Happy Friday! T-minus 11 days until we switch to Holiday Mode—prepare the memes. 🎄🎁

Alright, let’s get down to it. These are the must-see headlines to keep you ahead of the game in social media and digital marketing this week—brought to you by The Digital Dispatch from Akari & Co.

Instagram

Do Third Party Editing Tools Effect Reach?

🤔 Ever wondered if editing your reels in CapCut or Premiere Pro is tanking your reach on Instagram? Same here. For years, the rumor mill has churned: “If it’s not edited inside IG’s app, say goodbye to views.”

Well, according to Instagram’s CEO @mosseri… nope. That's all B.S. He’s officially squashed the theory—third-party tools don’t hurt your reach.

Still up in the air:

There’s one thing Mosseri didn’t address: Does Instagram’s in-app editor actually boost your content’s reach? Speculation says yes, but we’re still waiting for someone at HQ to confirm or deny.

Bottom line:

Edit wherever you like, whether it’s in CapCut, Premiere, or a Google Doc with vibes. But hey—if you’ve got the time, try throwing in a small tweak using Instagram’s editor before posting. A/B test it and see what happens. Maybe the algorithm gods will smile on you.

Social Media Trends

Tour de headlines:

Instagram

📢 Signature Sound on Reels Downloads
Instagram now slaps a not-so-pleasant signature sound at the end of every reel you download. Feel grossed out too?
👉 Listen here

💡 Instagram Launches Best Practices Hub
The new hub in the professional dashboard covers best practices and tips for content creation, engagement, reach, and more.
👉 Check it out

🔗 Instagram Testing Links in Reels
Could this be the beginning of a more interactive reel strategy? 👀
👉 See more

TikTok

🛒 Auto-Optimized Product Samples for TikTok Shop
TikTok’s new offering could disrupt agencies, leaving sellers to ride solo for affiliate campaigns.
👉 Details here

📸 TikTok Wants Your Approval to Join a New Photo Sharing App
This feature isn't available in the U.S. yet—stay tuned. Users are getting notifications to approve sharing their photos with Tiktok for their Instagram competitor.

🥜 Nutter Butter Still Crushing It on TikTok

Dentsu Creative’s team is behind the magic.
👉 Full write-up

YouTube

🎥 New Buttons in YouTube Shorts
Changes to the UI are being tested, including removing the dislike button.
👉 Read more

📏 YouTube Shorts Extends Video Length
Square or vertical videos up to three minutes will now be categorized as Shorts.
👉 See the update

📺 YouTube TV Gets a Fresh UI Update
Here’s what the latest interface looks like.
👉 Check it out

X / Twitter / Threads

🌐 Threads Developing a Communities Feature Called ‘Loops’
Think Twitter Circles, but Meta-style.
👉 Learn more

🔄 Testing New Cross-Posting Options for Instagram Content
Meta is making it easier to share posts across Threads and Instagram.
👉 Full story

⚠️ Mosseri Admits to Moderation Mistakes
Despite AI involvement, Meta still relies on humans for enforcement.
👉 Read more

🚫 Threads Trying to Control Engagement Bait
Mosseri’s team is cracking down on misleading posts.
👉 Get the scoop

Digital Marketing Trends/Ads

Tour de Headlines: Part Deux 

Meta

💬 Meta Lets Brands Turn Off Comments on Ads
Brands on Facebook and Instagram can now disable comments on their ads, offering more control over interactions. While this reduces negative feedback, it could also limit organic engagement.
👉 Full story

🎥 Global Agency Summit Content Now Available
Meta released recordings from its 2024 Global Agency Summits, where industry experts discussed key trends and platform updates for advertisers.
👉 Watch here

🎄 New Holiday Ad Tools Unveiled
Meta’s latest creative tools aim to boost holiday sales with personalized strategies and better audience targeting for advertisers.
👉 Explore the update

