This Week On Social - Link In Bio Myth Debunked, YouTube Shorts AI Creations, Reddit Is Coming For Google
Your weekly fix of what’s hot (and what’s not) in social, influencer, and marketing news. 💻
This week, we’re diving into the tools, trends, and truths shaping social. Instagram clears up the “link in bio” myth, YouTube Shorts rolls out AI-powered video creation, and Reddit quietly becomes the internet’s new go-to for product advice. Plus, we break down the battle between Instagram Live and TikTok Live to find out which platform is best for influencer marketing in 2025...
Don't Miss This Week's Headlines!
(1/5) Don't Be Afraid of Link In Bio 🔗
Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has confirmed that posts are not penalised for having 'link in bio' written in their captions: “It will not affect your reach one way or another.”
Some creators are still finding a dip in their engagement but are being advised the issue might not be 'link in bio' but actually the lack of engaging content due to relying too heavily on users chasing context via links.
(2/5) AI Is Taking Over YouTube Shorts 🤖
YouTube Shorts now lets you turn your camera roll picture into animated videos, powered by Google’s Veo AI. All you have to do is select a photo, choose a vibe, and let the algorithm do its thing.
Here's everything you need to know:
✏️ Doodles into videos: YouTube’s new tools can animate those photos, drawings and doodles, giving creators fresh ways to experiment and storytell, especially for brands playing with visual identity.
🎡 AI Playground: A new in-app space to test AI tools, explore pre-filled prompts, and find inspiration, perfect for marketers needing quick creative inspiration.
🚨 Everything’s watermarked: YouTube will use SynthID to label AI-generated content, keeping things transparent (and on the right side of the policy police).
🌎 Rollout is phased: Features are now available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with more regions on the horizon.
(3/5) Is Reddit Coming For Google 👀
Google who? Looks like consumers are turning to Reddit for shopping advice...
Here's everything you need to know:
🧠 Reddit is shaping the purchase journey: Users are actively seeking out product advice, reviews, and experiences from Reddit’s communities before they buy, making the platform a growing player in mid-to-lower funnel discovery.
🔍 Search is shifting: Consumers are literally adding “Reddit” to their Google queries to bypass SEO fluff and find authentic, unfiltered advice.
🤖 Google’s in on it too: The tech giant is tapping into Reddit data to train its AI models and enhance search responses, cementing Reddit’s role in the future of search and discovery.
📢 Ad opportunity alert: For marketers, Reddit is now a more compelling space to target users in high-intent moments, especially if your product category thrives on peer validation.
TL;DR: Reddit is the new trust signal.
(4/5) Google’s New AI Shopping Assistant 🛍️
Virtual try-ons, smarter search, and price-stalking - Google’s new AI shopping assistant is here, and here's everything you need to know:
📸 Try before you buy virtually: Google is rolling out its advanced AI-powered “virtual try-on” feature to U.S. users. All you need to do is upload a full-length photo of yourself and see how clothes actually look on you, not just the models.
🔔 Smart price tracking just got personal: You can now set price alerts based on your size, colour and desired price. Google will notify you when that item hits your sweet spot.
📝 Conversational search is in: Want “a flowy green dress that’s cottagecore meets Coachella”? Google’s upgraded AI can now understand and deliver on vibe-based searches, making discovery more intuitive.
(5/5) Instagram Live Vs TikTok LIVE 🥊
Which Platform Is Best for Influencer Marketing in 2025?
The world’s leading social platforms are going all in on Live services, and audiences are showing us they’re hungry for it. People want to talk to their influencers in real time, buy from their influencers in real time, and love the exclusivity of time-limited content.
The brand opportunities are there, but rules of play are a little different to traditional ‘on-demand’ content. To edge out the competition and make sure your livestream efforts hit their mark, we’ll help you understand:
Read the full blog here!
...
And that’s all for this week, but don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for real time announcements of all our new blog content!
Reddit is where trust becomes the signal. 👀
Creative social media creator & manager | Specializing in music, events, and sports | 5+ Years creating content for Youtube, Instagram & TikTok | Advertising & Digital Marketing Graduate with First Class Honours
2moim obsessed with the AI-powered YouTube Shorts update, as a content creator, anything that helps bring ideas to life faster (and cooler) is a yes from me 👀 definitely testing this soon