In the ever-wise words of Taylor Swift, it seems that August, once again, is slipping away into a moment in time.
That’s right - before you know it, it will be time to pack away the sun cream and whip out the hats and scarves, ready to face the oncoming autumn. In the meantime, Team Truffle thought it would be a good idea to give a quick run-down of all the latest happenings in the world of social media, from platform updates to industry predictions.
Testing, Testing, 1,2,3…
With the rise of TikTok and an apparent increase in ‘social media fatigue’, Twitter is reported to have seen a steady decline in its user base since 2012.
As a platform that relies primarily on words in an increasingly visual online space, this isn’t particularly surprising.
So, how is Twitter combatting this?
With a bunch of new features, of course!
Considering Twitter is widely renowned for its 280-character limit, their decision to test long-form tweets, called ‘Notes’, is a pretty bold move. Following in the footsteps of pretty much every other social media platform, Twitter is taking inspiration from TikTok and becoming more visual. This new update will allow users not only to write more, but also to add videos, images, and gifs, potentially putting an end to the popularity of Twitter ‘threads’.
Speaking of taking inspiration from other platforms…
Less than a year after Instagram introduced collaborative posts, Twitter is trialling ‘CoTweets’, which will allow users to partner up on tweets.
In other platform news, word on the street is that LinkedIn is working on a ‘Discover’ tab, similar to that on Instagram, which will allow users to branch out and explore posts from users they don’t follow.
Meanwhile, Instagram is following in BeReal’s footsteps by testing a QR code feature that will allow your followers to view your post location on a map.
As for TikTok? Well, you may have noticed a small number appearing on your profile showing your increase in follower count. That’s new. As is Pinterest’s real-time analytics, which have just launched on the mobile app.
Predictions
So, what will all this mean for social media when it comes to trends and platform popularity?
We reckon Twitter’s on track to make a grand comeback over the next few months and regain some of the popularity it’s lost to TikTok and Instagram.
After all, there’s a reason why Twitter was so popular in the first place. When it comes to reactivity and responsiveness on social media, there’s no platform like it. It is the perfect medium for commentary, which is particularly relevant in today’s ever-evolving political climate, and it has a certain speed and rawness you won’t find on other platforms.
The steps Twitter is taking to match what social media users want nowadays should prove pretty effective in regaining some of its former love.
As for LinkedIn? Their new ‘Discover’ tab appears to be one of several moves the platform has made recently to lessen the rigidity of their ‘professional’ image.
It’s no secret that the career-centric network has transformed drastically over the past couple of years, with the rise of ‘LinkedInfluencers’ and personal branding. Allowing users to diversify their feed in such an Instagram-like manner will undoubtedly encourage this transition, further pushing LinkedIn towards a more ‘casual’ persona.
Speaking of non-secrets, we pretty much all know by now that Instagram is pretty settled in its decision to become TikTok 2.0. As less and less still images show on users’ feeds, it’s likely that many will embark on a gradual transition to Pinterest to fulfill their photography needs.
Particularly if they continue to introduce new and improved features to their app, Pinterest are right on track to make a popularity comeback in the near future.
To Wrap-Up...
Now, as we mourn the loss of long days and anxiously await the arrival of pumpkin spice lattes into our local cafes, we want to hear from you!
What do you reckon will be the newest, biggest trend by Christmas time?
Let us know by dropping us a message across any of our social platforms (and hey - while you’re there - why not give us a sneaky follow as well?)