👋 Welcome back to The Roundup

What's inside this issue: the latest social media updates, trending content ideas, setting up welcome email sequences, and a very quick end-of-year SEO win. Let's jump in…

📰 In the news

Catch up on the latest social media updates and algorithm changes this week...

• IGTV is back, kinda, as Instagram test 20-minute Reels
• Instagram Stories showing expiring soon badge and time-left label
• Instagram Edits testing Storyboards for visually outlining your videos
• Meta launches Content Protection for Creators, scanning the platform for unauthorised use of your original Reels
• Facebook Marketplace introduce collections and test collaborative buying​
• YouTube debunks 24-48hr upload delay recommendation​
• LinkedIn denies claims that setting your gender to male increases reach
• TikTok allowing us to limit the amount of AI content shown in our Feed
• Snapchat release Topic Chats (another sign of the focus being on community spaces – something I'm looking into for 2026 👀)
• Amazon Music add a "Share to TikTok" feature
• The EU is proposing scaling back on GDPR restrictions
• Google testing AI-generated snippets powered by Gemini
• Google Search Console adds custom annotations to reports to help you track significant changes
• Google rolls out AI Shopping features ahead of the holiday sales
• Adobe to acquire Semrush (!) signalling the continued importance of SEO in an AI-driven content world

🔥 Trending ideas

• Letting TikTok/Instagram pick the song [example and example] – people are filming themselves dancing and letting the platform suggest the song. It's fun, it's silly and lets your personality shine!
• We're Sorry [example and example] – it's back, brands are sharing long-winded apology messages as a way to humble-brag about their offerings. I will say, use with caution! For some (more serious) brands this is way off the mark and causing backlash. Here's my advice for taking on trends.

💡 A quick win

It's that time of year again! We are inching closer to the new year, which means your audience (and Google) will soon be looking for fresh, up-to-date advice. If you have blog posts with "2025" in the title, they are about to expire.

1. Search your posts: Go to your blog post list and search for "2025"
2. Update the title: Change it from 2025 to 2026
3. Update the Meta Title/Description: Ensure the search snippet also says 2026
4. Update the URL (Optional): Only do this if the slug includes the year (like /post-title-2025/). Then set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one, so you don't lose your hard-earned SEO value.

Want bonus points? Things change fast these days. If the content feels a little out of date, update it by adding fresh advice. If you're low on time, let AI do the heavy lifting. Copy your old post into ChatGPT and use a prompt like this:

This keeps your content "fresh" in Google's eyes (a huge ranking factor) without you having to write a whole new post from scratch.

💭 This week at XOmisse

Are your inboxes already flooded with Black Friday emails? Because same 😅

In typical Type A fashion, I'm ignoring the sales and instead setting up new systems for my business. My goal is to head into 2026 feeling prepped, organised and knowing exactly what the next step is.

But I'd love to know where your head is at.

• Are you struggling with content consistency or growth?
• Is the tech setup and optimisation giving you a headache?
• If you had a magic wand, what task would you automate instantly?
• What do you wish you could simply hand over to someone else?

I'm planning out content for the new year, and I want to make sure I'm solving the problems you actually have!

See you next week, Elaine XO

Helping creators and small business owners start their online platforms, target their ideal audience and grow organically.

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​Elaine, 113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205