This year we've seen a race between the social media platforms in their huge investments into research and development towards artificial and augmented reality, with the results now beginning to show.
TikTok users will be able to create an avatar face to create a digital character avatar based on a selfie with matching facial expressions.
The new tool will enable brands to showcase a range of products within a single Lens, providing more virtual try-on options for users.
As Meta upgrades its upcoming 3D avatar, it will also let Instagram's users to use similar feature in the future.
Utilising the actual dimensions and details of the virtual object, the user will be able to see in VR an accurate depiction of their real world space.
Twitter is testing Bitmoji integrations that allows users to natively set their Snapchat's Bitmoji as their profile pictures.
This will enable users to generate entirely new artworks and articles based on simple text prompts, with unique results each time.
Meta has expanded its NFT display options by allowing share access across Facebook and Instagram.
Twitter expands its support for the NFT space with a new feature allowing users to display their own NFTs.
Meta's long term objective is to bail on its social media focus and diversify into a metaverse company with major research and development into augmented and virtual reality.
TikTok is following the success of Snapchat's filters in bringing the virtual and real through bitmoji avatars in their platform, which has shown immediate success.
Both Snapchat and Pinterest are showing the fruits of their heavy investment into augmented reality with numerous ground-breaking initiatives launched this year.
Increase in spending towards research and development into the metaverse sector from $15 billion in 2021 to $100 billion in 2022.
Users have already used AR features developed by TikTok's Effect House, gaining over 600 billion views globally.
More likely for Pinterest's 'Pinners' to purchase home decor from their AR Try On-enabled Pins than standard Pins.
In 2018 40% Reported More Than 5% Of Their Digital Budgets Went To AI.
Now 52% In 2022.
There's been a rise in the paid subscription format across several platforms, and many of them are also integrating new plugins to keep payments seamless.
Elon Musk has announced that Twitter Blue users will all receive a blue tick and be charged $8 a month for it.
TikTok's creators can earn monthly income from subscription fees and digital 'gifts' that is sent by their fans.
Snapchat is testing mid-roll ads that appear in the Stories of a small group of US creators as a new way for creators on the app to earn money.
The TikTok plugin for WooCommerce enables users to connect their product catalog, activate pixel tracking, create ads and launch them.
Twitter's creators now can provide their Super Followers exclusive content through the live audio platform, Spaces.
Twitter has introduced an integration with Shopify - "Shop Spotlight" to boost their eCommerce opportunities.
Snapchat is launching paid Snapchat Plus that allows users to pin one BFF and get early access to Snapchat's features.
Instagram is testing a tipping feature that would enable creators to recieve virtual gifts given from viewers to show appreciation for their reels.
Twitter has made it a clear objective to learn from YouTube Premium's success by developing the Twitter Blue subscription, and it looks like other platforms are following along.
Companies are experiencing insane success in the integration between e-commerce and social media platforms such as with TikTok's new WooCommerce plugin.
Snapchat's new story ads, and Instagram's "Gifts" initiative are a few examples of new ways platforms are generating revenue to be contributed to the creator fund.
In in-app purchases as of November 2022 with majority directed towards Twitter Blue, a rather uninspiring figure.
Of the time TikTok affected marketers' campaigns “very significantly” or “somewhat significantly”.
Year-to-year revenue growth Snap experienced in the third quarter, reasoning the demand to expand their direct-response advertising formats.
Major platforms are taking inspiration from their competitors by taking popular features or updates and applying them to their own application.
TikTok is testing a program that lets viewers pay to subscribe to specific live streamers they want to support.
Meta is testing a new left-aligned sidebar and channels list for Groups, which resembles quite closely to how Discord looks.
The new feature looks to copy the BeReal app, giving users a notification to share a photo in 2 minutes at random times of the day.
With the rise of BeReal on the rise, it's not surprise that other social platforms took its key value proposition and made it their own.
Much like TikTok, This update will allow you to view in feed posts, reels & stories in a full screen view without the top stories bar.
Similar to parental control features in other apps like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, Snapchat is rolling out its first set of parental controls.
Much like Instagram photo mode, TikTok is now allowing users to post still photos and carousels on their feeds.
New shopping features are coming to YouTube Shorts, including affiliate marketing and the ability to purchase items through Shorts.
The craze for video continues from 2021, as platforms such as Instagram desperately expand their video media to the extent of supporting a full screen mode.
In September this year alone, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok have all developed their own take on BeReal in an attempt to be part of the “authentic social movement”.
Where many platforms jumped onto TikTok's vertical video format, this year we see TikTok taking a few ideas of its own with Twitch-inspired streaming and Instagram-inspired photo mode.
More user visibility towards content on Meta which is in a vertical video format.
BeReal has topped the App Store globally numerous times this year, even overtaking TikTok with relative ease.
