MONDAY MORNING LEARNING – 21 APRIL 2025
Published on 21 Apr '25
Instagram Introduces Blend: Shared Reels Feed with Friends
Instagram launched Blend, a co-viewing experience that creates personalized Reels streams curated by both you and a friend. To try it, open a DM, tap the smiley icon, and invite someone to blend—then discover posts tailored to your shared interests.
This update encourages private, social content discovery, strengthening bonds through mutual engagement and making Reels feel more like a shared social experience than passive watching.
Source: https://thatrandomagency.com/2025/05/05/social-media-news-april-2025/
Instagram’s Edits App Hits 5 Million Users in Four Days
Meta’s dedicated Edits mobile app (akin to CapCut) reached over 5 million downloads just days after its April 21 launch. With features like green-screen effects, animations, speed control, and in-app analytics, it simplifies creating polished Reels on the go.
This signals Meta’s commitment to streamlining mobile-first content creation, removing barriers for creators to produce high-quality video without desktop tools.
Source: https://thatrandomagency.com/2025/05/05/social-media-news-april-2025/
TikTok U.S. Ownership Talks Extend Yet Again
TikTok was granted another 75-day extension beyond the April 15 deadline to complete divestiture of its U.S. operations. With potential buyers including major tech firms like Oracle and Amazon, negotiations remain in flux.
For brands and creators relying on TikTok, this means strategic diversification is critical—start shifting audiences to alternatives like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Bluesky to hedge against uncertainty.
Source: https://thatrandomagency.com/2025/05/05/social-media-news-april-2025/
Meta Fully Rolls Out Community Notes on Posts
Meta expanded its crowd-sourced Community Notes (formerly fact-check notes) to all users across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Users can flag and annotate misleading or complex content—creating transparency and more nuanced discourse.
This democratized approach to context-setting enhances platform credibility and encourages brands to foster clearer, fact-rich narratives, as labels may now appear under their posts during discussions or campaigns.
Source: https://thatrandomagency.com/2025/05/05/social-media-news-april-2025/
