What You May Have Missed in June: Platform Updates & Strategy Moves
Stay Sharp, Stay Creative, Stay Ahead
Love our weekly drops? Then you won’t want to miss the daily creator news, trends, and power moves we share on Instagram. 📚
*Heads up: AI helped us speed things up, but all insights, edits, and final calls were made by a human!
Quick Hits
Threads now supports native DMs between mutual followers, finally adding direct messaging to the app’s core features.
Puma launched a virtual sneaker shop in Fortnite, letting players snag digital shoes with V-Bucks inside the game.
Sephora is offering $20 Lyft credits in five cities to drive store visits, complete with branded cars, skin scans, and exclusive coupons.
DoorDash released ‘90s horror movie parody content with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ali Larter to spotlight Summer of DashPass deals.
The FTC is refunding $126 million to Fortnite players over unauthorized charges, a major precedent for gaming and kids’ purchases.
Platform Updates
TikTok
Bulletin boards: TikTok is testing a broadcast-channel feature (“bulletin boards”) that lets creators send one-to-many updates (text, image or video) to fans, with only emoji reactions allowed.
TikTok’s New In-App Shopping Campaign: a “Deals for You Days” sale event set for July 7–19 with major brand offers.
Threads
New Messaging Feature: Threads has finally added native DMs, allowing mutual followers (18+) to message each other within the app.
Trending Highlights: The app introduced a “highlighter” visual treatment to spotlight trending topics and curated content in the home feed.
Hidden Words: Threads expanded its moderation tools with custom “Hidden Words” filters, allowing users to block specific words, phrases, or emojis (with optional time limits) from view.
X (Twitter)
AI Community Notes: X is piloting an AI-driven feature where chatbot agents can draft Community Notes (fact-check annotations) for posts. These AI-generated notes will be reviewed by human moderators before appearing.
Let’s Catch You Up
Instagram
Edits app upgrades: Added keyframes (position/scale/rotation), AI‑driven Restyle presets, 54 new video effects & 30 text effects, plus “see other videos using this audio” in the Inspiration feed.
Why it matters: More polished, dynamic content is accessible without third‑party tools.
What you should do: Revisit your Reels/Edit workflow! Use keyframes & new effects to help boost visual storytelling and try to use trending audios more strategically.
Algorithm Changes: Alongside recent feature rollouts (like Edits app upgrades and repost testing), Instagram’s algorithmic preferences have also evolved
Here’s what’s shifted:
Post Shares > Post Saves: Shares now have a greater impact on reach and discovery.
SEO Keywords > Hashtags: Search is smarter. Use keywords in captions, not just hashtags.
Use All Formats: Reels, carousels, and static posts can all perform, it's about the hook and consistency.
Collabs > Solo Posts: Tagging collaborators boosts visibility with new audiences instantly.
What you should do: Adapt your content for shareability (think quotes, tips, strong CTA). Prioritize clarity in your captions. And if you’re not using the Collab feature yet, start. It’s one of the fastest ways to reach beyond your own audience.
Credit: This summary builds on tips from @thejessyray on Instagram
Grid customization + Spotify Notes:
Why it matters: Profile aesthetic control + real‑time Spotify music sharing = deeper audience connection.
What you should do: Plan your grid theme; use Spotify Notes to build personal moments. (e.g., “Song of the Week” tie‑in with Reels/music posts.)
Facebook/Meta
Why it matters: Gives full screen video format greater weight in algorithm.
What you should do: Adapt your video strategy. Make every Facebook upload a mini-Reel, with vertical/horizontal consistency and Reels-style edits.
Threads
Fediverse feed & search integration (Mastodon, etc.):
Why it matters: This opens discovery beyond just Instagram overlaps, especially for niche communities and early adopters.
What you should do: Use Threads to share insights, opinions, and updates consistently. Engage with fediverse creators to build credibility and community while competition for attention is still low.
TikTok
Trump delays US sale deadline to Sept 17:
Why it matters: Longer runway before potential US-only pivot or regulation, but there’s still uncertainty.
What you should do: Continue posting, but diversify your content to other platforms (e.g., YouTube Shorts, IG Reels).