✨ Advertising Week 2024: Unlock Video Performance with GenAI and Creator Marketing
Experts at Advertising Week 2024 explored how AI and creator partnerships are reshaping video ad performance, offering new strategies to optimize campaigns.
👉 Watch now

TikTok

🤖 TikTok Rolls Out Automated Ad Targeting
Just in time for holiday campaigns, TikTok introduced automated ad targeting, simplifying ad optimization for businesses.
👉 Read more

🔍 Search Ads Now Live on TikTok
TikTok has launched search ads, enabling brands to target users based on search intent, unlocking a new way to connect with audiences.
👉 Details here

📈 D2C Brand Finds Success with TikTok Ads + Affiliates
This direct-to-consumer brand is thriving on TikTok by combining ads with affiliate marketing strategies.
👉 See the post

Google

📊 Google Ads Introduces Video Consideration Experiments
Google now lets advertisers test different creative variations to measure their impact on metrics like Brand Lift and cost-per-view, enabling smarter optimization decisions.
👉 Learn more

Interesting Stats

Show these to execs when they question you:

1️⃣ Instagram and TikTok Dominate Teen Engagement
Instagram and TikTok are the most popular apps among teens, leaving YouTube behind. If Gen Z is your target, these platforms are must-haves.
👉 Full report

2️⃣ You Can't Just "Throw a Video on Instagram"
Reposting videos on Instagram without tailoring them to the platform can hurt engagement. Thoughtful, platform-specific content is key to performance.
👉 Learn more

3️⃣ Social Shopping Still Lagging Behind in Some Regions
Douyin vs. TikTok: A Massive Revenue Gap: Despite the hype, social shopping adoption remains limited in some markets, and brands need to adjust expectations accordingly. Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese counterpart) generated $374 billion in product sales in 2023, compared to just $3.8 billion on TikTok. TikTok’s e-commerce game is growing, but it has a long way to go globally. Source

5️⃣ YouTube: The TV App of the Future?
A growing number of users are watching YouTube on their TVs, making it an increasingly important channel for connected TV ads and long-form video strategies.

6️⃣ Social Media Drives Revenue and Impact
According to Hootsuite’s 2024 Consumer Report, 70% of followers plan to make a purchase from the brands they follow, proving that social media is a direct revenue driver.
👉 Read the report

7️⃣ Urban Outfitters Struggles to Connect with Gen Z
Urban Outfitters admitted it’s struggling to figure out how to sell to Gen Z, lagging behind competitors like Abercrombie & Fitch in engaging this audience.
👉 See more

Recommendations/Resources

Tools & Apps We’re Loving Right Now 🛠️

1️⃣ Best for Instagram Analytics & Scheduling – Iconosquare is in our testing phase. So far, it’s looking solid for Instagram insights, but we’re still deciding if it’s a keeper.
👉 Check it out

2️⃣ Best AI Image Creator – Leonardo AI is blowing our minds. We’re ditching clunky design tools because this one’s got the magic touch.
👉 Give it a go

3️⃣ AI-Generated Product Photos for Ads – Pebblely makes product photography so easy it feels like cheating. We’re testing it now, and it’s looking like a win.
👉 Try it here

4️⃣ All-in-One Social Management – Sprout Social is our favorite platform so far. It does everything—analytics, scheduling, engagement—but prepare your wallet, because it’s not cheap.
👉 Learn more

5️⃣ Best for Tracking TikTok Metrics & Competitor Benchmarking – TokBackup has become our secret weapon for TikTok insights. If you’re not using this, you’re flying blind.
👉 Explore TokBackup

6️⃣ See Competitor Ads in Real-Time – Meta Ads Library lets you spy on your competitors' strategies and campaigns. Lurking in here is basically a full-time job.
👉 Peek inside

7️⃣ Google Ads Campaign Insights – Google Ads Transparency Center lets you see where ad dollars are flowing. If you like data with a side of snooping, this tool’s for you.
👉 Go snoop

Shower Thought  🚿💭

A group of squids is called a “squad.” Tell me that’s not the coolest thing you’ve heard today. Source