The Social Scoop - Week 29

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.

Instagram is stepping into long-form content ⏰

Instagram is making a bold move: Reels can now be up to 20 minutes long! After steadily increasing Reel lengths, this move into long-form video further blurs the line between Reels and traditional video formats like YouTube. Is Instagram trying to retain creators who might otherwise go to YouTube?

YouTube begins demonetizing AI content 🚫

As of Tuesday, July 15, YouTube has started demonetizing AI-generated content that’s low effort or repetitive. It’s one of the first real restrictions from a social platform on AI-driven output, a clear move to stimulate originality and reward human creativity over mass production. Could this mark the end of the so-called Cash Cow channels? One thing’s clear: human brain-made, creative content still matters ánd gets rewarded.

TikTok launches TikTok One in The Netherlands 🇳🇱

A new and improved version of the TikTok Marketplace has just been launched in the Netherlands: TikTok One. This monetization program is a platform for creators and advertisers to collaborate, it enables creators to find business opportunities and get paid for their creativity. For brands, it offers access to creators who match their campaign goals. As TikTok raises the bar for brand partnerships, could it become the top platform for user-generated content?

Incoming: a seperate Explore tab for Instagram Stories 👀

Rumour has it that Instagram is testing a separate Explore tab just for Stories, separate from the feed and Reels. This could make Stories much more discoverable, as over 90% of Story reach currently comes from followers. Until now, Story reach has always been quite limited, especially compared to Reels, which are actively pushed beyond your own audience. This new way of surfacing Stories could open up new growth opportunities.
We’re curious to see how users respond to this test… to be continued!

Link Posts Are Getting More Reach on Threads 🙌

Great news for creators and publishers: Threads is finally giving link posts the attention they deserve. They’re now featured in recommendations, boosting their organic reach. You can also add multiple links to your profile, and link analytics are available in the app to track traffic and optimize performance. Early adopters are already seeing higher engagement, so don’t miss out!