Today's Guide to the Marketing Jungle from Social Media Examiner...
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The weekend is almost here, Pz! Here's a recap of the most important insights, trends, and updates from the week. Catch up in minutes and go into next week prepared.
In today's edition:
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Is your Meta Ads setup disabling Advantage+?
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The facts about the 2-link limit test on Facebook, from Mari Smith
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Navigate the shift to interest-based algorithms and build a resilient marketing strategy on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Explore how AI agents will reshape the customer journey, and how to position your business for an AI-first future.
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Instagram updates for marketers
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🗞️ Industry news from Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and more
Why and How to Use Meta's Value Rules With Your Ads
Small setting changes in Meta's Advantage+ campaigns—like targeting by age, gender, or device—can unintentionally turn off the very automation designed to improve performance. For marketers balancing control with efficiency, this presents a challenging tradeoff.
Fortunately, Meta's specialized rules offer a strategic solution. Instead of restricting settings and losing the benefits of Advantage+, these rules allow you to guide budget allocation based on your own customer insights—without disrupting automated delivery.
In this article, Jon Loomer outlines four practical scenarios where these rules give you the precision you need while keeping Advantage+ fully active. Whether it's reducing wasted spend on low-quality leads or improving demographic targeting without hard exclusions, these examples illustrate how to align Meta's automation with your business priorities. Read more here.
Facebook's 2-Link Limit for Businesses
What happens when a core distribution tactic quietly becomes restricted—without a formal announcement?
Meta is currently testing a change that could materially affect how marketers use Facebook: selected Pages and Professional Mode profiles may be limited to just two organic link posts per month, unless they subscribe to Meta Verified. While this is not a platform-wide policy and not yet formally announced, confirmed reports indicate it is a live test with clear strategic intent.
For marketers who rely on organic Facebook traffic to support content distribution, lead generation, or launches, this raises important considerations. It signals a continued shift toward on-platform engagement, reduced visibility for outbound links, and the positioning of Meta Verified as more than a cosmetic badge—it's being tested as a functional access layer.
If you already feel the tension between keeping up with AI-driven change and managing unpredictable social platforms, this development deserves your attention. Not because it demands immediate action—but because it points to where organic strategy may be heading next.
Mari Smith breaks down what's confirmed and what's still unclear—without speculation or hype. Read more here.
The Death of Organic Reach: What Works Right Now
While repurposing content is a valid strategy to save time, Sean argues that platform-native content performs significantly better. Content created specifically for the platform it is viewed on can generate results that are 100 times better than generic repurposed clips.
Facebook and Instagram
Mari suggests that on Facebook, you have a unique advantage: it is the only platform where a landscape video will rotate to full screen if the user turns their phone. However, be mindful of duration. On Instagram, Mari recommends keeping your videos under two minutes unless you are going live.
To optimize your reach on these platforms, Mari provides these specific guidelines:
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Avoid Link Posts: Do not rely on "link posts" (posts with a URL in the caption). These remain the lowest-reaching format on Facebook, and heavy reliance on them often leads to burnout because performance is consistently poor.
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Use Trial Reels: Leverage Instagram's "Trial Reels" feature, which pushes content specifically to non-followers. Mari notes this is an excellent way to audit your "recommendability".
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The "Background Color" Format: Mari identifies a high-performing format on Facebook that uses a large font with a colored background to deliver a hook or value, while placing the detailed content in the comments.
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Test With Stories: Stories are a brilliant testing ground because you can post frequently without penalty to see how your audience responds before committing to a permanent post.
YouTube
Sean points to vertical live streaming as a massive, underutilized tactic on YouTube. As users scroll through the Shorts feed, they are frequently presented with live streams they can join instantly. This discovery engine helps small channels find new audiences quickly.
You should also experiment with the new "Collab" feature. Sean explains that this allows two channels to co-publish a video and share with both audiences. While he notes it isn't always revolutionary for growth, it is a low-risk way to tap into a partner's viewership.
Additionally, Sean emphasizes the Community Tab. You can use it to post carousels (up to 10 images), polls, and surveys. These posts often get reach on their own merit and can re-engage subscribers who may have missed your recent videos.
Other topics discussed include:
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Recognizing the Shift From Social Media to Interest Media
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Optimizing for Video Retention
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Fostering Human to Human Connection
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Approaching Social Media With a Business vs. a Viral Mindset
Today's advice is provided with insights from Sean Cannell and Mari Smith, featured guests on the Social Media Marketing Podcast and speakers at Social Media Marketing World.
