What’s new on Instagram?

20-minute Reels

Instagram is quietly experimenting with a new upper limit for Reels: 20 minutes. That’s a huge leap from the current 90-second and 15-minute limits some creators have, blurring the lines between Reels and full-on IGTV-style content.

💡What it means for you:
This could dramatically shift how marketers and creators use Reels, opening up opportunities for longer storytelling, tutorials, interviews, or behind-the-scenes footage without breaking up content into multiple parts.

The screenshot sharing sheet in DMs are back

The old feature is back, users will once again see the screenshot sharing sheet in direct messages, making it easier to react or respond to visual messages instantly.

💡What it means for you:
This small UX tweak enhances shareability and responses to your visual content, especially for story-based campaigns or product visuals in DMs.

New Messaging tab on desktop

Instagram is giving its desktop experience a facelift by rolling out a dedicated Messaging tab for all users.

💡What it means for you:
This makes managing brand DMs on desktop much easier for social media managers and customer support teams, no more fumbling through browser workarounds.

Instagram is replacing the “Following” count with “Mutual friends”

Instead of seeing how many people someone follows, users will now see who they have in common with that account.

💡What it means for you:
This could influence follow decisions and social proof. Brands might see a shift in how users perceive influencer legitimacy and connection relevance.

Sort Reels by “Latest” or “Most viewed”

On iOS, Instagram is giving users more control over how they browse Reels by freshness or popularity.

💡What it means for you:
This could change discovery strategies. “Most viewed” might favor viral content, while “Latest” gives newer posts a chance to shine. Use both to your advantage!

Instagram Edits: Growth + new features

Meta says usage of its Edits app nearly doubled in Q3, with 40% growth in September. Plus, a host of new features just dropped:

• Bulk transcript editing
• Lip sync with Meta AI
• Video clip reversal
• 400+ sound effects

💡What it means for you:
Edits is evolving fast. If you haven’t added it to your toolkit yet, now’s the time, especially for teams churning out high volumes of Reels and Stories.

Competitive Insights to the Professional Dashboard

Some business and creator accounts now have access to a comparison tool to view metrics side-by-side for up to 10 other accounts.

💡What it means for you:
While still limited in depth, this gives you a quick sense of how your competitors are performing and what posting patterns they follow, which is handy for benchmarking.

What’s new on Threads?

Text attachments now available on web

Threads is slowly building out its desktop experience. Users can now include text file attachments via the web interface.

💡What it means for you:
It’s a small step but good news for those managing Threads as part of a larger social workflow: less toggling between devices, more productivity.

Threads now lets you hide like and share counts

New visibility controls allow users to hide the number of likes and shares on their posts.

💡What it means for you:
Great for creators who want to prioritize engagement quality over quantity, or reduce performance anxiety for branded content campaigns.

New podcast-specific features

Threads is testing two podcast-focused tools:

• Add podcast links to bios
• Share podcast episodes with preview thumbnails (title + artwork)

💡What it means for you:
If your brand has a podcast, this is a must-watch. Expect more support for podcast creators soon as Threads carves out a niche in audio content.

What’s new on TikTok?

New EU privacy update hints at location-based tagging

Starting November 30, TikTok may begin collecting precise location data (with permission) and will include clearer details on in-app browser tracking and DMs.

💡What it means for you:
This could mark the debut of location tags in the EU, useful for localized campaigns, geotargeting, or region-specific trends.

What’s new on Meta AI?

Voice Translation expands to more countries and languages

Meta AI’s voice translation tool is now available in the MENA region, including Arabic support.

💡What it means for you:
If you’re running global campaigns, this is a game-changer for accessibility and inclusive communication, especially via Stories or Reels.

What’s new on YouTube?

AI-powered video summaries are here

YouTube is rolling out a tool that uses AI to generate video summaries, so users can get the gist without watching the full thing.

💡What it means for you:
Your title and thumbnail still matter, but now the script does too. Make sure your intros and key points are crystal clear and well-structured to influence how the AI summarizes your content.

What’s new on LinkedIn?

Event integration with ON24, Cvent, and CRM tools

LinkedIn now allows deeper integration with ON24 and Cvent for event management. You can now:

• Run LinkedIn Events directly from ON24
• Sync attendee data to CRMs via Cvent
• Use lead generation as an objective for event ads
• Automatically collect and sync leads to CRM or MAPs

💡What it means for you:
Big win for B2B marketers. This simplifies the lead gen flow for webinars, allowing tighter performance tracking and more streamlined campaign planning.