The Social Scoop - October

TikTok comments get a voice 🎤

TikTok is turning comments into content in their own right. New features include voice comments (up to 60 seconds, for users 18+), creator polls with up to five options, nine-photo carousels, and Live Photo previews. The new features are rolling out globally over the next month, meaning the comment section is becoming even more important on the platform than it already is.

Muse becomes your business assistant 👯

Meta is rolling out Muse for small businesses, an agentic AI that works through conversational requests. Muse Connectors link it to tools like Shopify, Canva, Stripe, Slack and QuickBooks. It can build promo campaigns, review marketing plans and draft customer replies. Meta is also working on features to help businesses set and reach goals. Meta says nothing is published, sent or spent without consent. Worth a test!

Pinterest sees a new era of men’s lifestyle content 👔

Pinterest is seeing a shift in how Gen Z men use the platform, with male searches up 17% year over year. Instead of just looking for style inspiration, men are increasingly using Pinterest to shape their offline lives; from hosting and hobbies to grooming, wellness and fashion.
Searches for “offline hobbies” (+551%), “no phone ideas” (+581%) and “hosting aesthetic” (+160%) highlight a growing interest in intentional, real-world experiences. At the same time, trends around workwear, skincare, fragrance and social sports are gaining traction.

YouTube puts original content first, while doubling down on AI 🤖

YouTube is updating its Shorts algorithm to prioritise original content, making it harder for accounts that mainly repost existing videos or make only minor changes to other people’s content to gain visibility. Instead, the platform wants to reward creators who bring their own ideas, storytelling and creative perspective. For brands, this makes original content increasingly important when it comes to building reach on Shorts.
At the same time, YouTube is introducing a range of AI-powered tools to make content creation more efficient. With Conversational Editing, creators can turn clips from their camera roll into a first draft using simple prompts, while Ask Studio provides personalised feedback on content, performance and audience engagement. YouTube is also rolling out video A/B testing and dynamic thumbnails, helping creators understand what resonates and improve content based on performance.