The Future of AI and Marketing: What's Coming and How to Prepare
While many marketers are still getting used to generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude, the technology is already shifting toward agentic AI.
Unlike standard large language models (LLMs) that primarily generate text or chat with you, AI agents are designed to complete tasks. They function as virtual workers that can operate autonomously to achieve a goal.
According to Jeremiah Owyang, a true AI agent performs four distinct functions:
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Sense: It perceives the world around it, whether that is inside a software application or via physical cameras.
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Decide: It determines the best course of action based on its inputs.
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Act: It completes the action (e.g., booking a meeting, purchasing a product, or updating a CRM record).
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Learn: It improves its performance over time based on outcomes.
For small- and medium-sized businesses, this technology offers the potential of a 24/7 staff, and while we are currently in the experimental phase, agents are quickly evolving to handle complex workflows.
For example, a travel-focused agent could research flights, negotiate prices, and book tickets without human intervention. In a marketing context, agents can already autonomously handle tasks like competitive research, content creation, or CRM management.
Despite the automation of tasks, the human element becomes more valuable, not less.
If AI native companies can automate repetitive labor and back-office operations, they free up resources to invest in the customer experience. This creates a premium on humanity.
When the chores are handled by software, you have more time to greet customers, tailor experiences to their specific needs, and provide high-touch service. In an AI-saturated world, the businesses that use automation to enhance—rather than replace—human connection will ultimately win.
Two Ways AI Agents Will Disrupt the Marketing Funnel
The rise of AI agents will fundamentally alter the traditional marketing funnel.
Historically, the customer journey involved a human searching on Google, visiting a website, reading content, and clicking a "Buy" button. In the near future, personal AI agents will handle much of this top-of-funnel work.
Bill Gates predicted that whoever dominates the personal agent market will disrupt search engines, productivity sites, and even Amazon. Why? Because your personal agent will do the research, compare products, negotiate pricing, and execute the purchase for you.
AIO: Optimizing for AI Agents
Just as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) became a critical industry, a new field is emerging: AI Optimization (AIO).
Platforms like BrandRank are helping companies understand how they are perceived by major large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. These tools analyze what the AI thinks about your brand by scraping its training data, which comes from sources like Wikipedia, Reddit, and consumer reviews.
To stay competitive, you will need to ensure your brand's data is structured in a way that AI agents can easily consume and verify it.
KYA: The Know Your Agent Protocol
As agents begin making purchases, businesses will need to verify that these bots are authorized to spend money.
New protocols like Know Your Agent (KYA) are emerging to parallel the banking industry's Know Your Customer (KYC) standards. Services like Skyfire allow users to create verified agents tied to their government ID.
In the future, your CRM won't just track human leads; it will track authorized AI agents acting on behalf of humans. You may even deploy your own sales agents to negotiate directly with buyer agents, turning ads into dynamic offers.
Other topics discussed include:
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Five Organizational AI Cultures: Where Are You?
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Three Strategies to Embrace AI Forward or AI First Business Culture
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Examples of AI Native Businesses
Today's advice provided with insights from Jeremiah Owyang, a featured guest on the AI Explored podcast.
On this week's Social Media Marketing Talk Show, host Jerry Potter and Chelsea Peitz break down the latest Instagram news and what it means for marketers like you.
Expanding Your Story Reach Beyond Your Current Followers
Historically, Instagram Stories have been a sort of sacred space for content primarily seen by people who already follow you. While this creates a casual, stress-free environment for community building, it has traditionally offered limited paths for discoverability.
Instagram is changing this dynamic by making all publicly shared Stories shareable by anyone, even if they aren't tagged in the post. This update is particularly powerful for brands looking to amplify user-generated content (UGC) or collaborate with customers who might be using their products.
To maximize this feature, encourage your viewers to share your Story if they find it helpful or interesting. If you prefer to keep your Stories private to your community, you can navigate to your Story settings and toggle this feature off.
Leveraging Early Access Reels to Drive New Followers
Instagram is introducing Early Access Reels, a feature that acts as the opposite of a trial reel because it is initially pushed only to your followers.
This feature is designed to help you guarantee that your content is placed in front of the people who have already said they are interested in you. Non-followers who encounter an Early Access reel—either on your profile or via a shared Story—will see a teaser with a follow prompt. To watch the video immediately, they are prompted to follow your account.
