The Social Scoop - March

YouTube just took over Reddit on AI search 👀

YouTube has now passed Reddit as the go-to social source in AI-generated responses, taking over from Reddit’s old top spot. This shift was not a given, as YouTube initially struggled because Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT had difficulty reading videos. This changed as transcripts, summaries, and other textual information (such as video descriptions and titles) made the content more accessible. Over the past 6 months, YouTube was cited as a source in 16% of LLM responses. For Reddit this was 10%, even though Reddit previously had the upper hand.

TikTok’s new Discussion tab aims to surface what’s trending across the app 📱

What if TikTok showed you not just what you like, but what everyone is talking about right now? TikTok is currently testing a new “Discussion” tab designed to highlight topics that are widely being talked about across the platform. Instead of only showing personalized videos like the “For You” feed, this tab groups content around trending themes and active conversations. Users can see broader discussions that go beyond their individual algorithmic recommendations. The feature aims to make it easier to discover what is collectively gaining attention in the TikTok community. It functions similarly to trending topic sections on platforms like X or Reddit. The Discussion tab is still in testing and may not yet be available to all users.

Instagram updates we can’t ignore 🚀

Extend stories with another 24 hours ⏳

Instagram continues to expand its paid subscription offering with a new perk: Story Extend! The new feature lets creators extend a story for another 24 hours. A great way to promote content longer and stay top-of-mind.
Paid subscriptions give dedicated followers of a creator unique experiences for a monthly fee, while the creator can build a predictable income and close community. Subscribers also get a subscriber badge next to their name, making them stand out in comments and DMs.

The carousel update you have been waiting for 😎

Instagram is working on reordering carousels after posting. The feature has been in development for some time, but it’s finally starting to roll out on the platform. This means you no longer have to delete an entire post if you want to adjust the order of your slides, making it much easier to perfect your content and increase the user experience on the app.

Reels are running the show 🎥

Lastly, Instagram is experimenting with a new design that gives Reels a more prominent place in the app. When users open Instagram, the app would start with the Reels feed, while the traditional photo feed would be accessible via a new Your Feeds center in the middle of the bottom navigation bar.
In the Reels feed, users will be shown a selection of Reels feed options where you can ‘build’ your own feed. These options include Following, Friends, Latest and Saved, allowing for a broader and diverse Reels experience.