Social Scoop Unplugged #22
Stay ahead in social media with this week’s updates: Instagram shares insights on stories ranking, and adds transparency labels to business chats. Meta celebrates Data Privacy Day with evolving privacy protections and announces fresh personalisation elements for Meta AI. TikTok rolls out automated ad creation for UK retailers, and Pinterest is enhancing its ad options. X teases its in-stream payments launch, while LinkedIn revamps its Top Voice badge requirements. Keep reading to stay in the loop.
Instagram shares insights on stories ranking
Adam Mosseri is back with another breakdown, this time shedding light on how Instagram decides who sees your Stories. His latest video gives insight into the key factors behind Stories ranking—information that’s worth knowing if you want to up your IG game this year.
Why Stories Matter
Stories are all about connecting with your existing audience. As Mosseri explains:
“Stories are designed to connect people with their friends, not for mass discovery.”
So, if you’re aiming to reach new audiences, stick to feed posts, where AI recommendations and non-followed content dominate. Stories, on the other hand, are better suited for engaging your current followers with behind-the-scenes or timely updates.
How Stories Are Ranked
Instagram’s system considers these key signals when deciding where your Stories appear:
1. The likelihood a user will tap on your Story.
2. The likelihood they’ll like it.
3. The likelihood they’ll reply with a message.
The more engagement your Stories get, the more likely they are to rank higher in your followers’ Stories queue, leading to even more visibility.
How to Win at Stories in 2025
Here’s what Mosseri recommends:
• Use Stories to share exclusive, behind-the-scenes content with your most loyal audience.
• Add interactive elements like polls, emoji sliders, or question boxes to encourage direct engagement.
• Focus on sparking DMs, as messaging is a strong signal of interest—and it can even drive sales.
While Stories aren’t about discovery, they’re a great tool for building deeper connections with your current followers and reinforcing your presence over time.
Key Takeaway
If you’re not already using Stories to build community and encourage interaction, now’s the time to start. It’s less about reach and more about fostering loyalty, which can pay off in the long run.
Some solid insights to shape your Stories strategy for 2025.
Meta outlines evolving protections for data privacy day
It’s Data Privacy Day, and Meta has taken the opportunity to share how it’s investing in data protection. A sensitive subject, to say the least, given Meta’s track record and its ongoing scrutiny from regulators.
Meta’s Privacy Push
According to Meta, they’re all in on privacy tech:
“Nearly four billion people across the globe use our products and services. We are keenly aware of the incredible opportunity and deep responsibility we have to manage privacy risk for our community; we’re upholding that by investing our vast engineering capabilities into building cutting-edge privacy technology.”
This renewed focus stems largely from a 2019 agreement with the FTC, when Meta faced a $5 billion fine over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Remember that one? A company pretending to be researchers used Facebook data to target political ads. Since then, Meta’s had to tighten up its data policies, both under US pressure and thanks to the EU’s push for stricter protections.
What’s Changed?
Meta claims it’s learned its lesson, rolling out better data safeguards and aligning with evolving laws. But as Meta ventures into AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality, new questions are being raised.
Take this week’s AI chatbot update: Meta now incorporates your Facebook and Instagram activity to make chatbot responses feel more “personal.” Handy? Yes. But it also highlights the sheer amount of data Meta has at its fingertips.
And let’s not forget the massive data centres Meta’s building to support its next-level projects. It’s a bit unsettling when you consider the scale: one company with detailed information on billions of people.
Why It Matters
The good news? Data isn’t as openly accessible as it once was. The bad news? Meta still holds it all. And while the company insists on its commitment to privacy, at the end of the day, it’s a business.
Data Privacy Day serves as a reminder—not just of efforts to protect our data but also of the power these platforms hold. It’s a lot to think about as we continue to navigate life online.
Meta announces new personalisation elements for Meta AI
Meta’s new AI assistant features are set to offer more personalisation than ever, thanks to memory capabilities that will remember your preferences from 1:1 chats on WhatsApp and Messenger.
What’s New with Meta AI?
