Last week’s update on all things new on social platforms powering the creator ecosystem.

Check out the previous dispatch.

I’m, very much, about new media and the creator space—it’s a massive part of my personal and professional dealings. So, if you’re anything like me—and honestly, whether you're a creator or a brand rep, you should be—this weekly series will get you up to speed on the latest updates across social platforms. As we know, social platforms are the driving force behind the creator economy. They are the engine [read: tech] that powers content creation, distribution, and monetization, enabling creators to share stories, build communities, engage audiences, and ultimately generate income. Whether through video, images, or text, these platforms give creators — across all facets (music, film, comedy, lifestyle, fashion) the tools to reach global audiences and turn their passions into livelihoods.

These updates are key for maximizing engagement, staying competitive, and taking advantage of new features to better your content and interactions. Keeping up with the evolving landscape of these platforms helps you stay agile, relevant, and always ahead of the curve.

INSTAGRAM UPDATES (8)

• Instagram Adds 'Views Over Time' to Post Insights

Instagram has introduced a ‘views over time’ section to post insights, providing a more detailed breakdown of how your posts perform over time. This is thoughtful!

• Testing Full-Screen Mode for Reels

Instagram is experimenting with a full-screen mode for Reels, offering a more immersive viewing experience. However, screen recording might be disabled while watching Reels in this mode!

• Businesses May Soon Organize DMs with Custom Folders

Instagram is beta testing a feature that lets businesses create custom message folders, making it easier to organize and manage DMs effectively. This is a potential game-changer for businesses handling high message volumes.

• Dedicated Tab for Story Highlights

Instagram has been spotted testing a dedicated tab for Story Highlights on user profiles. Screenshots show ‘Featured Stories’ appearing both on the main profile grid and in a separate tab, similar to how Reels are displayed.

• Advanced Crop Tools for Stories in Testing

Instagram is testing new advanced crop tools for Stories, making photo editing even more intuitive. Features include:

• New crop shapes.
• Pinch-to-crop and rotate options for added precision

• New Metric for Video Engagement: 3-Second Views

Instagram has rolled out a new video metric that shows the percentage of viewers who watched past the first three seconds of your video. 3 seconds is what counts as a "view," so if someone swipes away before that, it won’t count. Just as 30 seconds is what counts as a stream on DSPs.

• ‘Goals’ Feature for Creator Achievements in Testing

Instagram is developing a new ‘Goals’ feature for creators. This will allow you to set personal targets for your Reels or posts, helping you stay motivated and track your progress as you create.

• Instagram is Removing the Ability to Follow Hashtags

Starting December 13th, you’ll no longer be able to follow hashtags, and any you currently follow will disappear from your feed. Once a key feature of the platform, hashtags have seemingly become less relevant, and now, Instagram is phasing them out.

YOUTUBE UPDATES (2)

• YouTube Launches ‘Jewels’ for Live Donations

YouTube is rolling out a new creator donation feature called ‘Jewels,’ similar to TikTok Live gifts. Viewers can purchase digital stickers to apply during live streams, with a portion of the purchase going directly to the streamer. It’s another way for creators to monetize live content while engaging their audience.

• Testing TikTok-Style Swipe-Up Gesture for Full-Length Videos

YouTube is experimenting with the swipe-up gesture—a feature popularized by TikTok—for full-length videos, not just Shorts. While typically suited for vertical content, YouTube is testing whether this interaction can work for horizontal videos as well. This is a bold move and could significantly change how users navigate videos on the platform.

Watch it live here

No major Bytedance (TikTok / Capcut) update in the past week

That’ll be all for now…