to Vibes or cross-share to Instagram and Facebook Stories/Reels.

The feed personalizes over time, and Instagram taps can deep-link into the Meta AI app to remix. Meta positions Vibes as the next iteration of the Meta AI app, which also remains the hub for managing AI glasses.

What this means for brands:

• Remixable campaigns: Design prompts, music stems, and style packs that invite fans and creators to remix brand concepts directly in Vibes, then amplify the best cross-posted outputs on IG/FB.
• Cross-surface distribution: Treat Vibes as a creative lab and Instagram/Facebook as reach drivers—optimize calls-to-remix on IG that deep-link to the Meta AI app
• Guardrails for AI UGC: Update creator briefs for AI edits (music/style rights, attribution, disclosure) since Vibes encourages derivative works and easy sharing

4. Meta expands Teen Accounts to Facebook & Messenger

Source: Meta

Teen Accounts are now at “hundreds of millions” of users on Instagram and are expanding globally to Facebook and Messenger. Meta also launched a School Partnership Program so middle and high schools can fast-track reports of issues like bullying for review, and it’s scaling a free online safety curriculum with Childhelp (including a peer-led version via LifeSmarts) with a goal of reaching one million middle schoolers.

What this means for brands:

• Targeting & reach: Expect tighter access to 13–17-year-olds. Plan for stricter age-gating and suitability filters across Meta surfaces.
  
  
• Creator selection: Prefer 18+ creators for teen-adjacent work. If using under-18 talent, build platform-safe workflows (no Lives, DM limits, clear chaperone/mod policies).
  
  
• Brand safety: Make moderation/suitability settings explicit, monitor placements, and be ready for quicker removals near school-reported content.

5. Threads adds 10,000-character attachments for native longform (with optional link-out)

Source: Threads

Threads now lets you attach up to 10,000 characters of text to a post so people can read longform directly in-app, with the main post still able to include a link to your full piece elsewhere.

What this means for brands:

• Longform native: Publish excerpts, briefs, and statements natively (no screenshots), keeping users in-feed.
  
  
• Content ops: Repurpose newsletters, reports, and blog intros into attachments; build a “Threads version” into your workflow.
  
  
• Influencer collabs: Give creators brand talking points as attachments for deeper context without off-platform jumps.

6. YouTube expands multi-language audio to millions

Source: Youtube Official Blog

YouTube is expanding multi-language audio (MLA) to millions of U.S. creators over the coming weeks, allowing videos to ship with multiple subtitles so global viewers can watch in their native language. In the pilot, videos with MLA saw 25%+ of watch time from non-primary languages. YouTube is also piloting multi-language thumbnails.

What it means for brands:

• Instant localization at scale: Ship one video with multiple dubs instead of separate uploads, and pair it with localized thumbnails as they roll out.
  
  
• Go where the demand is: Use country/language analytics to prioritize the top 3–5 languages. Expect a lift in non-primary markets.
  
  
• Measure impact: Track watch time, retention, and conversion by language to justify the ongoing localization budget.

7. YouTube adds swappable sponsor slots

YouTube is rolling out dynamic sponsor slots in long-form videos, allowing creators to swap them in and out with full performance reporting. Shorts will support a brand link for deal-driven traffic and conversions. YouTube Shopping is expanding with AI that automatically detects product mentions and tags them, as well as broader market and merchant coverage.

What it means for brands:

• Renewable placements: Turn creator videos into ongoing inventory with swappable sponsor segments and clean post-campaign removals.
  
  
• Measured Shorts performance: Prove ROI with clickable brand links, tailored CTAs, and conversion tracking.
  
  
• Smarter shopping lift: Capture commerce as AI auto-tags products at peak interest, and Shopping expands to more markets and merchants.

8. YouTube adds Veo 3 Fast and new AI remix tools to Shorts

YouTube is adding Veo 3 Fast to Shorts so anyone can prompt generate a 480p video with sound in-app (rolling out in the US, UK, CA, AU, NZ). New Shorts tools are coming—Add motion, Stylize, and Add objects—plus Edit with AI to auto-assemble a first draft with music, transitions, and an English/Hindi voiceover. A new Speech to Song remix tool turns dialogue from eligible videos into songs using Lyria 2, with attribution and SynthID AI labels/watermarks.

What this means for brands:

• Creative speed: Prompt quick concepts and cut first drafts from camera rolls to ship more variants faster with lower production lift.
  
  
• Remixable formats: Use Speech to Song and motion transfer to spark participatory challenges and creator collabs that travel in Shorts.
  
  
• Governance & rights: Update brand guidelines for AI use, attribution, music rights, and disclosures since content carries SynthID watermarks and eligibility rules.

