A month in review: June social media trends and updates

In June, brands rolled out their official Pride campaigns, each spotlighting unique initiatives to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Pride in London launched the #WeAreEverywhere campaign to support and address the increasing attacks on LGBTQ+ individuals. Calvin Klein teamed up with Cara Delevingne and Jeremy Pope for their “This is Love” campaign, which supported two LGBTQ+ charities and emphasized the brand's commitment to the community.

Grindr introduced a creative element by organizing pop-up events across the US, where users could take the "perfect profile photo."These events also featured free swag and Grindr Unlimited giveaways and provided sexual health education and resources. Together, these campaigns celebrated the diversity, resilience, and pride of the LGBTQ+ community nationally.

Apple's WWDC event on June 10th featured some exciting updates to enhance user experience. ChatGPT is now integrated with Siri and other Apple apps, bringing new capabilities like AI image generation and improved multitasking with the Vision Pro. There's also a new proofreading app that promises to streamline writing tasks.

They've introduced a new password management app and an upgraded calculator for the iPad. iMessage gets a functional boost, allowing users to schedule messages and apply various formatting options. Additionally, the Tap to Cash feature enables quicker payments via Apple Pay.

iOS 18 will offer more personalization with customizable app icons, the ability to lock individual apps, and refined updates to the Control Centre. AirPods users will appreciate the new hands-free commands for Siri, enhancing ease of use. Overall, these updates from Apple aim to provide more seamless and personalized tech experiences.

• Meta has scheduled Meta Connect 2024 for September 25-26, where it will present its latest AI and VR innovations. There is growing anticipation for the Quest 3S and Meta's AR glasses and new AI features for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Meta Quest headsets.

• They have also launched new AI advertising tools for Messenger aimed at enhancing brand engagement through private messages. This includes an AI-powered Q&A feature that responds to the most common inquiries businesses receive on Messenger. Additionally, Meta is rolling out a messaging promotion tool that allows creators to craft, organize, and send paid messages to customers.

• Instagram has some exciting new features coming for carousel posts. They’re testing a text overlay option that allows users to add captions directly onto images. New format options are available for carousel posts, including square and portrait. Users will soon be able to add music to carousel posts, including those with videos. This enhancement is also being integrated into Reels, mirroring TikTok's format by incorporating carousel posts into the video scrolling experience. This update offers brands new ways to engage with content on Instagram.

• The platform is beginning to test unskippable ads that require users to watch the entire video before continuing to scroll.

• Users can now host live streams exclusively for their close friends, adding an element of privacy to Instagram Lives. This new feature gives brands and influencers a new channel to leverage for product launches or exclusive events.

• Threads is developing a feature for disappearing posts, where posts automatically delete after 24 hours if activated. Adam Mosseri, Instagram's chief, mentioned that his team is also considering auto-archive options, as users are utilizing Threads to share more raw and authentic content. Mosseri supports the idea of auto-deleting social posts after 30 or 90 days, although user feedback so far suggests that this functionality isn't widely favored yet.

• X has begun automatically hiding users’ likes from public view. While this feature was previously available to X's Premium subscribers, it is now being extended to all users.

• They also announced that live streaming will now be exclusively available to Premium subscribers, placing another feature behind the app's paywall. While non-premium users can still watch live streams, only Premium subscribers will have the ability to broadcast. This decision comes in response to copyright and piracy violations after users have illegally streamed sporting events and movies on the platform.

• TikTok Shop has rapidly ascended to become the ninth-largest online beauty and wellness retailer in the U.S. and the second-largest in the U.K. Building on this success, it is now launching a new image search feature, allowing users to take a new photo or select one from their camera roll to search for related products under the “Shop” tab.

• TikTok’s Symphony platform is getting a feature that lets brands use virtual influencers to promote products within the app. Brands can choose from pre-built stock avatars, characters created with paid actors and licensed for commercial use, or custom avatars that reflect their own branding or likeness.

One thing is abundantly clear: the digital landscape is constantly in flux. New trends emerge weekly, 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.