A month in review: April social media trends and updates

President Biden signed a TikTok bill that could ban or force the app's sale. The bill targets TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, mandating that it divest its U.S. operations within nine months or face a ban from U.S. app stores. This legislative move reflects broad bipartisan concern over national security risks, particularly fears that the Chinese government could access or manipulate user data collected by the app. TikTok pledged to challenge the law. “Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere,” said its chief executive, Shou Chew.

April Fool’s Day has become an important activation for many brands across social platforms. Let’s break down some of the posts shared this year, both good and bad.

• Duolingo went above and beyond by sharing a “Duolingo on Ice” activation, complete with a full EP released on Spotify, prompting many users to suggest that a one-off show would have made this prank legendary.

• Dunkin’ Donuts shared that it would be changing its name to “Donuts,” complete with limited edition merch, which had many fans requesting more products.

• Tinder posted a fake job description for the role of Ghost Hunter, which unfortunately fell flat and received minimal engagement.

Billie Eilish added 100M+ Instagram followers to her Close Friends and shared teasers for her upcoming album, gaining 7M additional followers. This is an interesting and new way of creating excitement for the release while growing her channel.

• Reddit plans to incorporate generative AI to help users create tailored ad content directly within its interface. Additionally, it's launching a "Creative Asset Cropper" to further customize how content is presented.

• YouTube introduced AI-enhanced chapters that allow viewers to skip to the most relevant parts of a video, improving user experience by leveraging data on viewership patterns.

• Spotify is building on the success of its AI DJ by introducing AI-powered playlist creation, enabling users to generate personalized music lists with simple prompts.

• Meta has rolled out a generative AI assistant available in the search bars and chats of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, aiming to streamline interactions and content discovery.

• X (formerly Twitter) is refining its advertising tools with AI, simplifying campaign setups and targeting, and enhancing efficiency post the initial configuration.

• Instagram is enriching its monetization options for creators with new features like engagement insights for stickers, expanded subscription Stories teasers, and a reminder sticker that alerts followers to upcoming content. These enhancements provide creators with valuable data and entice non-subscribers with previews of exclusive content.

• Facebook has introduced a new full-screen video player that expands all videos to a vertical format, similar to TikTok's style, accommodating all video types from short-form Reels to long-form videos and Live broadcasts.

TikTok has officially announced a new partnership with ticket-seller AXS, enabling users to buy tickets to events directly in-stream through the AXS website. This partnership offers artists a novel avenue to promote their events and provides users seamless access to live entertainment.

• After successful tests in selected regions, X is rolling out a "Not a Bot" program globally, charging new users a nominal $1 annual fee to create an account and engage with content. This initiative aims to reduce spam and enhance the quality of interactions on the platform.

One thing is abundantly clear: the digital landscape is constantly in flux. New trends emerge each week, and the social media giants introduce innovative features that shape how we connect, share, and engage online.

Keeping a finger on the pulse of these changes is not just beneficial; it's essential. Whether you're a business looking to stay ahead of the competition or an individual navigating the social media universe, staying informed is the key to success.

The insights and updates we've covered this month provide a glimpse into the exciting journey ahead.

Stay tuned for more trends and industry news from our Strategic Services team in the coming months. The world of social media is a never-ending adventure, and together, we'll continue to explore its uncharted territories.