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With 2025 nearly in the rear-view mirror, it’s a good time to pause and reflect on the social media updates that made the biggest splash this past year. We’ve compiled the top three per platform that should be on your radar.
The top Instagram updates
Edits app launch: Edits — a dedicated editing tool that makes Reels creation more professional — launched in May. Major updates in November allowed creators to edit videos with advanced features like custom captions, transitions, color correction, animations, and more than 250 sound effects. It also made posting faster and simpler. Fostering creativity and connection were two major goals for 2025, and the Edits feature bolstered both.
SEO & discoverability: Not only are people searching social channels directly, but Instagram content is now searchable on Google. In July, Instagram started rolling out Google indexing for public posts and Reels to help boost visibility beyond the app. Captions, alt text, and keywords are critical for search.
Creator monetization: Instagram is becoming even more of a lucrative platform for influencers and creators. The Creator Marketplace API connects businesses and creators and allows advertisers to discover culturally relevant insights on Instagram.
TikTok updates you need to know
AI content controls and tools: For creators, tools like AI Outline to jumpstart the creation process and Smart Split, an AI-powered editing tool. Users can determine how much AI-generated content appears in their feed. The platform is also testing invisible watermarking labels to AI videos.
Bulletin Board launch: It’s a community space where creators can send updates like text, polls, and links to followers’ inboxes, similar to Instagram Broadcast Channels.
Time and Wellbeing Hub: This platform is taking proactive steps to champion well-being, like testing mindful meditation and prompts for people to switch off at night. Features include interactive tools like sleep goals, mindfulness exercises, and badges for reducing screen time.
LinkedIn updates for more engagement
New video updates: Video grew significantly this year on LinkedIn, so many creators are repurposing Instagram Reels and TikToks on the platform. Now creators have access to more analytics and all the technical video requirements. LinkedIn also integrated CapCut for a seamless short-form video editing and upload feature.
AI-powered tools: Features like custom mock interviews for job seekers, rich collaboration suggestions, and AI-assistance for posts, articles, commends, and ad drafting.
Premium Company Pages: Companies with a premium membership get more capabilities that help expand reach, enhance storytelling, and build trust like inviting followers of similar pages, dynamic cover images carousel, highlighting awards and accolades, and competitor analysis.
The major Facebook updates
Generative AI enhancements: Idea generation, video editing, and caption writing are all streamlined with new AI tools. Meta’s AI also offers expanded language translations for Reels. Finally, AI comment summaries give managers concise overviews of discussion threads to understand audience feedback.
New ways for communities to connect: Messenger communities is a new way for small groups to connect seamlessly and enhance cohesion. Automatic group membership invitations allow admis to automatically invite engaged followers to join relevant groups.
"Views" becomes the primary metric: For posts, Reels, Stories, and videos, views is now the primary metric. This helps creators track how engaging their content is and to optimize it for every community.
Notable updates to X (Twitter)
AI-powered features (Grok integration): Grok is integrated with X, enabling feed customization via prompts and AI-generated content tools like “imagine” for text-to-video.
Enhanced video and live streaming: In January, X created a new video tab for US users to compete with all the video-focused platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Community notes: In June, Community Notes launched to enable contributors to see posts that were getting Likes from users with different viewpoints. Contributors offer feedback to help train the algorithm to show content that resonates across ideologies.
