Concerns with Third-Party Partner Could Derail LinkedIn’s Verification Push
LinkedIn is rolling out broader identity verification, adding company confirmation and executive‑level title checks that require a corporate email address. The move aims to curb recruiter scams and misrepresentation on the platform. However, the rollout relies on third‑party verification partner Persona, which recently faced allegations of sharing user data with additional data partners. Persona says it has patched the issue, but lingering concerns could stall LinkedIn’s verification expansion.
Instagram Opens up Content Scheduling to All Users
Instagram is rolling out its creator‑focused tools to all public accounts, removing the previous requirement to switch to Professional Mode. The update adds the insights dashboard, content scheduling, and trending audio features for every user. More advanced options, such as...
X Tests Experimental Topic Feed Filter
X has begun a public test of a new topic‑feed filter that lets users emphasize chosen news categories in their For You stream. The feature debuted on iOS for U.S. and Canadian users and was quickly expanded to a slate...
TikTok Publishes Latest EU Usage, Enforcement Data
TikTok’s latest EU transparency report shows its monthly active audience in Europe rose to 178 million, an 8‑million jump and a 31% increase since October 2023. The platform removed about 112 million pieces of content between July and December 2025, with automated systems handling...
Instagram Introduces Thumbnail Post Editing for Grids
Instagram has added a new profile‑grid customization feature that allows users to edit the thumbnail images displayed on their profile grid. The update follows a January 2025 preview and coincides with the platform’s shift to larger, Reels‑compatible thumbnails. While casual users...
Creators Express Frustration with Instagram’s Latest AI Experiment
Instagram has rolled out an AI‑powered shopping test that automatically tags products and suggests similar items when users tap “Shop the Look.” Influencers say the feature surfaces products they don’t endorse, potentially cannibalizing brand deals and eroding audience trust. Creators...
TikTok Releases Its 2026 Discover List
TikTok unveiled its 2026 Discover List, highlighting 50 creators across five categories—Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. Selections were based on video volume, account growth, engagement, and social impact. The program adds extra training and direct TikTok support for the...
LinkedIn Shares Top Skills on the Rise in Marketing for 2026
LinkedIn has released its 2026 "Skills on the Rise" list for marketing, combining profile updates with hiring outcomes to highlight emerging competencies. Performance analysis tops the ranking, followed by AI literacy, while social media branding and community engagement also climb....
Pinterest Publishes Inaugural Parenting Trend Report
Pinterest released its first Parenting Trend Report, revealing a sharp rise in searches for screen‑free activities, no‑phone summer plans, and digital detox aesthetics. The data shows a 200% increase in “screen free activities” queries, a 340% jump for “no phone...
X Plans to Combat AI-Generated Content While Promoting Grok
X announced new anti‑AI‑bot measures, including user‑added tags for AI‑generated posts and upgraded detection tools, while simultaneously promoting its Grok chatbot across the platform. Head of product Nikita Bier emphasized the need to protect the “human pulse” of X from synthetic...
Threads Now Offers Simplified Sharing to Instagram
Meta has added a one‑tap sharing option that lets Threads users push public posts straight to Instagram Stories without leaving the Threads app. The feature automatically formats the Thread into a full‑screen Stories frame, but it does not allow any...
Reddit Shares Insight Into Rising World Cup Discussion
Reddit reports that World Cup chatter has already generated over 77 million U.S. views of the term “FIFA World Cup,” with conversation tripling compared to last year. The platform ranks as the fifth‑most‑googled term in the United States and the top‑cited...
YouTube Reveals the Top Ad Campaigns for Super Bowl 60
YouTube’s AdBlitz showcase for Super Bowl 60 identified the most‑viewed and engaging ad campaigns across the event’s week-long window. e.l.f. Cosmetics topped the list with nearly 40 million views, while Budweiser, Michelob, Jeep, Google and Salesforce also earned top spots. The platform...
Reddit Reveals the Latest Trends Driving Brand Engagement
Reddit’s advertising team released a seven‑page guide outlining four emerging trends that are boosting brand engagement on the platform. The trends—nostalgia‑driven storytelling, user‑generated content social proof, niche‑inspired campaigns, and multi‑phase “unfolding” activations—are backed by community data and case studies. Brands...
Threads Adds Basketball Mini Game for NBA All-Star Weekend
Threads is making a bigger push to win over sports fans.
Meta’s Experimenting With a New Image Sharing App
The new app would be based on the Shots function that was tested on Instagram.
ByteDance Launches Impressive New AI Video Generation Tool
ByteDance has unveiled Seedance 2.0, a generative‑AI video tool now in beta on its Jimeng AI platform. The system delivers lifelike motion and higher realism than many competing models, positioning it as a potential upgrade for TikTok creators. While not...