9. YouTube’s biggest Live upgrade is here

YouTube is rolling out its biggest Live upgrade yet. You can rehearse off-air in practice mode, fill downtime with Playables on Live, and stream horizontal and vertical at the same time with one chat. React Live adds co-commentary, while AI highlights auto-cuts your stream into Shorts. There are new side-by-side ads that don’t interrupt key moments, plus a one-tap switch to members-only segments.

What this means for brands:

• More discovery surfaces: Reach viewers on TV and mobile with dual-format streams, tap React Live for co-viewing moments, and turn streams into Shorts with AI-generated highlights.
  
  
• Cleaner monetization: Use side-by-side ads to avoid interrupting key moments, unlock members-only segments to deepen community, and paid support.
  
  
• Easier production: Lower go-live risk with practice mode, fill dead air with Playables on Live, standardize post-stream clipping in your workflow.

10. YouTube Studio adds Ask Studio

YouTube Studio adds Ask Studio (AI chat for analytics and ideas), an upgraded Inspiration tab that returns 9 data-backed concepts per prompt, A/B testing for up to three titles and thumbnails, built-in Collaborations to co-post across up to five channels, auto-dubbing with lip sync (testing across 20 languages), and likeness detection in open beta for YPP creators.

What this means for brands:

• Smarter planning: Use Ask Studio and Inspiration to shape briefs, validate topics, and move from idea to outline faster.
  
  
• Package for clicks: Run title and thumbnail A/B tests to lift CTR and de-risk launches.
  
  
• Scale safely and globally: Co-post with multiple creators for instant cross-audience reach, add lip-sync dubs for localization, and use likeness detection to protect talent and brand.

11. YouTube launches “YouTube Labs” for Premium

YouTube opened YouTube Labs, an opt-in testing pool for Premium subscribers to try early AI features. The first experiment introduces AI hosts into YouTube Music radio mixes that incorporate stories, trivia, and context between songs. Labs is YouTube-specific (separate from Google Labs), with more creation/editing experiments likely to follow if testing goes well.

What it means for brands:

• Early R&D lane: If you or your partners have Premium, join Labs to explore new AI surfaces before launch—capture benchmarks and creative best practices while the stakes are low.
• Audio companion moments: Treat AI hosts like lightweight “context inserts.” Test brand-safe scripts (facts, tips, behind-the-scenes) that add value without sounding like ads; track session length and skip rates.
• Governance first: Update music/licensing, disclosure, and safety rules for AI-inserted content so any future expansion to video/creation tools is covered.

12. Reddit swaps “Member count” for Visitors & Contributions to highlight real engagement

Source: Reddit 

Reddit is replacing the visible “Member count” on subreddit pages with two signals that reflect actual activity: 

• Visitors (unique users who visited in the last 7 days, calculated on a rolling 28-day average), and 
• Contributions (non-removed posts + comments in the last 7 days). The goal is to surface real engagement, not passive subscriptions.

What this means for brands:

• Find real reach: Plan against Visitors/Contributions, not subscriber totals, to spot active communities (including small but high-velocity niches).
  
  
• Plan smarter: Time posts and AMAs where Contributions trend high; use these signals to prioritize media, seeding, and community pilots.
  
  
• Quality control: Use activity spikes and comment velocity as early indicators of volatility; set moderation/response guardrails before launch.

13. Reddit debuts Pro tools and tests in-app article view with swipe-to-comments

Reddit is beta-launching Reddit Pro tools for publishers with a new Links tab that shows which stories are being shared, where, and how they’re performing (views, upvotes, clicks), plus RSS auto-import and AI community recommendations for targeted posting.

 It’s also testing an in-app article view that lets people read a story in Reddit and swipe up to comments, aiming to roll this out broadly next year after a waitlist beta (early testers include The Atlantic, The Hill, NBC News, AP).

What this means for brands:

• Find & grow audiences: Use article insights and AI recs to post in high-fit communities and expand reach.
  
  
• Engage in-thread: The new reader + swipe-to-comments flow favors active participation—plan Q&As and timely replies.
  
  
• Mind community norms: Calibrate headlines and tone per subreddit; set moderation/response guardrails before publishing.

14. LinkedIn adds Saves & Sends metrics

Source: SocialmediaToday

LinkedIn rolled out two new post metrics—Saves and Sends Saves show how many people bookmarked your post to revisit. Sends show how many times your post was shared in a LinkedIn message. These build on recent analytics like profile viewers and followers gained from a post, Premium custom button interactions, and the Member Post Analytics API.

What this means for brands:

• Quality signal > vanity: Treat Saves as intent depth and benchmark “return-to-value” alongside CTR and dwell.
  
  
• Dark social visibility: Use Sends to surface private sharing and identify content that sparks 1:1 or team conversations.
  
  
• Optimize and attribute: Segment posts by high Saves/Sends, double down on formats/topics that drive them, and map spikes to lead gen and pipeline.