Meta aims to make its AI assistant the most personalised experience around. If you tell Meta AI you’re vegan, it’ll only suggest plant-based recipes. If you mention weekend plans, it might suggest family-friendly events based on your profile and previous activity.
Is It Really All That Cool?
On the surface, it sounds helpful, but it raises some concerns. Meta tracks various data across its platforms to refine its responses. While they say only certain details are remembered, it’s hard not to feel a little uneasy about the amount of personal data being used to tailor your experience.
What’s the Risk?
Meta’s new approach brings up questions about just how much data is too much. While they insist they won’t track everything, Meta already knows a lot about you from your social media activity. So, if the goal is personalisation, will this lead to tracking even more of your habits, preferences, and choices?
Big Investments, Bigger Concerns
Meta’s investing $65 billion in AI this year, which means more data is being collected. This could put the company under even more scrutiny, especially in Europe, where regulators are already concerned about how Meta handles personal data.
Meta AI is currently rolling out on Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp in the U.S. and Canada. While these features promise a personalised experience, we’ll have to see how it all unfolds.
Instagram adds transparency labels to business chats
Instagram’s making it a bit clearer when you’re chatting with businesses by rolling out new “Business Chat” labels to help distinguish those chats from your personal messages. This follows a similar update they made on Messenger last year.
What’s Changing?
From now on, business chats on Instagram will have a “Business Chat” label at the top of your conversations. Plus, there’s a handy shortcut, “Business chats and Your privacy,” so you can easily access more details on how your data is being used.
Why Does It Matter?
Instagram’s goal is to make sure users are aware that business chats come with different privacy settings compared to personal conversations. While end-to-end encryption is still being rolled out for personal chats, your info from business chats will be shared with Meta and the business itself. So, yes, it could be used for things like ad targeting or improving their response times.
No Changes to Privacy Policy – But Stay Informed
Instagram’s quick to point out that this update doesn’t change its privacy policy or terms. It’s just a transparency move, making sure you know when you’re chatting with a business and how your data might be used. So, if you’re looking for privacy on the same level as your messages with friends and family, it’s not quite the same with businesses.
This update is rolling out to all business chats on Instagram, so expect to see these labels across your DMs soon. It’s a small change, but one that helps keep you in the loop about how your data’s being handled.
Instagram shares algorithm insights to inform strategy
Want to step up your Instagram game this year? Adam Mosseri has unveiled the top factors powering Instagram’s algorithm in his new video series. Here’s what you need to know:
What Drives Reach?
The three most important signals are:
1. Watch Time
2. Likes
3. Sends
Keep an eye on average watch time, likes per reach, and sends per reach to boost your performance.
Likes vs Sends: Which Matters?
• Likes are important for content that’s already connected with your followers.
• Sends matter for reaching new audiences.
If you want to engage your followers, focus on likes. But if you’re looking to grow your audience, create content that encourages people to send it to others.
Why This Matters
Likes show your content resonates with followers. Sends indicate broader appeal, pushing your content to more users. Although comments aren’t a direct factor here, they likely tie into watch time, as longer engagement boosts your ranking.
The Takeaway
Focus on watch time, likes, and sends to improve engagement and reach. With video dominating the platform, watch time is especially important, so consider how you can create content that keeps viewers hooked.
Perplexity AI updates its offer for TikTok US
Perplexity AI has updated its offer to acquire TikTok U.S., with a proposal that could appeal more to the Trump administration. The new plan involves a joint venture between Perplexity and TikTok U.S., allowing the U.S. government to own up to 50% of the company after an IPO. This proposal aligns with Trump’s push for U.S. control over TikTok, aiming to meet the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
Trump’s goal is for the U.S. to benefit from TikTok’s operations, similar to the Chinese version, Douyin, where the government influences content.
Several players are still vying for TikTok U.S., including:
• Oracle, in talks with the Trump administration.
• Microsoft, which has not confirmed interest.
• Elon Musk, with both China and Trump expressing interest.
• MrBeast and other investors.