Snapchat Launches AI-Powered Lens Promotion With Gucci
Snapchat has introduced an AI‑powered Lens in partnership with luxury fashion house Gucci, allowing users to transform their selfies into six distinct Gucci outfit styles. The generative‑AI experience goes beyond traditional AR overlays by fully reimagining the user’s image rather...
Meta’s Recurring Marketing Messages API Will End This Week
Meta will retire its recurring marketing messages feature on its Messenger API on February 10, 2026, forcing businesses to stop using the existing follow‑up notification flow. The new Marketing Messages API introduces stricter limits, extending the cooldown period from 24 to 48...
TikTok US Explains Privacy Policy Update
TikTok's new US ownership recently sparked concerns with a privacy policy update.
YouTube Shares Insights Into NFL Engagement
YouTube’s latest Culture and Trends report reveals that NFL content drives massive engagement on the platform, with fans flocking to highlights, game clips, and halftime moments. The study shows that 30 % of NFL‑related views occur during the off‑season, underscoring year‑round...
Snapchat Adds AR Effects for Super Bowl LX
A range of ways for Snapchatters to engage with the game.
Threads Looks to Tap Into Super Bowl Engagement
Meta is turning the Super Bowl into a launchpad for Threads, installing a branded studio in the NFL media center to host podcasters and creators. The move aims to cement Threads as the go‑to venue for real‑time sports conversation, building...
TikTok Offers Enhanced Shops Promotion Program
TikTok introduced the Smart Promotion program on Jan 20, 2026, replacing its Co‑funded Promotion model. The initiative co‑invests marketing spend with merchants, guarantees a 5× return on investment and reports a 70% GMV boost during Black Friday. Fees are streamlined to 3.5%,...
X Calls on Users to Submit Grok-Generated Video for Super Bowl Promotion
X is launching a $1 million contest inviting users to create Grok‑generated video ads for its upcoming Super Bowl promotion. Participants must use the newly released Grok Imagine 1.0 engine to produce 30‑second clips that showcase the tool’s video and audio capabilities....
X Awards $1 Million to Top Article for January
X announced a $1 million cash prize for the best January article, part of a push to encourage long‑form content on the platform. The competition awarded $250 k to a self‑help piece, $250 k to a Trump‑focused analysis, and $500 k to a government‑spending...
Will Increased Scrutiny on X Lead to More Problems for Musk and Co.?
Elon Musk’s platform X is encountering heightened regulatory scrutiny worldwide, with several jurisdictions imposing new restrictions and monetary penalties. The European Union’s Digital Services Act, U.S. antitrust probes, and emerging Asian data‑privacy rules are converging on the company. Musk has...
Meta’s Testing a Standalone AI Video App
Meta says that content being generated via its Meta AI app has tripled year-over-year.
YouTube Expands Auto-Dubbing to All Creators
YouTube is rolling out its auto‑dubbing feature to all creators, expanding language support from eight to twenty‑seven. The tool automatically translates videos and lets creators review scripts before publishing. New “Expressive Speech” AI adds emotional nuance in eight languages, and...
Reddit Expands Beta Testing of Reminder Ads
Reddit's Reminder Ads give you a secondary opportunity to prompt users about your events.
X Adds Images to In-Stream Polls
X has launched a new feature that lets users attach images to each option in in‑stream polls. The visual poll format mirrors similar tools on platforms like Facebook, aiming to make polls more eye‑catching and interactive. Users add images via...
Downloads of TikTok Alternatives Slow in the US
TikTok’s U.S. joint venture resolved a data‑center outage, restoring service after a week of zero‑view counts and restricted searches. The brief controversy sparked a surge in downloads for alternatives like UpScrolled and Skylight Social, but both have since slipped back...
LinkedIn Shares Key Trends in B2B Marketing
LinkedIn’s latest B2B marketing report highlights a shift toward human‑centric content, emphasizing video, events, and creator‑driven storytelling. The platform reports that 75% of decision‑makers view thought‑leadership pieces as more trustworthy than traditional product materials. Employee advocacy amplifies reach, with staff...
![2026 Social Media Benchmarks [Infographic]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/5919526f829cda574f17133163905ad3.webp)
2026 Social Media Benchmarks [Infographic]
Socialinsider released its 2026 social media benchmarks, analyzing 70 million posts across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X. The report shows TikTok’s engagement rate climbing to 3.70%, a 49% year‑over‑year increase, while Instagram remains flat at 0.48% and Facebook slips to 0.15%....
TikTok Shares Insight Into Effective Ad Measurement Approaches
TikTok, together with Ebiquity, released a research report showing that its premium ad formats generate substantially higher revenue per thousand impressions than standard inventory. Econometric analysis of UK brands isolates TikTok’s incremental sales lift, revealing a 3‑4× revenue advantage for...