15. LinkedIn expands Company Page verification

LinkedIn is expanding Company Page verification. Premium Company Pages are eligible now, and more pages will see a “Request verification” option in Settings based on meaningful engagement or existing commercial relationships (e.g., Ads, Jobs). Reviews are manual, so rollout is gradual.

What this means for brands:

• Eligibility levers: Post consistently, respond to members, and use LinkedIn products to trigger the Settings option to request verification.
  
  
• Trust signal: The badge adds legitimacy and helps deter impersonation, improving confidence in outreach and on-page conversions.
  
  
• Budget and ops: Premium Company Page is a paid path to eligibility. Get docs and admins ready, and plan for review queues.

16. Snap previews Snap OS 2.0 for Spectacles

Source: Snap.com

Snap announced Snap OS 2.0 for Spectacles ahead of the 2026 public launch. It adds a faster Spectacles Browser with widgets, bookmarks, voice or typed URLs, window resizing, and WebXR support. There’s a new Spotlight Lens to pin vertical videos and comments in your space, plus a Gallery Lens to review and share captures. You also get Travel Mode for steadier AR on the move and a growing Lens ecosystem, with titles like Synth Riders coming to Specs.

What this means for brands:

• New AR surface for vertical video: Program Spotlight-ready assets and creator content so fans can watch hands-free in-space, not just on phones.
  
  
• WebXR as a lightweight app layer: Build AR microsites that load in the Spectacles Browser and tie to campaigns, trials, or IRL wayfinding without an app install.
  
  
• Utility Lenses over gimmicks: Invest in practical Lenses—navigation, try-ons, tutorials—that people will use repeatedly, and partner with established Lens devs to ship fast.

17. Snap debuts Imagine Lens

Source: Snapchat 

Snap launched Imagine Lens, an open-prompt image generation Lens for Lens+ and Snapchat+ Platinum subscribers. Users can type a prompt, generate or edit a Snap, and share with friends, Stories, or off-platform.

What this means for brands:

• UGC at scale: Prompt fans to create on-brand images with a campaign phrase or template, then feature the best in Stories and ads.
  
  
• Subscriber targeting: Plan activations around Lens+/Snapchat+ Platinum users who can access the feature and seed creator examples for everyone else to remix.
  
  
• Guidelines & rights: Provide clear prompt lists, brand asset rules, and usage permissions for reposting AI-generated submissions.

18. Snap launched The Keys

Snap launched The Keys, a 45-minute interactive digital safety course for teens and parents, built with Common Sense Media and Snap’s teen council. It covers four risk areas—bullying, illicit drugs, nude/intimate images, and sextortion—and teaches practical responses plus a tutorial on Snapchat safety features, settings, and reporting. Designed for joint teen-adult learning and usable in sessions or all at once.

What this means for brands:

• Safety alignment: Reference The Keys in youth-facing campaigns to show you take teen safety seriously and match platform norms.
  
  
• Creative guardrails: Build stricter UGC rules and moderation cues for teen activations and link to Snapchat reporting resources.
  
  
• School and parent outreach: Package brand programs with co-learning guides or workshop tie-ins that complement The Keys for credibility.

19 Pinterest rolls out where-to-buy links

Source: Pinterest Newsroom

Summary: Pinterest is rolling out where-to-buy links that turn standard image ads into shoppable units showing multiple in-stock retailer options in one tap. Brands receive purchase-intent signals, such as Purchase Intent Clicks/Value, without tracking on retailer sites. It’s powered natively by Pear Commerce (free option in Ads Manager) and integrates with MikMak for deeper analytics, with U.S. availability in the coming weeks.

What this means for brands:

• Close the gap: Move Pinners from inspiration to cart with a built-in retailer picker and fewer hops.
  
  
• Keep the data: Use Pinterest’s purchase-intent metrics to optimize creative and media without retailer-side pixels.
  
  
• Pick your path: Launch quickly via Pear in Ads Manager or plug in MikMak for advanced reporting and broader retailer coverage.

20. Pinterest tests Top of Search ads

Source: Pinterest

Pinterest is previewing Top of Search ads in beta across monetized markets, placing your product in the top 10 results and Related Pins with a brand-exclusive catalog unit. It’s also expanding local inventory ads that show real-time, in-stock pricing near shoppers.

New Media Network Connect lets retailer media networks share first-party audiences, catalogs, and conversion data directly in Pinterest Ads Manager, starting with Kroger Precision Marketing and Instacart Ads.

What this means for brands:

• Win high-intent moments: Prioritize Top of Search for unbranded queries, align creative and catalogs to capture ready-to-shop demand.
  
  
• Turn search into store: Enable local inventory ads to surface nearby availability and price, then track lift in visits and efficiency.
  
  
• Activate retailer data: Use Media Network Connect to target purchase-based audiences and get cleaner, closed-loop measurement inside Ads Manager.