Here’s the latest and greatest for Facebook and Instagram updates. 

• Did you know that your Instagram feed has an end to it? Or at least, it used to. That’s right, Instagrams newest update includes suggested posts at the end of your main feed once you have scrolled through all of the posts from the profiles that you’re following. Prior to this feature, you would get a notification that says “you’re all caught up!” when you have finished scrolling through your homepage, and the content would stop there. The suggestions will likely feature both paid and organic content, which is very on trend for Instagram which is continuing its push towards ecommerce. Now, your Instagram is truly never-ending.
• Facebook is rolling out advanced setting options for the Pages you follow. This will allow users to control which updates they see from Page accounts and generally allow for more control of what content shows up on their home feed. Users will be able to choose if they want to see posts, videos, live videos or offers from the Pages they follow. There is a possibility that this feature could affect Page Likes. However, there is a rumor that the platform is working to eliminate Like counts entirely and instead only show follower count since this number is considered a more accurate reflection of Page reach. We’ll keep you posted if we learn more about this in months to come. 
• Throughout the re-opening of the US during the pandemic, many people have become accustomed to seeing QR codes at many storefronts and restaurants as a means of controlling occupancy and avoiding reusable surfaces like menus. Instagram is also looking to minimize contact via the same technology. The social app is hopping on this bandwagon and launching a new QR code for its profiles in an effort to eliminate a need for face to face conversations and transactions. Imagine that the next time you consider walking into a brick and mortar, there is a printed QR code to their Instagram shop outside instead. Instagram QR codes will provide users with an option to connect with brands via the app instead of in person. 
• Facebook is updating its Ad Preference tool to make controlling personal ad and data settings easier for users. These settings will likely be rolled out over the next few months, so don’t be disappointed if they’re not in your account just yet. With this update users will be able to see which advertisers are targeting them and which ads that they have been shown. They’ll also be able to see the topics that Facebook thinks you’re interested in and from there you can opt out of the categories you don’t want to be a part of. Lastly, users will have the option to remove themselves from retargeting lists. These controls are currently available within Ad Preferences, this update just makes controlling them a lot more simple. 
• Facebook is simplifying its retargeting options and as a part of this move has recently removed over 1,000 ad targeting options.  According to Facebook, these are being removed due to low usage or because they’re already replicated in other targeting categories. This is not Facebook’s first time streamlining their retargeting options, back in 2018 they removed over 5,000 categories in an effort to stop discriminatory and exclusion targeting. This was in response to a report that uncovered some categories allowed certain minority groups to be purposefully removed from housing ads, which is in violation of federal law, and just wrong all together. 
• Last month we mentioned Instagram’s plan to roll out Reels, it’s TikTok inspired function. Since then, Reels has become available to all users and has taken on some popularity. Instagram is considering capitalizing on the feature as a result of the uncertainty that surrounds the fate of the TikTok app in the US. This will bring a new metric of importance to the platform– views. With the executive order to ban TikTok on September 15th if it’s not acquired by a US company, fans of the platform are looking to Twitter and Microsoft as potential buyers before the order goes into effect. 

Thanks for reading! We’ll be back next month.

Katie