TikTok Announces ‘TikTok Live Fest’ Event
TikTok announced its first large‑scale Live Fest, scheduled for February 12 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Emmy‑winner Keke Palmer will host a showcase that mixes Hollywood star Demi Lovato with top global TikTok creators and competition winners across multiple creator leagues. The...
TikTok Announces Creator Showcase for Black History Month
TikTok announced its 2026 Black History Month showcase, spotlighting a curated roster of #BlackTikTok creators across fashion, entertainment, sports, food and more. The platform highlighted an 11‑fold increase in unique #BlackTikTok posts since 2020 and promised in‑app exposure, branded‑account promotion,...
Meta Announces Discovery Improvements for Creator Marketplace
Meta has upgraded its Creator Marketplace with smarter recommendation engines that surface creators who have previously engaged with a brand, tagged its products, or shown explicit interest. The platform now includes a “Similar Creators” search that mirrors top‑performing past partners...
X Announces Partnership with WBD for Winter Olympics
X has struck a partnership with Warner Brothers Discovery to deliver exclusive Winter Olympics content across Europe and the U.K. The deal merges X’s real‑time sports conversation engine with Eurosport and TNT Sports broadcast feeds, while integrating HBO Max and discovery+ streams. Brands...
LinkedIn Continues to Add Users, Revenue
LinkedIn’s latest quarter posted a record $5 billion in revenue, marking the first time the platform crossed that threshold. Membership climbed to 1.3 billion, with double‑digit growth reported across new regions. Active‑user estimates hover around 450 million, roughly 36 % of the EU base,...
Snapchat Shares Data on How Its Users Seek Info on Financial Products
Snapchat released a study with Ipsos of 1,100 U.S. daily social users who hold or seek financial products. The data shows daily Snapchat users hold more products and are 1.4 times more likely to take a new financial product within...
Social Media Marketing Outlook 2026: What to Expect in the Year Ahead
The 2026 Social Media Marketing Outlook predicts short‑form video will cement its role as the primary brand engagement tool, while platforms like Reddit face growing user resistance to advertising. Algorithmic shifts are expected to heighten tension between creators and networks,...
Canadian Government Looks to Bring News Content Back to Facebook
Two and a half years after Meta blocked Canadian news, the Canadian government is negotiating with Meta to restore news content on Facebook and Instagram as part of revisions to the Online News Act. The original act would have forced...
Google Launches New Google Ads Insights Podcast
Google has introduced the "Ads Decoded" podcast, hosted by Ads Product Liaison Ginny Marvin, to bridge marketers with the Google Ads product teams. The series will feature interviews covering the latest trends such as AI, SEO, and analytics. The debut...
X Launches ‘Brand Ranx’ to Measure Super Bowl Ad Response
X has launched Brand Ranx, a new mini‑site that tracks Super Bowl ad performance using real‑time discussion on its platform. The tool ranks campaigns in four categories—most loved, most talked about, most shared, and most disruptive outside TV—mirroring Twitter’s former...
Edits Gets Simplified Copy and Paste, Improved Track Linking
Meta’s Edits app introduced a copy‑and‑paste feature for fonts and clips, enabling creators to maintain visual consistency across projects while saving time. A new drop‑down menu centralizes access to guides, frames, and snapping tools, simplifying the mobile editing workflow. The...
![LinkedIn Shares Tips on How to Boost Organic Posts [Infographic]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/bf0ec38bafdf50231836edfbd95f9d5c.webp)
LinkedIn Shares Tips on How to Boost Organic Posts [Infographic]
LinkedIn has published an infographic detailing how marketers can use its paid “Boost” feature to amplify organic posts, mirroring Facebook’s simple boost workflow. The tool now supports boosting content created by other members, extending reach beyond a brand’s own updates....
Are Social Platform Subscriptions Becoming More Accepted?
Elon Musk predicts paid social will dominate, citing X Premium’s modest 1.5 million subscribers as a proof‑of‑concept. Major platforms—Meta, Snapchat, LinkedIn, YouTube—have launched or expanded subscription tiers that offer verification, ad‑free viewing, and exclusive tools. These add‑ons serve dual purposes: new...
The Analytics Blind Spot: Why 70% of Marketers Can’t Prove Social Media ROI (and How to Fix It)
Only 30% of marketers can prove social media’s business impact, leaving 70% stuck with vanity metrics. The root cause is fragmented data and simplistic attribution that obscure ROI. Experts recommend consolidating analytics, tailoring ROI definitions, and building multi‑touch attribution while...
![What Is Human-First Marketing? [Infographic]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/592552693bf02122ca5bee9dec752a93.webp)
What Is Human-First Marketing? [Infographic]
Human‑first marketing shifts focus from product features to the personal benefits a brand delivers, emphasizing empathy and storytelling. The article warns that AI‑generated content can dilute authentic connections, making audience‑centric messaging essential for performance. Giraffe Social Media’s infographic offers practical...