• SocialChain
• 22 June 2026
• 8 min

Social in Six 105

1. Meta says short-form social video is the new search result

The story:

• Meta has published a three-part blog series unpacking how online discovery is changing, with social platforms playing a bigger role in how people find products, brands and information.
• The series argues that consumers are increasingly using short-form video, creators, UGC and AI-driven discovery to answer questions and discover products, rather than relying only on traditional search engines.
• Their study found that 92% of consumers surveyed use social platforms for product info, 63% buy faster when social plays a role, and 65% feel more confident in the purchase.

So what?

Traditional search was built around utility. Social search runs on curiosity, trust and the sentiment of a comment section. Discovery and consideration now often happen in the same moment, which means content has to do more than answer FAQs. It needs to create momentum in the language of the feed: visual, human, useful and fast.

2. Instagram is testing a feature that lets you add your interests to your profile

View on Threads

The story:

• Instagram is testing a new profile feature that allows users to display up to five interests directly on their profile, helping others quickly understand what topics they care about.
• Threads user Radu Oncescu spotted the feature, which lets users tap interests on someone else’s profile to see related content within the app.
• Users’ algorithms will be influenced by the interests they’ve added to their profile, similar to Instagram’s Your Algorithm feature.

So what?

Instagram seems to be putting some of the “social” back into social media by making identity and interests more visible again. For brands, the value could be in the detail: not just broad audience buckets like music or sport, but the subcultures underneath. If declared interests eventually influence branded content or ad targeting, it could become a more precise and privacy-conscious signal.

3. Meta launched a standalone app to rival Reddit for online forums

The story:

• Meta has launched Forum, a standalone app that brings Facebook Groups into a dedicated Reddit-style discussion experience.
• Users sign in with their Facebook credentials, which then populate the app with the Facebook Groups they already belong to, while also helping them find related groups based on their interests.
• The app has a strong question-and-answer focus, including an “Ask” feature that pulls together responses from across groups, positioning Forum around deeper discussion, recommendations and community-led answers.

So what?

The surface read is that Meta is recreating Reddit’s discussion-led format. But the bigger question is what happens when Facebook Groups become more structured, searchable and accessible. Meta hasn’t said this is a data play, so that remains inference, but in an AI-driven platform landscape, human conversation at scale is valuable. For brands, this is one to watch rather than act on immediately.

4. Reddit adds video replies

The story:

• Reddit is launching video replies directly in comment threads, allowing users to respond with video as well as text, images and GIFs.
• The feature is rolling out to moderators now and is available to all users in public SFW communities, where it will be switched on by default.
• Moderators have controls to keep video comments limited to mods, open them to mods and approved users, open them to everyone, or turn video comments off entirely in community settings.

So what?

Reddit’s value has always been in the quality and specificity of its threads. Video replies could add to that, especially for demos, product recommendations or communities where showing something is more useful than describing it. But video also lowers the bar for contribution, so moderator controls will be key. The ad potential is worth watching too, even if Reddit hasn’t positioned this as a monetisation play.

5. Meta is testing episodic Reels

The story:

• Meta has confirmed to TechCrunch that it’s testing a new “Series” feature for Reels on Instagram and Facebook, designed to help creators organise serialised video content.
• Select creators can group new and existing Reels into a series, with each Reel acting as an episode within a dedicated hub on their profile.
• Viewers can tap through the Series, situated above the content grid, to watch episodes in order, save a series for later and tap through to the full series from the feed or Reels tab.

So what?

Serialised content gives people a reason to return, and a reason to stay once they’re in. That’s different from standalone Reels, where the algorithm decides what comes next. For creators, a dedicated hub reduces friction and makes it easier for audiences to find specific content. For brands, this could work well for formats like product stories, tutorials or behind-the-scenes series, but it’s worth seeing how creators use it first.

6. LinkedIn plans to go all in on creator events

The story:

• LinkedIn is reportedly developing a new initiative launching later this year that would enable 50 creators to host gated events directly on the platform, expanding its creator monetisation options.
• The events would allow creators to charge for access to webinars, workshops, networking sessions and other professional learning experiences hosted through LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn is currently testing paid events led by select creators, with a focus on providing educational insights for professionals.

So what?

This is one of the more interesting platform moves in a while because it fits LinkedIn’s identity. Creator events feel like an extension of professional learning, not just another entertainment-led monetisation feature. For brands with a genuine point of view or clear expertise, there could be an opportunity to align with what audiences are actively showing up to learn.