May has been a busy month for social media updates. From Meta’s latest ad announcements to TikTok’s accessibility updates and Threads hitting a new milestone, there’s been a lot going on.
Whether you’re managing your brand’s content or just trying to keep up with the latest platform changes, here’s what’s new in the world of social this May.
Meta Outlines Ad Updates at NewFronts 2025
Meta unveiled a range of updates at NewFronts 2025, which will be impacting ads on Facebook, Instagram and Threads. The changes include improved creator collaboration tools, a new way to tap into trending Reels, updates to Partnership Ads, video ad capabilities on Threads, and more.
Firstly, Instagram’s now testing out Reels trending ads. This will allow brands to show their ads alongside trending Reels content, in a similar way that TikTok’s “Pulse” ads do. This could be a fantastic way for brands to boost awareness with very high-value placements.
On a similar note, Meta is also testing video ads on Threads. This follows on from the recent roll-out of Threads ads to all advertisers, and will give marketers more options for advertising on the platform. They also announced that they will be rolling out AI-powered video expansion on Facebook Reels, changing the aspect ratio by generating “unseen pixels.”
Threads Reaches 350 Million Active Users
Threads is steadily gaining momentum and starting to close the gap with X, recently surpassing 350 million monthly active users. In Meta’s latest earnings update, they also reported a 35% increase in time spent on the platform, another sign that users are starting to stick around for longer.
This growth likely comes down to a series of platform updates, including a newly improved website with a smoother desktop experience, the introduction of paid ads, better search functionality, and the addition of a “Trending Topics” section. We have recently noticed Threads coming up as an ad placement option in Meta Ads, with easy cross-promotion.
It’s clear that Threads is beginning to find its footing, and its audience. We explored these changes in more detail in our recent Threads round-up blog: “Is It Time To Take Threads Seriously?”
TikTok Adds More Accessibility Features
Elsewhere, TikTok celebrated Global Accessibility Awareness Day by announcing some updates to its inclusive access features, including alt-text for photos, variable colour contrast and enhanced text presentation options. Creators will now be able to add alt-text during or after upload, improving accessibility on image posts.
They have also added an option to increase colour contrast within the accessibility settings on the app. This will make the platform more usable for those with low vision or sensitivity to low contrast imagery. In addition, TikTok will now respect a device’s bold text settings, automatically making all in-app text bold when the option is enabled.
It’s great to see TikTok expanding its accessibility tools, hopefully we’ll be seeing more social media platforms following suit.
X Rolls Out Support for 4K Video Uploads
It may have taken a little longer than Elon Musk intended, but X has officially announced that the app will be supporting 4K video uploads. A handful of creators were given this option last month, but the feature has now been rolled out to all X Premium subscribers. The platform has been increasing its focus on video content and this update comes as good news for brands looking to build their audience on X with high quality video.
Musk has said that 4K video support is part of his “everything app” plan outlined in 2023. However, he actually expected to have it enabled by the end of 2023. Better late than never!
Talk To Victress About Social Media
Social media is always changing but at Victress, we enjoy making sense of the chaos. If you need a little help figuring it all out, or maybe you’re feeling unsure where to start, we’re always here for a chat. Just drop us a message and we can help get you sorted.
