The biggest updates in social media | May 2025

Meta

Meta outlines Facebook, Instagram, and Threads ad updates at NewFronts 2025

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Meta revealed a lot of updates coming to its apps including Reels trending ads (which enable brands to display promotions alongside trending Reels content). Updates within the Creator Marketplace hub include a new trends display (to see how current trends are performing), and indicators on creator profiles (to show how past brand collaborations have performed). Meta is also going to expand its AI-powered creator content recommendations on Facebook.

Additionally, Meta is developing a Creator Marketplace API, updating its Partnership Ads to let brands display or hide their brand handle on Partnership promotions, testing Facebook Live Partnership ads, and experimenting with video ads for Threads.

Meta expands access to Opportunity Score to help improve campaign performance

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“Opportunity Score” is a metric that allows users to better understand their campaign performance by providing AI-based recommendations for improvement.

Instagram

Instagram beta tests unlockable Reels

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Some Creators are now able to use Instagram’s new unlockable Reels feature, which requires users to enter a secret code to “unlock” and view content.

Further reading: Your guide to Instagram Reels

Instagram adds new DM options

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In addition to extending the length of audio notes in the app from one minute to five- minutes, Instagram also added the option to transcribe audio messages into text. A new “follow all” action has also been added within group chats to make it easier for users to follow all group chat members.

Edits adds more video editing tools

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Edits added five new tools including 50 dynamic text animations, more filters, safe zone and alignment guides (to ensure your content isn’t disrupted by playback function buttons once uploaded to Instagram), a timeframe rate selector, and auto-generated captions.

Instagram now supports 3:4 aspect ratio photos

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The native format for many smartphone cameras is a 3:4 aspect ratio. Now, if you post an image to Instagram in this format, it will be presented in this aspect ratio instead of being stretched to fit.

X (Twitter)

X experiments with upvotes and downvotes

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Some users are seeing X posts displayed with a thumbs up icon instead of the usual heart, while others have even been given the ability to thumbs up and thumbs down on content suggesting a new upvote / downvote system of engagement may be on the way.

X launches updated link previews and CTAs for Sales Objective ads

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X has updated its website card display for in-stream ads allowing for the headline and CTA button to display along the bottom of the main image.

X rolls out support for 4K video uploads

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All Premium subscribers have now been granted support for 4k uploads within the app.

Further reading: What is X Premium and is it worth the price?

X implements new measures to detect manipulation of Community Notes

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X’s Community Notes system will now detect coordination between contributors to upvote or downvote a note and will treat the coordinated ratings as if they all come from one user. This should prevent some manipulation of the Notes system to wrongfully disrupt which content is more or less visible within the app.

X adds new elements to Grok AI Chatbot

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Grok, a generative AI chatbot, is now able to generate charts based on data inputs or information it has gathered. Additionally, users can now “Draw a sketch” as an information input option.

X launches new chat experience in Beta

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Some users have been granted access to X’s new chat experience in the app with DM encryption as a foundational element of the new experience, and a four-digit code required to set up a new chat profile.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn announces new video ad options

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LinkedIn has announced “First Impression Ads” to enable marketers to ensure their video is the first video promotion their target audience sees in-stream. Other video ad options include improvements to Connected TV placement options, the expansion of its renamed “BrandLink” option that lets marketers place video ads alongside approved publisher and creator content, and the expansion of Event Ads.

LinkedIn launches AI-powered career discovery tools

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LinkedIn’s new AI-powered job search process will allow users to describe their dream job for LinkedIn’s system to then match this description to actual roles and opportunities.

LinkedIn adds new addition to Revenue Attribution Report

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The expanded report provides more specific insight into how people from a specific target company are interacting with your ads.

LinkedIn adds searchable data base for promoted positions

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LinkedIn expanded its Ad Library database of all ads within the app with a new Job Library segment, allowing users to search through all paid job listings on the platform.

Further reading: How to use social media for recruitment

LinkedIn adds more post analytics

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LinkedIn is adding a couple of new sections to its post analytics, including “Profile activity” relating to how many profile visits stemmed from your post and “Link engagement” relating to how your post is driving clicks.