Welcome to October, one of the finest months of the year. As you begin to plan or finalize your strategies for holiday shopping, here are some updates from the social media platforms you use the most.

Instagram Links With WhatsApp

Instagram announced a new way for business users to connect with customers: WhatsApp.

Businesses need simply add their WhatsApp business account number to their contact information. Customers will then be able to message them via WhatsApp.

The new feature was created based on user activity, where businesses created ads on Instagram that drove customers to WhatsApp via a third-party link.

“With boosted posts that drive to WhatsApp, we hope to empower businesses to reach their business goals by improving consideration among leads,” Instagram said in its business blog.

For steps on how to create an ad linked to WhatsApp, visit business.instagram.com.

Twitter to Roll Out Twitter for Professionals

Beginning this week, Twitter will start the introduction process for an entirely new platform for brand identity: Professional Accounts. With these new accounts, business users will have access to Twitter Ads, Quick Promote, and Advanced Profile features. Users will also have access to future features Twitter has promised as it works on its e-commerce capabilities.

According to Twitter, Professional Account profiles will help to clearly distinguish businesses from the general user, with the profile indicating what kind of profession the account identifies with. Anyone that uses Twitter for work can be considered for one of these accounts.

Though not all users have the ability to switch account types just yet, Twitter is working on the rollout of this capability. For more information, visit business.twitter.com.

TikTok Reaches 1 Billion Users

Popular social platform TikTok is celebrating 1 billion active monthly users, the app reported.

The international app, whose presence in the U.S. was once under threat by the Trump administration, has become a key tool for many businesses and content creators, sending many of its competitors—like Instagram—scrambling to keep up.

“More than 1 billion people around the world now come to TikTok every month to be entertained as they learn, laugh, or discover something new,” the company said in an announcement. “We’re honored to be a home for our immensely diverse community of families, small businesses, and creators who transform into our favorite stars.”

Facebook Presses Pause on Instagram for Kids

Remember that controversial announcement that Facebook was working on an Instagram platform for kids? It went down about as well as you’d expect.

And now Zuckerberg’s platform has announced it’s pausing development of the controversial project aimed at children under 13, citing a misunderstanding in reports of what the developing program was even about.

“We’re pausing our project to build an Instagram experience for tweens, often referred to as ‘Instagram Kids’,” Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri wrote in a series of tweets.

“This experience was never meant for kids. We were designing an experience for tweens (10–12yo), and it was never going to be the same as Instagram today. Parents approve tween accounts and have oversight over who they follow, who follows them, who messages them, time spent, etc.

“But the project leaked way before we knew what it would be. People feared the worst, and we had few answers at that stage. Recent [Wall Street Journal] reporting caused even greater concern. It’s clear we need to take more time on this.”

This announcement comes as Facebook is currently under fire for its impact on teens’ mental health.

(Photo: Getty Images Plus/pressureUA)

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