There are a lot of upgrades happening to some of the most basic features, which is kind of cool. Short form video continues taking over the big apps with Instagram Reels on Facebook now, Twitter is trying to cut down on endless accidental feedback loops, and YouTube is making is easier to jump to the content you need. Let’s dive in.

1. Facebook brings Reels to main app

This has been in the works for a while, but Facebook is looking to expand Reels from Instagram over to Facebook. From Tech Crunch:

Reels are coming to Facebook in the U.S. The company this morning announced it will begin testing a new feature, Facebook Reels, which will give Facebook users the ability to create and share short-form video content directly within the News Feed or within Facebook Groups.

Short form video isn’t going anywhere.

2. Twitter is launching from DM improvements

Here’s a recap of the Thread:

1. You’ll be able to DM one Tweet to as many as 20 people individually, without starting group chats
2. A new quick-scroll button will let you jump to the end of a chat
3. You will now be able to long press to add a reaction to a DM
4. Messages will be grouped my date to cut down on timestamp clutter

Hopefully this leads to cleaner DM inboxes!

3. Instagram Link Stickers are going to replace the swipe-up

It looks like they’re expanding their use of Stickers in platform and removing the swipe up.

This is more of an aesthetic change than anything, but it also sounds like they’re evaluating an adjustment of the 10k follower requirement. Instagram is notoriously difficult to link from, and that is by design. A major shift would be helpful to publishers trying to drive traffic, but it  could open the floodgates and open the platform up to more spam, clutter, and abuse.

4. Twitter is working on a “leave this conversation” option

Anybody who has ever been caught up in an endless reply thread on Twitter is celebrating right now. It looks like Twitter is testing ways to unmention yourself and get out of the feedback loop you never wanted to be a part of.

Dominic Camozzi on Twitter:

5. YouTube adds video chapters, which could impact SEO

This is kind of a cool update. Here’s how YouTube explains:

Up until now, when you browsed for a video to watch on YouTube, you’d see a thumbnail image of each video. It gave you a chance to gather a quick snapshot of the video’s content. Now, you’ll be able to make even more informed decisions about what you’re going to watch through video chapters directly in the search page. When available, these time-stamped images detail the different topics covered in videos and let you better evaluate the video you’re about to watch. You can also jump directly to the section most relevant to your specific interest.

Let’s say you’re looking for a good sourdough recipe and want to work on your kneading technique. With these new search results, you can see all the steps in the video, from feeding the starter to pulling the bread out of the oven – and skip right to the chapter on kneading.

So basically, each chapter will be searchable and navigable, which could offer opportunities within every video.

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