Algowatch is back for its April instalment as the place to find the most important social media updates of the month.
Whether you're a marketer or content creator, staying ahead of these evolving algorithms is more crucial than ever. Let’s break down what’s changed, what it means, and what you should do next.
ByteDance explains Chinese TikTok’s algorithm
Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok owned by ByteDance, has launched a dedicated website (95152.douyin.com) to explain how its recommendation and moderation systems work. The site explains that Douyin’s powerful algorithm, much like TikTok’s, does not interpret content in a human sense but rather identifies patterns between user behaviour and content characteristics using mathematical models.
The platform elaborates that user interactions, such as likes, shares, follows, and viewing time, are key inputs for predicting content preferences. While the website reassures users that the app doesn’t spy on them, it acknowledges that targeted advertising across platforms may create that impression. For instance, if users search for pet food on one app, they might later see related ads on Douyin. This level of transparency is part of Douyin's effort to align with regulatory expectations and build user trust amid widespread algorithm-related scrutiny.
Meta Ads introduces Incremental Attribution
Meta has introduced a significant update to its Ads Manager with the launch of Incremental Attribution, aiming to provide advertisers with a clearer picture of which campaigns are genuinely driving conversions, beyond the limitations of last-click attribution. This new feature uses a holdout group methodology to assess the true impact of ads, helping advertisers understand whether a campaign contributed to a conversion, rather than just being the final touchpoint.
The update marks a strategic shift toward more meaningful performance measurement. While incrementality testing has been available across platforms for some time, it’s often underused due to its complexity. Meta’s move to automate and simplify this process could make it a mainstream tool for advertisers, potentially improving campaign optimisation and revealing insights that traditional attribution models miss.
Canva introduces Sheets and Charts
This isn’t a direct algorithm update, but it is still an incredibly useful tool - Canva has introduced two new features, Sheets and Charts.
Sheets has evolved beyond traditional spreadsheets with the integration of Magic Studio, offering AI-powered tools that improve efficiency and data handling. The update changes how users interact with data, streamlining complex tasks and enabling more effective analysis.
With these new capabilities, users can easily create clear data visualisations, extract actionable insights, and organise information more efficiently, regardless of their level of expertise with numbers.
LinkedIn UK boss shares tips for boosting engagement
Janine Chamberlin, the UK country manager for LinkedIn, recently shared her top three tips for boosting engagement on the platform during an episode of City AM's Boardroom Uncovered podcast. While she doesn’t have access to LinkedIn’s algorithm, she emphasised the importance of authenticity in content.
Chamberlin advised users to focus on sharing genuine insights and experiences, particularly through video, which is the fastest-growing content format on the platform. She noted that short, informal videos, such as selfie recordings, can be a powerful way to connect with your network and share valuable knowledge.
In addition to creating original content, Chamberlin stressed the importance of consistency. She recounted her own experience during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was posting daily updates about working from home. What started as a two-week experiment turned into a 100-day streak, significantly boosting her engagement and visibility on the platform. Her key message: the more you use LinkedIn and share content regularly, the more likely you are to grow your audience and strengthen your professional presence.
New LinkedIn video updates
LinkedIn has shared key recommendations for improving video performance on the platform, particularly for marketing and awareness campaigns. For top-of-funnel efforts, it's best to keep videos short—ideally between 15 to 30 seconds—to quickly capture attention. If the goal is deeper engagement, longer formats are acceptable, but it's still advisable to stay under two minutes to maintain viewer interest.
To ensure videos are mobile-friendly, LinkedIn suggests using square (1:1) or vertical (9:16) aspect ratios, which generally perform better on the platform.
Additional tips include enhancing accessibility and clarity. Adding captions or subtitles makes content more accessible to a wider audience, especially in sound-off environments. Text overlays should be kept brief and clearly aligned with the video’s core message. Finally, selecting a visually compelling thumbnail is essential for catching users’ attention as they scroll, increasing the likelihood that they’ll stop and watch.
Furthermore, you’ll now be able to send MP4 videos in LinkedIn DMs up to 20 MB.
Head of Instagram announces new features
Meta is launching Blend, a new feature aimed at making it easier for friends to connect through DMs. Blend creates a shared feed of Reels by combining recommendations based on the interests of everyone in the chat. To start a Blend, users simply go to a DM conversation and tap the Blend icon, with all members needing to opt in to participate. Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri said in an Instagram reel that the feature is designed to offer a more engaging and personalised way to enjoy content together.
Furthermore, the company has also introduced Edits, a new mobile app designed to simplify video creation. With Edits, users can manage their entire creative workflow in one place, making it easier to produce videos on their phone.
According to Mosseri, the app has been developed in close collaboration with creators from the start, and ongoing feedback will play a key role in shaping future updates. This launch marks the beginning of Meta’s efforts to provide more powerful, user-friendly tools for mobile video editing.
Deezer announces a new algorithm
Musicians and artist marketers, here’s some exciting news. Deezer has announced a suite of new features designed to deliver a more personalised listening experience, with a particular focus on giving users greater control over their music recommendations.
The most significant update is a customisable algorithm that allows listeners to fully tailor their suggested content without limitations. Beginning this month, users can manually adjust the songs, albums, playlists, and artists that appear in their recommendations through a new “Manage My Recommendations” section. Unlike other platforms that allow users to simply hide or dislike songs, Deezer enables them to completely exclude specific content, offering a deeper level of personalisation.
To further refine recommendations, Deezer has also introduced a “dislike” button alongside the existing “like” option. By tapping a crossed-out heart icon, users can signal that they no longer want to receive suggestions for a particular track.
Facebook traffic is on the rise
Facebook traffic appears to be regaining momentum, now representing a growing share of social referral traffic for many of the world's leading news websites. According to new data from Similarweb, the percentage of social traffic coming from Facebook increased for 75% of the top 68 news sites globally in March 2024, compared to the same time last year.
This uptick follows a period of decline, when Facebook's referral traffic had fallen significantly after the platform deprioritised news content in favour of videos. In March 2023, Facebook’s share of total social referral traffic had sharply dropped, but it seems to be recovering as Meta adjusts its approach to content, especially with a more personalised focus on political and news-related content across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
The data also reveals that 37% of the major news websites saw an increase in Facebook’s share of social traffic and a rise in total social referrals. Overall, 48% of the sites tracked by Similarweb reported growth in social referrals, indicating a broader trend of improvement for Facebook as a major traffic driver for news publishers.
YouTube updates for creators
YouTube is rolling out three new updates to the Inspiration tab in YouTube Studio to assist creators in developing more engaging content. The first update, Brainstorm from anywhere, allows creators to use past videos and comments to generate prompts and ideas for future videos. This feature is designed to help spark creativity and guide content development. The second update, Hooks, provides AI-powered suggestions for crafting stronger video introductions, aimed at improving viewer retention rates.
The third update, Quick saves, lets creators save ideas directly from the idea list within YouTube Studio, streamlining the process of organising content concepts. Additionally, YouTube is allowing users to repost TikTok content to YouTube Shorts, expanding cross-platform sharing opportunities for creators. These new features aim to enhance the creative process and boost content performance on the platform.