With an April deadline approaching, the future of TikTok U.S. is still uncertain. Will the U.S. gain control? We’ll see soon.
TikTok launches automated ad campaign creation for UK retailers
TikTok has rolled out its new AI-powered tool, GMV Max, in the U.K. to enhance in-app shopping. Designed for TikTok Shop, it automates ad campaign creation by handling audience targeting, bidding, and creative selection, all aimed at optimising sales.
GMV Max streamlines the entire advertising process, helping brands list products and boost sales with minimal effort. This includes optimising the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) to ensure a steady return on ad spend.
The move comes as TikTok Shop continues to grow, with over 200,000 active small businesses in the U.K. and more than 6,000 live shopping sessions daily. While in-stream shopping has seen success in China, TikTok is now eyeing Western growth, with the platform becoming the second-largest online beauty retailer in the U.K.
If GMV Max helps TikTok boost in-app purchases, it could be a major step forward in achieving its goal of reaching $500 billion in salesin the West, similar to Douyin in China.
Pinterest highlights its improving ad options
Pinterest is stepping up its ad game, hoping to catch the eye of brands looking for new opportunities in 2025. This week, the platform launched a mini-site showcasing its improved ad tools, designed to help businesses reach a shopping-ready audience.
A key focus is Pinterest’s growing appeal among Gen Z, a demographic that’s been tricky in the past. With a boost in user engagement, the platform is offering direct support to new ad partners and even “bonus media” for brands investing in Pin ads.
Pinterest now boasts 537 million active users, with a notable increase of 39 million in 2024 alone. While it might not be as flashy as some competitors, Pinterest offers a strong, targeted shopping audience that could work well for your brand.
With some uncertainty around platforms like TikTok, it might be time to explore what Pinterest’s evolving ad tools can offer.
X says in-stream payments are coming ‘later this year’
X is moving forward with its in-app payment system, X Money, set to launch “later this year” despite missing Elon Musk’s 2024 target. Powered by Visa, the service will allow peer-to-peer payments and transfers to bank accounts directly within the app.
While X is still working on securing the necessary payment licenses in key U.S. states, it’s making progress, having already received approval in 41 states. However, the challenge remains in gaining full international approval, especially given Musk’s controversial political stance.
This move is part of Musk’s vision to turn X into an “everything app,” akin to WeChat in China, where users can shop, pay bills, and handle banking all within one platform. Yet, history shows similar attempts, like Meta’s failed efforts with Messenger, haven’t gained much traction.
So, while X Money could be a step forward, it’s still uncertain how it will play out. For now, it’s worth keeping an eye on, but don’t get too excited just yet.
LinkedIn updates ‘top voice’ badge requirements
LinkedIn is refreshing its “Top Voice” badge program, moving away from the gold badges linked to Collaborative Articles. Now, the blue “Top Voice” badge is awarded for six months, with regular reviews to ensure badge holders stay active.
To keep the badge, members need to:
• Post consistently and engage with the community
• Share high-quality, original content
• Offer insights on professional topics, like industry news or commentary
• Follow LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies
The shift comes after LinkedIn scrapped its automated system, where non-experts were collecting badges for Collaborative Article contributions. Instead, the blue badge now requires editorial approval, making it harder to earn but ensuring more genuine recognition.
If you’re aiming for one, focus on sharing your real expertise and engaging with the LinkedIn community—no shortcuts here!
That’s a wrap for this week’s Social Scoop Unplugged! 🚀 Social media is always changing, and it’s essential that your strategy stays ahead of the curve. Keep experimenting, stay curious, and embrace these updates as they come your way.
If you’ve found this helpful, share it with your network or drop me a message with your thoughts and feedback. Until next time, keep shining and be creative online!
Natty Bernasconi | Instagram Expert & Educator
Social Media Strategy for Lifestyle Businesses & Creators
Empowering brands with tailored Instagram strategies and aesthetic-driven insights. Follow for weekly tips, industry updates, and coaching designed to elevate your brand’s online presence—making it as captivating as it is strategic.