Welcome to your weekly Friday rundown of everything chaotic, clever, and quietly game-changing that happened in social media.

From TikTok testing your attention span to LinkedIn embracing creators, we’ve got plenty to unpack. So grab a coffee (or something stronger) and let’s dive in.

What’s New on TikTok?

TikTok Is Getting Longer (Like, Way Longer)

Remember when TikTok was a 15-second app? Yeah, neither do we. The platform has officially started rolling out 60-minute video uploads to more users, turning it into a legit YouTube competitor.

Whether this is great for creators or a recipe for content chaos remains to be seen. But it’s safe to say the definition of “short-form” is getting blurrier by the day.

What’s New on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn Finally Wants to Pay Creators (Sort Of)

Say hello to BrandLink, LinkedIn’s first real move toward creator monetization. It connects advertisers with big-name creators like Gary Vaynerchuk, Rebecca Minkoff, Guy Raz, and Steven Bartlett, allowing them to run in-stream video ads next to exclusive editorial content.

Early results are promising: 130% higher video completion rates, 23% higher view rates, and 18% more likelihood to convert compared to standard video ads.

This could mark the rise of the B2B influencer era, or at least LinkedIn’s bet on it.

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LinkedIn Breaks Another Engagement Record

LinkedIn is thriving. In Microsoft’s latest earnings report, the platform reported record-high engagement levels again.

According to the update, LinkedIn saw a 9% increase in sessions this quarter, but that’s actually down from 11% the same time last year. While Microsoft has been calling every quarter a "record" since 2018 (yes, really), this time they actually gave us more than just vague praise:

• Time spent watching video is up 36% year-over-year
• Comments are up 32%
• Premium Company Page signups grew 75% (although that’s likely just because the feature became more widely available)

Its also worth noting that while LinkedIn boasts over a billion members, its active user base is estimated at around 300 million. So yes, engagement is up, but maybe take “record levels” with a grain of salt.

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What’s New on Threads?

Threads Hits 350M Active Users

Threads just passed 350 million monthly active users, which makes it one of the fastest-growing social platforms this year.

Whether it’s here to stay (RIP Clubhouse) is still TBD, but for now, the growth is very real.

What’s New on Instagram?

Instagram’s Story Levels Up With “Collage”

Instagram is testing a new “Collage” format in Stories, and more users are now getting access. It’s a sticker that lets you add and rearrange multiple photos into one story layout (scrapbook vibes, anyone?).

Think of it as Canva built right into the app. A small change, but potentially big for aesthetic-obsessed creators.

April Content Recap

This week, Mosseri is taking a break at a creators event (it was a quiet week, wasn't it?). But in case you missed anything from the crazy month of April, here's the rundown of what Instagram has dropped last month:

• Launch of the Edits app: Instagram’s version of CapCut
• Introduction of Reels Blends: shared Reels feeds with friends
• Testing of Community Notes
• And much more!