TikTok Lets You Add Links to Stories 🔗

I just got back from speaking at Awin’s Global ThinkTank in Portugal, which was a few incredible days of learning, networking, and fun. I’ll be sharing a recap of my experience and takeaways next week.

Continuing with the event theme, next Thursday (May 29), I’ll be joining Aspire for a webinar on brand-building in the era of influence and social media, alongside Magda Houalla and Lauren Ludlow.

Later that evening in Boston, Courtney Duffy and I are hosting a free mixer to bring together the local creator economy community. If you’re in the area or know someone who might be interested, feel free to share!

With that out of the way, let’s get to what you really opened this email for: the key news and updates from the week.

TODAY’S EDITION

• Meta will convert Instagram photos into 3D visuals for Meta Quest.

• YouTube says Shorts now match long-form videos in revenue per hour.

• TikTok lets creators share external links in Stories like Instagram.

• TikTok introduced an AI assistant for TikTok Shop amid e-commerce layoffs.

• Google and Amazon launched new AI shopping features that could impact creators in the long run.

If you're getting value from the newsletter and want to support, you can do so in a few ways: share it with a colleague, contribute via Buy Me A Coffee, or upgrade to the paid tier.

NEWS, TRENDS & INSIGHTS

Meta

Meta Tests 3D Instagram Photos on Meta Quest Headsets

Meta is testing 3D photos for Instagram on the Meta Quest. Using AI view synthesis algorithms, it will convert 2D photos into immersive 3D images in the feed. This is part of Meta's early steps toward bringing more social and entertainment experiences into a spatial, 3D environment on Quest.

Why It Matters: Converting 2D photos into 3D makes Instagram content more immersive and better suited to the spatial capabilities of Meta’s headset, all without creators needing to shoot in 3D. This more engaging format could encourage consumption of Instagram on their headsets.

Related: TikTok's Apple Vision Pro App Foreshadows the Future of Creator Content

Instagram Relocates the Filter for Direct Messages

Instagram announced it has moved the filter for Direct Messages. Instead of appearing at the top right, it will now be located to the left of folders like Primary, General, and Requests. It also hinted that additional updates are coming soon.

Why It Matters: It’s a small change, but it can help creators and brands more easily find the messages that matter most, specfically those who receive a high volume of DMs.

Instagram Adds Cropping Tool to Edits

Instagram added an enhanced cropping tool to Edits on iOS. Users can select specific areas or aspect ratios for their videos to crop and reposition.

Why It Matters: This helps creators optimize content for different formats and platforms, making it easier to repurpose videos. While Instagram ultimately wants creators to post Reels, it’s also positioning Edits as a tool for creating content beyond Instagram.

YouTube

YouTube Launches Quiz Stickers for Shorts

YouTube launched Quiz Stickers for Shorts. Creators can view the total responses and see the percentage breakdown of viewer answers.

Why It Matters: Quiz Stickers give creators an easy, interactive way to test their audience’s knowledge. It’s also a smart tool for ideation, helping creators spark new content directions based on viewer responses.

YouTube Says Shorts Monetization Now Matches Long-Form Video

YouTube Shorts now generates the same revenue per watch hour as traditional long-form videos in several countries, including the U.S. and even more in some markets.

CEO Neal Mohan shared the update at the MoffettNathanson Media, Internet & Communications Conference, crediting AI advancements and a wider variety of ad placements in Shorts for driving the shift.

Why It Matters: This is a major milestone as there have been questions around whether YouTube could replicate its long-form ad revenue success in Shorts. By leaning into creator-led ads, leveraging AI, and growing Shorts viewership, YouTube is proving that short-form can be just as financially rewarding for YouTube and its creators.

YouTube Expands Premium Lite to More Regions

YouTube is rolling out Premium Lite, its lower-cost ad-free subscription tier, to users in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the UK. This builds on earlier expansions to Australia, Thailand, and Germany, as well as a test of Premium for shared accounts. 

Why It Matters: Expanding Premium Lite means YouTube can add even more subscribers to its paid offerings, which already boast over 125 million combined users across YouTube Premium and Music. That's a win for creators who benefit from the revenue share.

TikTok

TikTok Adds the Ability to Share External Links in Stories

TikTok added link sharing in Stories. Creators can now select a Link Sticker to add a clickable URL, customizing it with text, colors, and styles.

Why It Matters: Being able to share links is one of the most powerful tools for creators, so this addition is a big win. Creators can use it to amplify other TikTok content, drive fans to owned channels like their websites, and monetize through affiliate links and brand partnerships.

With brands increasingly focused on driving clicks and sales through creator collaborations, TikTok Stories that include links should become standard.

TikTok Rolls Out an AI Chatbot for TikTok Shop Sellers

TikTok rolled out an AI chatbot called Seller Assistant for TikTok Shop. The tool pulls information from TikTok Shop Academy, including best practices and data insights, and helps sellers improve performance through real-time recommendations.

Why It Matters: It gives sellers 24/7 access to help without needing a human rep. This could make TikTok Shop more scalable and attractive to new sellers. It also comes shortly after TikTok laid off some of its e-commerce staff, suggesting the company is automating support as it streamlines operations.

TikTok Expands Add to Music App Feature With SoundCloud

TikTok added SoundCloud to its Add to Music App feature. Users can now save songs they discover on TikTok directly to SoundCloud, joining existing integrations with Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Why It Matters: With 400 million tracks from 40 million artists, SoundCloud deepens TikTok’s music discovery experience, especially for fans of emerging artists. Some listeners also prefer SoundCloud’s unique catalog over mainstream platforms.

Since launch, this feature has driven over 1 billion song saves, proving its power to bridge short-form discovery and long-form listening.

Google

Google Tests Try It On Feature for Shopping

Google revealed new AI-powered shopping features, including a new virtual Try It On feature in Search Labs. Users can upload a photo of themselves to see how tops, bottoms, and dresses from Google Shopping listings would look on them. The tool uses a generative AI model trained on real body shapes and fabric movement to produce accurate and realistic try-on images.

Why It Matters: The try-on feature helps users better visualize fit and style on themselves rather than on default models, which can boost purchase confidence.

But if this and similar AI-powered features across shopping are widely adopted, brands might start investing less in creator content focused on styling since shoppers could preview looks on their own.

Amazon

Amazon Adds AI Audio Summaries for Select Products

Amazon is testing AI-generated audio summaries for select products in its Shopping app. Called Hear the Highlights, an AI-generated voice will share a summary of the product, drawing from reviews, product details, and other sources across the internet.

Why It Matters: Amazon is leaning further into AI to improve the shopping experience, following its decision to shut down its TikTok-style Inspire feed. Audio summaries offer a dynamic way to get product info, similar to a recommendation from a friend or creator.

It’s not a stretch to imagine Amazon eventually introducing AI-generated video summaries with avatars, which could compete directly with creators.

THANK YOU

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