YouTube
YouTube rolled out “Shopping product stickers” in Shorts (This feature has already driven 40% more clicks than older buttons):
Why it matters: Viewers can now tap and shop without leaving the video. It’s a smoother path from interest to action, especially for product demos, reviews, and partnerships.
What you should do: Selling something? Use Shorts to demo it fast. Stick a product sticker on-screen early (not just at the end), and make your CTA clear and clickable.
Patreon
10% fee for new creators starting Aug 4 (up from 8%):
Why it matters: Higher platform fees mean new creators need to be more intentional about how they monetize from day one.
What you should do: We encourage you to launch now (while it’s still 8%), or promote pre-launch campaigns targeting July onboarding.
Late-June News You Might Not Have Seen:
The largest password leak ever just dropped. 16 billion credentials from Apple, Google, Facebook, and more are circulating online. Researchers say this is fresh data, not old recycled leaks.
Why it matters: Even if your accounts weren’t directly breached, reused passwords could be exposed. This affects creators, brands, and audiences alike.
What you should do: Switch to passkeys or unique passwords ASAP. Enable two-factor authentication everywhere, and consider a password manager to avoid reusing logins across platforms.
Strategy Checklist: What You Should Do
P-A-C-C: Partnerships, Activations, Creative Campaigns
This past week’s top partnerships, activations, and creative campaigns:
Partnerships:
Coca-Cola Launches Star Wars AR Hologram Experience: To promote its collaboration with Disney, Coca-Cola rolled out 27 limited-edition Star Wars cans and bottles, reference-packed ads reenacting key scenes, and an AR activation where fans scan a QR code to record and share holographic messages.
Vital Farms and The Bear star Liza Colón-Zayas: To promote its “Good Eggs. No Shortcuts.” campaign, Vital Farms created a 30-second spot featuring Colón-Zayas referencing the show’s viral omelet. The ad airs ahead of each new episode of season four on Hulu and FX.
Puma Launches Virtual Sneaker Shop in Fortnite: Fortnite created a Puma storefront featuring digital versions of popular sneakers, purchasable with V-Bucks. In partnership with Epic Games, new virtual drops will roll out regularly to align with in-game trends and real-world sneaker hype.
Activations:
Sephora Teams with Lyft for “Delivered to Beauty” Ride Activation: From July 7–10, Sephora is offering $20 Lyft credits to shoppers in five U.S. cities to drive foot traffic to stores, where customers can get personalized skin scans, product samples, and a $10 coupon. Select Lyft vehicles will feature custom Sephora branding as part of the campaign.
Creative Campaigns:
New DashPass Campaign: To promote its Summer of DashPass savings, DoorDash tapped Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ali Larter for parody videos inspired by classic horror films. The social campaign uses nostalgia and humor to position DashPass as a budget-friendly solution for parents managing summer chaos.
Powerade Launches TikTok #XTRASourMode Challenge: To promote its Xtra Sour line, Powerade is using TikTok’s Branded Mission platform to encourage creators to share user-generated content. Select videos will be paid and featured on Powerade’s channels. The campaign also includes content from Jesser and Insane Shayne, with Wendy’s and 7-Eleven as exclusive retail partners.
Headline Hitters
FTC Refunds Fortnite Players ($126M): The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced it will issue $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players. The settlement with Epic Games resolves claims that the company made unauthorized in-game charges (e.g. on children’s accounts). Affected players should check for eligibility via the FTC to claim money back.
UK Regulator Targets Google: Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority proposed designating Google Search as a “strategic market.” New rules would force Google to transparently explain its search rankings and AI “Overview” summaries, ensuring fair treatment for news publishers and advertisers.
Upcoming Events
Content Marketing World, San Diego CA | Sept 15–17
DMEXCO (Digital Marketing Expo & Conf.), Cologne Germany | Sept 17–18
VidSummit (Video Marketing Conf.), Dallas TX | Oct 7–9
Ahrefs Evolve, San Diego CA | Oct 14–15
If you found these insights helpful, share Social Pulse with a fellow creator or marketer. Stay ahead–because in this industry, timing is everything.