What are the Trending Digital Marketing Updates?

Instagram extends the duration of Reels to 60 seconds!

Instagram increased the length of Reels for users from 30 seconds to 60 seconds in a recent update. For quite some time, the company has been testing with lengthier Reels. Last September, what began as a 15-second video format was expanded to 30 seconds. This is one of the exciting Digital Marketing Updates.

Given that TikTok now allows films up to three minutes in length and YouTube’s Shorts now accepts videos up to 60 seconds in length, it’s only natural that Instagram raised the duration restriction for Reels to keep up with the trend.

However, because the platform already allows for the creation of videos in other formats – 1-minute videos on feed, 1-plus-minute videos on IGTV, and the standard 15-second Stories – the 60-second Reels only expands the opportunities for creators to innovate and distribute their content in a variety of formats.

Instagram is experimenting with a vertical content stream akin to TikTok for the Explore section.

Instagram’s clone, Reels, has been openly vying for TikTok’s popularity. Having said that, Alessandro Paluzzi, an App Researcher, has noticed that the platform is developing a vertical feed layout for the explore area akin to TikTok. Once inside, you’ll be able to swipe through Instagram’s recommended content and numerous picture postings.

He adds that although the explore section would stay same, while within a post, the view will resemble a full-screen, Reel-style presentation. You may either press the back arrow to return to Browse or swipe through to the section’s content.

WhatsApp introduces a new ‘Archive’ feature that enables users to permanently hide obnoxious group conversations.

WhatsApp has introduced a new Archive feature that allows users to permanently silence and conceal loud or highly active groups. Naturally, you may return to the Archived folder and browse through the conversations.

According to the announcement made by WhatsApp. ‘Archive on WhatsApp enables you to manage and prioritize your private communications. Your archived conversations will stay archived and muted for the time being, but you may always restore them!’

Subscribers have always been able to store and mute conversations, but the new feature is that they will no longer get alerts when such chats receive new messages, thus concealing them from the chat listing. Only users have the ability to undo the ‘archive option’ and revert to the conversation view.

Instagram introduces additional privacy features and limitations on ad targeting in order to safeguard its younger users

Instagram has made a concerted effort to safeguard underage users from unwarranted on-platform harassment/abuse and access to inappropriate material. To make this more successful, Instagram is considering making ‘secret account’ the default setting for users under the age of 16/18.

As Instagram explains, “We aim to prevent young people from hearing from adults they don’t know or don’t want to hear from in any way possible. Private accounts, we think, are the best method to avoid this. As of this week, anybody under the age of 16 (or under the age of 18 in some countries) who joins Instagram will be automatically assigned a private account.”

Additionally, the platform is enforcing limits on ad targeting. According to Instagram, marketers will be able to target individuals under the age of 18 based on their age, gender, and geography. As a result, marketers will lose access to previously available alternatives such as interests and activity on other websites.

Facebook introduces the ‘Campaign Ideas Generator’ to assist companies with promotional efforts.

Facebook has introduced a new Campaign Ideas Generator, a mini-site designed to inspire and assist you in developing amazing campaign and promotion ideas. The generator offers a variety of insights, suggestions, and templates tailored to certain holiday events and company kinds.

This may seem like a cut-and-paste solution, but the ideation process requires you to explore and develop ideas independently. However, this generator offers useful hints and instructions. You may enter the site, choose your company type, and begin the process of idea creation. After doing so, three tabs will appear: Campaign Ideas, Data and Insights, and Resources.

While Campaign Ideas serve as a jumping-off point for your ideation process, Data and Insights offer data points for the criteria you’ve selected. The Resources category has case studies and papers that may assist you in honing your approach with Digital Marketing Updates.

As part of its e-Commerce drive, Twitter is testing a new ‘Shop Module’ on company accounts.

Twitter began testing Professional Profiles in April. To promote its on-platform e-Commerce efforts, the microblogging site is now testing out a new ‘Shop Module’ on company profiles with a selection of US-based companies.

The Shop Module is a section at the top of a profile devoted to selling products. Businesses may use a carousel to display their goods. When the Shop Module is active, customers may browse through the product carousel and touch on a product to learn more about it. They can even complete the transaction without ever leaving Twitter.

Google conducts a test of the ‘Areas Served’ feature for its Local Business Listings.

Google My Business/Local Business Listings are presently testing a new attribute. The ‘Regions Served’ property specifies and lists the geographical areas in which the company operates. Businesses will be able to update this via the ‘Info’ section of their Google My Business profile. More Digital Marketing Updates with regards to GMB will role out in the near future.