Live streaming users watch TikTok LIVE, and of that group 62% watch it every day.
Accessibility has been a big focus this year, with many platforms adding auto-generated captions, translations and alt text images. Audio rooms have also become a prominent way to experience content.
LinkedIn is testing audio rooms, where participants can join live discussions and raise a virtual hand to speak.
Reddit has been seeing success with its own 'Reddit Talk' option and has been looking to expand Reddit chats to another medium.
Videos on Instagram will now have auto-generated captions, and users have the option to turn them off or on.
The new 'Background Player' option for live-stream videos only, allows users to still listen to video audio even if the app is closed.
Twitter is expanding its accessibility tools, this time via the addition of a new option to translate charts into audio elements for visually impaired users.
YouTube is advancing the use of subtitles in its app, while TikTok is also looking to make auto-subtitles available on all clips.
TikTok will release a new range of captioning and translation tools such as auto-generated captions in an attempt to improve their app's accessibilty.
YouTube has added a new option to help enhance your Shorts, with creators now able to add voiceover to their short-form clips in the app.
Despite the underwhelming support for Clubhouse, platforms such as LinkedIn, Reddit and TikTok remain interested in developing audio room features.
Clubhouse proves “social audio” may be destined to be a supplementary feature of social platforms rather than a standalone platform.
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have all developed auto-generated captions in a sudden interest to make videos more accessible without sound.
Of marketers planned to leverage live audio chat rooms for the first time on social media this year.
Was the peak rank for Clubhouse this year in the Social Networking category on the App Store, which was at the start of this year.
Of people aged 12 and over listen to online audio on a weekly basis, or 176 million people.
Platforms are discovering new ways to improve content reach and engagement. Content is becoming more entertainment based and less about user communication.
Twitter has launched a fullscreen video reply option and explore layout, enabling users to vertically scroll with a full screen visual.
US viewers will be able to watch full seasons of TV shows on YouTube for free with ads. Streaming nearly 4,000 episodes of TV shows.
LinkedIn is testing the 'Discover' features that allow users to find content that they are interested in, based on the platform's algorithm.
Being tested in Southeast Asia, the new feed is being tested alongside a feature that gives creators the ability to add location tags to videos.
Twitter's developed another audience control option for your tweets, with a toggle that enables you to stop or limit people from mentioning your @handle.
Reddit allows community muting, which will remove the community's posts from your notifications and Home/Popular feeds.
TikTok has overtaken Netflix as the second most popular app, proving they are an entertainment app and not a social network.
Users will now be exposed to individuals, themes and topics that they don't follow, but are relevant to their interests.
TikTok's experimenting with location-curated content in an attempt to bring a larger variety of potential content to be discovered by users.
Twitter seems adamant about restrictions, now developing multiple new content restriction features such as the ability to restrict who can mention you.
LinkedIn has taken a huge step closer to the mainstream social media platforms with a 'Discover' feed which clearly resembles something off a platform like Instagram.
Of users (over 490 million people) seek and discover something new on the app each month through TikTok's algorithm.
Of Twitter's users take up 90% of the platform's content, with a recent study indicating that these "heavy tweeters" are on decline.
Users worldwide actively use LinkedIn, making its new 'Discovery' feed a real threat to other social media platforms.
With platforms increasing the length limit to their 'short' form content, character limits and providing more detailed video editing options, it's clear that long-media and creative power is on the rise.
Twitter's currently working on a new feature called 'articles', which will allow users to create blog posts within the app.
More users are getting more time to film their Reels clips, with Instagram expanding its test of 90-second Reels.
Longer reels, new interactive tools and reel templates are just a few of the new updates that will become available to all users.
Twitter is preparing to launch a new feature that supports the direct publishing of long-form content on its platform, called Twitter Notes.
Stories that are under 60 seconds in length will no longer be split into 15-second segments in an attempt to "improve the Stories experience".
Users can now write up to 2200 characters in their content descriptions as TikTok continues its move towards replacing the search engine.
Snapchat has launched a 'director mode' allowing creators to access an advanced video creation process.
Creators and publishers will soon be allowed to charge viewers a fee to watch their long-form video content with in the app.
As social media platforms allow for longer content, far more variety of content is available to be distributed to users with Twitter's longer posts and long form notes.
Instagram, Twitter and Facebook jump on the bandwagon to allow for longer reels and stories which Snapchat has developed advanced editing tools for.
TikTok's longer video descriptions enable better SEO for users to find the right content, inviting TikTok to become the new age of search engines and leaving Google behind.
Of consumers want to see brands using Twitter more, which we may see with longer form content allowing for easier marketing.
Of Gen Z consumers surveyed watch longer versions of videos that they discover on short-form video apps.
Of Gen Z searchers turn to TikTok or Instagram before performing a traditional Google Search.