You can use this feature to reward your community with a first look at important announcements or build anticipation for a new product or service using psychological triggers like FOMO (fear of missing out). You can also test a double-dip strategy by posting a reel first as early access to gain social proof from followers, then later uploading it as a Trial Reel to reach guaranteed non-followers.
More Features, Tools, Changes, and Updates Discussed Include:
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The Bulk Caption Editor
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Automated Audio Control With Volume Ducking
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The Latest Creative Editing Features
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Personalizing Your Experience via the Reels Algorithm
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The Impact of Emojis on Social Interactions
This week's insights provided by Chelsea Peitz, a featured guest on the Social Media Marketing Talk Show.
Gemini App Adds Video Verification for Google AI-Generated Content: Google has expanded its content transparency tools in the Gemini app, now allowing users to check if a video was generated or edited using Google AI. By uploading a video and asking Gemini to verify its origin, users receive detailed feedback based on SynthID watermark analysis across audio and visual elements. The feature supports short-form video uploads and is available worldwide in all supported languages. This update builds on Google's broader efforts to improve transparency around AI-generated media. Google
Instagram Limits Hashtags to 5 Per Post to Boost Content Relevance: Instagram is gradually rolling out a new limit of five hashtags per caption for Reels and posts, emphasizing the value of using fewer, more targeted tags. The platform says this change is designed to help content perform better and enhance user experience by reducing clutter. Instagram advises creators to prioritize niche-relevant hashtags and avoid overused or generic ones that could hurt discoverability. Instagram via Threads
X Introduces Real-Time Lock Screen Widgets for iOS Users: X has rolled out new iOS widgets that bring real-time news, custom feed links, and notifications to users' home and lock screens. X
X Launches Creator Studio Hub on Mobile with Monetization Tools and Post Insights: X has introduced a mobile version of its Creator Studio, consolidating creator tools like revenue sharing, subscription status, analytics, and payment settings into one hub within the app's left-hand menu. The update also includes a new tab showcasing top-performing posts across X by timeframe to help spark content ideas. Previously available only on desktop, these features are now accessible on mobile. X
YouTube Expands AI-Powered Creator Portraits: Google Labs is expanding its experimental Portraits feature on YouTube, allowing U.S. desktop users aged 18 and over to interact with AI-generated versions of participating creators. The conversational tool lets viewers explore topics tied to creator content and provides creators with insights into audience interests. Initially tested by a small group, the program now includes more creators who have opted in and supplied the content for their Portraits. Google plans to monitor feedback as it continues developing this interactive format. Google
YouTube Announces Tools for Creators Across Voice, AI, and Mobile Editing: YouTube has rolled out several creator-focused updates in its final Creator Insider newsflash of 2025. Voice replies are now available to millions of creators, while the YouTube Create editing app has launched on iOS. AI-suggested clips and comment summaries are helping streamline video and audience analysis. YouTube is also testing image posts in the Shorts feed and introducing Nano Banana, a generative AI tool for image edits. Channel guidelines are expanding, and new settings help viewers control video language preferences. YouTube
YouTube Tests Merged Dislike and Not Interested Button in Shorts Feed: YouTube is experimenting with a combined "thumbs down" icon in the Shorts feed, aiming to simplify viewer controls and improve content recommendations. The test merges the "Dislike" and "Not Interested" actions into a single option under the three-dot menu. Depending on the test group, viewers will see it labeled as either action, and clicking it will prompt a feedback survey. The change reflects user feedback on the overlapping use of these options in short-form video contexts. YouTube
Snapchat Launches Animate It: Snapchat has rolled out Animate It, a new Lens that turns user prompts into dynamic short videos using Snap's internal AI video generation model. Available to Lens+ subscribers, Animate It is Snapchat's first open-ended video generation tool, allowing users to animate reactions, ideas, or mini-stories with ease. Users simply enter or select a prompt in the Lens and watch their concept come to life in seconds—ready to share on Snapchat or beyond. Snapchat
TikTok Launches Christmas Effects and Year in Review Recaps for 2025: TikTok has rolled out festive in-app animations and a personalized Year in Review feature to help users celebrate the end of 2025. Seasonal effects appear in relevant searches, comments, and DMs, while a new Christmas content hub highlights trending holiday templates and hashtags. Meanwhile, users receive customized recap videos showcasing their most meaningful posts from the past year. The activations offer fun, shareable ways to reflect on the year and connect during the holidays. Social Media Today
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