What's Trending - October 2020

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Hannah Ghosn

Welcome to the What’s Trending blog! Every month, we scour the internet for the most exciting social trends, platform updates and consumer insights so you don’t need to. So grab a coffee (or a vanilla oat milk latte, or whatever), take a break and find out what’s trending this month.

Must-Know News

IF YOU DIDN’T POST IT TO YOUR STORY, DID IT REALLY HAPPEN? 📲

  • What do unwarranted skincare routines, baby videos, and gym selfies all have in common? You’ve likely seen them all in an Instagram Story, and probably wished you hadn’t.
  • Luckily for us, the popular functionality is branching out into business platforms including Slack and LinkedIn, and experts are warning not to overshare.
  • While Slack is hoping Stories will help co-workers adjust to the WFH life, LinkedIn  says they hope users will use them to share “lightweight conversations related to your work-life." Sounds exciting!
  • Read more: Slack and LinkedIn roll out Story features

FACEBOOK BUSINESS IS OH, SO SUITE. 🍭

  • Calling all Social Media Managers! Facebook’s new Business Suite will have you feeling like a kid in a candy shop.
  • The new platform has combined Facebook business profiles and Instagram pages all in one place, making it easier to schedule and post content from your desktop or your phone. Who needs a work-life balance anyways?
  • The platform also has features including more detailed post insights, and updated personalized messaging functions.
  • Read more: Facebook launches Business Suite

20% RULE? NEVER HEARD OF IT.

  • If you’ve ever advertised on Facebook before, you’ve probably heard of the 20% text rule. And if you haven’t, well then just ignore this because Facebook has removed this restriction for ad content.
  • Prior to the removal, ads that included more than 20% text in the main image wouldn’t get approval to run on Facebook.
  • While the restriction has been removed, advertisers will still have to comply to the platform’s ad policies. I wonder what they are today!
  • Read more: Facebook removes text restrictions on ad content

Other Bites 🍴

  1. Happy Birthday, Instagram! The photo sharing platform turns 10 this year, and to celebrate they’re bringing back their classic app icons, because who doesn’t want to re-live 2010?
  2. Are selfie filters destroying your self-esteem? Google thinks so, and has removed the default filters on their Pixel Phones. Thanks for the confidence boost, Google!
  3. Duet this if you’re also still working on your WAP dance. TikTok has launched three more Duet options to their app to facilitate new collaborations for users.
  4. This Halloween, Pinterest is taking a stand on culturally appropriated costumes. The platform has added new prompts for Halloween-related searches that highlights the cultural significance of certain costumes. The hero we didn’t know we needed!