The Social Scoop - Week 21

Welcome to The Social Scoop! Your go-to bi-weekly update on all things social media: brand new features, key trends and platform shifts, all in one place.

TikTok introduces LIVE DMs during livestreams 💬

TikTok is testing a feature that lets viewers send DMs during livestreams, creating new opportunities for direct engagement and lead generation. The update supports TikTok’s push into live shopping and reflects a broader shift toward private and action-driven interactions across platforms. It gives brands and creators new ways to connect with their audience and drive conversion in real time.

Meta improves retail tracking: clearer sales insights for brands 📈

Meta’s latest updates offer brands much more focused visibility into ad performance. With a new Google Analytics integration and upgraded API, you can now directly link Meta ads to purchases, even through external retailers like Bol.com or Coolblue. What’s especially valuable is the ability to track results at the SKU level, allowing for more precise optimizations and stronger ROAS reporting. A big step forward in making Meta a truly accountable retail media partner.

From inspiration to purchase: Pinterest’s growing impact 🚀

Pinterest reached a record 570 million monthly users in Q1 2025 and Gen Z became the platform’s largest and fastest-growing audience. As social shopping habits grow, with one in three young Americans making weekly purchases through social media, Pinterest is increasingly where they go to discover both inspiration and products.

With steady growth in both users and revenue, the platform is becoming more valuable for brands looking to stay relevant, especially among Gen Z and millennials. Now is the time to consider Pinterest SEO, visual discovery and paid campaigns as part of your strategy.

Meta tests AI ad tools with Early Release Program 👀

A new program called ‘Early Release’ is being developed by Meta, giving advertisers the chance to test experimental AI features before they’re officially rolled out. This new feature is a win-win for both advertisers and Meta: advertisers get a sneak peek of the developing features while Meta gathers learnings about the features from people who use the platform daily. If successful, features may roll out platform-wide.

Google launches a Gemini integration in Chrome 🤩

Google is rolling out a new integration where you can use Gemini in your Chrome browser. The Gemini icon will be accessible through the top-right corner of your Chrome window, making it possible to ask questions about the page you’re on with just a click. The integration reduces the need for users to navigate to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, as Gemini is there to answer all of your questions. In the future, Gemini will be able to work in multiple open tabs at once making it even more useful for research and multitasking.

Threads tests standalone sign-ups — no Instagram required 🔒

Threads is experimenting with letting users create an account without using the Instagram-login. While still in testing, the move signals a step toward independence for the app, shifting away from being an Instagram add-on and competing with X as a standalone social platform.