I can’t quite believe we’re at the end of October already (what even is time?). But here we are — and that means it’s time for another monthly round-up of all the social media updates you might have missed.
There were a lot of changes this month across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Threads, LinkedIn and X — so let’s get straight into it. 👇
Instagram Updates 📱
1. “Your Algorithm” Feature
Instagram has started rolling out a new Your Algorithm feature that lets users manually control their feed by adding or removing topics.
It’s launching on Reels first, and will later expand to the Explore page and main feed. So, if you don’t have it yet, don’t panic — Instagram rollouts are notoriously slow.
For brands, this means your content will need to work even harder to appear in people’s feeds. The best approach?
✨ Create broad, interest-based content that attracts new audiences, or
🎯 Go ultra-niche and double down on community-focused posts.
Either way, connection will always beat coincidence.
2. Sharable Insights for Creators
Creators can now export account or campaign insights as a PDF directly from the app.
This update makes it easier to share data with brands, create media kits, and pitch collaborations — without taking endless screenshots.
3. Navigation Bar Update
Instagram is testing a new bottom navigation bar layout. The icons will now appear in this order:
🏠 Home
🎬 Reels
💬 DMs
🔍 Search
👤 Profile
The goal? To make Reels and DMs even easier to access — since both have been major growth drivers for Instagram recently.
Heads up: Once you opt in, you can’t go back.
4. Creative Talent “Gold Ring” Award
Instagram has introduced the Gold Ring award to recognise creators who push creative boundaries. Winners receive a physical ring and a digital one that highlights their profile. Think of it as Instagram’s version of a blue tick — but for creativity.
5. Watch History
Finally! You can now view every Reel you’ve ever watched by heading to Settings → Your Activity → Watch History.
No more endlessly scrolling to find “that one video you saw three days ago.”
6. Draw on Your DMs
You can now draw or add stickers directly within your DMs. This one’s purely for fun — and a nice reminder that Instagram wants DMs to feel more interactive.
7. Edits (Instagram’s In-App Video Editor) Got a Big Update
Edits added:
🎧 250+ new sound effects
🅰️ Text presets and new fonts
🎨 Saved custom brand colours
📊 Sharable performance PDFs
They even dropped Halloween-themed features — fonts, sound effects and spooky filters for those last-minute October posts.
YouTube Updates ▶️
1. “Extend” Feature for Shorts
YouTube Shorts now lets you remix videos using an AI-powered Extend tool. It gives you content prompts and ideas related to the video you’re remixing — ideal if you’re in a creative rut or want to join a conversation without starting from scratch.
2. Public-to-Members Livestreams
Creators can now start a livestream for everyone, then switch to members-only mode mid-stream — no need to end and restart.
3. Revamped Shorts Editor
The Shorts editor now looks and feels much more professional. You can see your audio, video, overlays and text layers all at once, making it easier to produce polished content directly in-app.
4. New YouTube Interface
The latest UI refresh brings:
🎙️ Voice replies to comments
📚 Access to educational courses
💡 Custom likes + grouped product tags
📊 Sharable analytics with brands
It’s another move to make YouTube feel more community-driven and creator-friendly.
5. “Ask Studio” AI Tool
If you’re stuck for ideas, YouTube’s Ask Studio will pull insights from your channel and suggest new content topics based on your top-performing videos.
Basically, AI-powered creative direction.
6. Adobe Premiere x YouTube Shorts Integration
You can now connect Adobe Premiere directly with YouTube Shorts for faster editing, uploading and optimisation.
Facebook & Meta Updates 💬
1. Meta Ads & AI Personalisation
Starting December 16th, Meta will use conversations you’ve had with its AI assistant to personalise ads across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Sensitive topics will be excluded, but you can’t opt out.
2. Facebook Reels: Friend Likes
You’ll now see Reels your friends have liked — and can instantly start a private chat about it.
A small but nice push toward more personal engagement.
3. More Languages for AI Translations
Meta has expanded AI-powered translations for Reels into English, Spanish, Hindi, and Portuguese, with more to come.
A great opportunity for global creators to reach new audiences.
4. Messenger App Shutdown (Desktop)
Meta is shutting down the Messenger desktop app for Windows and Mac. You’ll now access messages via Facebook’s website.
If you want to keep your chat history, make sure to enable storage and set a PIN before it closes.
5. Photo Collage Suggestions
Facebook will now suggest auto-generated collages and edits for your uploaded photos. You’ll need to opt in, but it’s a fun feature for casual sharing.
Threads Updates 🧵
1. Hidden Hashtags
Threads now hides hashtags by default. Users can click “Show hashtags” if they want to see them — keeping feeds cleaner and less cluttered.
2. Hide Replies
You can now hide replies under your Threads posts without the other person knowing. Perfect for tidying up your comment section.
3. “Ghost Posts”
Threads is testing Ghost Posts — temporary posts that auto-archive after 24 hours. Think of it as a mix between Stories and regular posts.
4. Group Chats
Threads has also introduced group chats with up to 50 members. Great for brands, communities or creative collabs.
LinkedIn Updates 💼
1. Competitor Analytics Limitations
Free company pages can now only compare themselves with one competitor. Premium users (starting at $99/month) can track up to nine competitors and view their trending posts.
2. LinkedIn Games Leaderboard
LinkedIn’s surprisingly popular Daily Puzzle now includes a connections leaderboard, so you can see how your scores stack up against your network.
X (Formerly Twitter) Updates 🐦
Handle Marketplace
X has introduced a new handles marketplace where users can purchase inactive usernames. Prices range from $2,500 to seven figures for rare handles.
Wild.
Other Industry Updates 🌍
1. Snapchat Bitmoji Stickers
You can now use your Snapchat Bitmoji stickers outside the app — in iMessage or Android messages.
2. Google’s New AI Education Courses
Google has launched free AI training through its Skillshop platform. If you’ve been wanting to sharpen your AI knowledge, this is a great place to start.
Final Thoughts 💭
October was a huge month for updates across every major platform.
If you take one thing away from all of this, it’s that social media is leaning even more toward personalisation and creativity.
From Instagram’s new algorithm controls to YouTube’s AI tools, the focus is clear: helping users see content that feels more relevant — and encouraging brands to create with intention.
Which of these updates are you most excited to try?