TODAY’S EDITION

YouTube checks the box for a lot of things, but one big gap it has had? Direct messaging. YouTube actually had native messaging for a few years but shut down the feature in 2019 to focus on public interactions like comments.

Now it is bringing it back. The platform announced it is experimenting with a new native messaging feature, which it says is one of its biggest requests.

How It Works

Starting in Ireland and Poland for users over 18, the feature will allow users to send Shorts, long-form videos, and live streams directly to other users.

Messaging starts with an invite link. Once accepted, users can share content and chat in a dedicated space. Users must follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and have the option to block and report as needed.

Why Now

When YouTube had DMs, messaging across social media was not what it is today. Now it is a central part of the experience, especially on platforms like Instagram, where messaging continues to grow and is a core feature. A big part of Instagram messaging is how people share and consume content. For example, 85 percent of content shared via DMs are Reels, and nearly 700,000 Reels are shared in DMs every minute.

This growth has influenced product updates across platforms. Instagram put DMs front and center. Threads added DMs and Group Chats. TikTok and LinkedIn have enhanced messaging. Even Spotify and Airbnb have added native messaging experiences.

Will It Work?

The timing is much more favorable for YouTube today, but adoption is not guaranteed. YouTube’s social ecosystem is not as friend-centric as Instagram’s, which limits natural messaging activity. Think about how many friends you are connected with on Instagram compared to YouTube. It is not even close.

Messaging is unlikely to take off on YouTube like it does elsewhere, but there are still benefits. It adds a social layer to YouTube, complementing recently launched features like Communities. Sharing content via messages creates new discovery paths for creators, gives YouTube additional signals to improve recommendations, and opens up opportunities for creators to reach out to their most engaged fans directly.

Building out messaging also gives YouTube a chance to align its short-form video experiences more closely with Instagram and TikTok. The platform could add a count for how many times a Shorts has been shared via messages, which could create network effects.

Private and Public

While YouTube is expanding private interactions, Snapchat, built on private chats, is exploring the opposite approach: more public discussions. Its new Topic Chats feature, currently being tested in the US, Canada, and New Zealand, let users join conversations across Stories, Spotlight, and Search, inspired by how communities interact in public comments on Spotlight videos.

Whether private spaces like DMs and group chats or public forums like Communities and Topic Chats, users want places to engage around creators, communities, and cultural moments. Sometimes private, sometimes public, platforms need to support that fluidity.

Instagram updated its Reels camera. Creators can now record up to 20 minutes, use an undo button to remove clips, customize touch-ups, and get a smoother green screen, along with refreshed timer and countdown tools. The overall workflow from recording to editing to publishing is noticeably easier.

Instagram is adding a “New” label to recently uploaded posts. It appears in the bottom-left corner in white, helping users quickly spot the latest from the creator and brand profiles they visit. Once Instagram allows users to reorder posts on their grid, this label will become even more useful.

Facebook introduced Content Protection, a mobile tool that helps creators safeguard their original Reels. Creators can enroll to automatically protect new Reels and manually add older ones. When Facebook detects potential matches across Facebook or Instagram, creators receive notifications and can track performance, add attribution, block visibility, or let the content remain. It’s part of Facebook’s broader push to support original creators.

Facebook integrated its latest Segment Anything Collection (SAM) models into Marketplace. These models power the View Room feature, letting shoppers visualize furniture, décor, and other items in their own space. Combined with recent AI and collaborative buying updates, Marketplace, popular with Facebook’s younger users, is becoming more interactive.

TikTok is letting users control how much AI-generated content appears on their For You Page, similar to Pinterest. Through the Manage Topics feature, users can choose to see more or less of it. As AI content continues to grow on social feeds, expect more platforms to offer control — Instagram is likely next.

LinkedIn says it does not use demographic information like age, race, or gender to determine who sees content. Some members reported higher reach when posting the same content but changing their gender from female to male. Sakshi Jain, Engineering Director and Head of Responsible AI and AI Governance, said this is not true and explained that hundreds of signals influence what appears in feeds. As algorithms get more complex and reach fluctuates, skepticism about why is likely to continue.

Snapchat expanded to Amazon Fire Tablets, offering a similar experience to iOS and Android, including easy access to Chat, Stories, Lenses, and Spotlight. Following last year’s iPad and this year’s Apple Watch apps, Snapchat continues to invest in native experiences across devices, making the app accessible wherever users are online.

iHeartRadio launched Highlights, a tab in its app featuring short-form video clips from shows, stations, and podcasts across its network. Clips include behind-the-scenes moments, engaging highlights, and links to watch full episodes. It’s the latest non-social media app to bring a TikTok-like experience, designed to boost discovery and engagement.

ShopMy launched the ShopMy Shopper App, an upgraded version of its app that now offers a shopper-facing experience. This includes Circles, a feature it launched this summer. The new app follows a similar path as competitor LTK, which launched a consumer-facing app earlier this year.

Agentio, an AI-native platform for creator advertising, secured a $40 million Series B, bringing its total funding to $56 million and valuing the company at $340 million. Historically focused on YouTube, it plans to expand its AI matchmaking to other platforms like Meta, at a time when brands are increasingly interested in working with creators at a scale similar to media buying.

Wispr Flow, a voice-to-text tool, announced a $25 million funding round, bringing its total raised to $81 million. The company plans to use the funds to go beyond voice dictation and build the ‘Voice OS,’ including voice-based personal assistants.

The Italian Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) is requiring “relevant influencers,” those with over 500,000 followers or at least one million monthly views, to register on a public list and follow a new code of conduct, holding them to the same standards as media companies. Those who don’t register or follow the code of conduct face fines. Regulators have been increasing oversight of influencers in recent months.

The American Influencer Council (AIC) celebrated National Entrepreneurship Day in the US with a free tax guide for US-based creators. Sourced from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website, the guide includes relevant tax information, checklists, trackers, and more to help creators manage record keeping and paying their taxes.

Radisson Hotels & Resorts launched Creator Hub, a program for creators with 1,000–30,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok. Participants earn hotel stays, VIP Radisson Rewards, and more in exchange for content. Travel and hospitality remain hot for creator programs, with TikTok even launching an initiative to help hotels drive bookings through creators.

2025 Creator Economy Ad Spend & Strategy Report (Interactive Advertising Bureau)

US creator ad spend is projected to reach $37.1 billion in 2025, up 26 percent year-over-year and growing nearly four times faster than broader media. Most of this spend is going toward boosting creator content on social platforms and beyond or running ads adjacent to creator content, rather than direct creator partnerships.

Marketers Move to Bring Transparency to Creator and Influencer Fees (Digiday)

There are more intermediaries than ever between brands and creators, including agencies, platforms, networks, and ad tech vendors. Because of this, marketers are pushing for more transparency and clearer tracking of fees. (Includes quotes from me)

Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel (Part 2): What Now (Vogue Business)

Nearly a third of Gen Z sees shopping as mindless. This is driven by the constant, frictionless commerce experiences built into social media. Many feel they are buying things they do not really want or need. Some are now looking for more intentional and meaningful shopping experiences.

After SEC Investigation, Curastory Founder Resigns, Hires Replacement (TechCrunch)

Curastory founder and CEO Tiffany Kelly stepped down following a settlement with the SEC after an investigation into inflated revenue and client numbers. She will remain an advisor. Former Tagger CEO Dave Dickman is stepping into the CEO role.

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