Happy Wednesday, social pros!

Facebook recently announced that it is finally going to do something about all the spam/bots on your feeds. Will their attempts to clean up the timeline actually work? I have my doubts and I also fear they may overdo it and screw up the accounts that aren’t actual spam.

I’m glad they’re at least going to attempt to make some changes, but changes usually come with struggles, especially for social media managers who are already seeing declining organic reach.

After reading through their update below, let me know how you think the “cleanup” will go!

But before we get to that, let’s check out this week’s sponsor and the latest social media platform updates:

Social Media Platform Updates

• Meta Launches Standalone AI Chatbot App Designed for Conversational Use

• LinkedIn Shares Technical Specs and Posting Tips for Video Content

• Threads Is Prompting Users to Cross-Post to Instagram

• X Provides Explanations of Common Reach Restrictions Amid Accusations of Shadowbans

• Snapchat abandons plans for a simplified version of its app

• Threads officially moves to Threads.com and updates its web app

Facebook Tackles Spam Content to Improve Feed Experience

Meta announces new initiatives to combat spammy behavior and support authentic creators

Facebook is implementing significant changes to improve user experience by targeting spammy content that diminishes the quality of interactions on the platform. The company acknowledged user feedback indicating that the Facebook Feed doesn't consistently deliver engaging, fresh content that users enjoy, and is taking concrete steps to address these concerns.

Reducing Spam and Supporting Authentic Content

The platform is launching several initiatives specifically designed to combat accounts that attempt to manipulate Facebook's algorithms. These efforts aim to:

• Limit the reach of accounts using distracting, unrelated captions or excessive hashtags

• Restrict accounts sharing identical content across multiple profiles

• Prevent monetization opportunities for accounts engaging in spam tactics

• Remove coordinated fake engagement networks

Protecting Creator Content

Facebook is strengthening its approach to protecting original content creators by:

• Taking down millions of profiles impersonating established content producers

• Enhancing Rights Manager tools to help creators protect their original work

• Providing improved guidance for creators producing original, engaging content

• Adding features to Moderation Assist to identify and auto-hide comments from potential fake identities

Measurable Impact

Meta reports taking significant action already, including removing over 100 million fake Pages engaged in scripted follows abuse and over 23 million profiles impersonating large content producers in 2024 alone.

User Control and Experience Improvements

The company recently introduced a Friends tab in the US to help restore what they call the "OG" Facebook experience, allowing users to more easily see content from people they know. They're also testing new comment features that allow users to flag irrelevant or off-topic responses.

These changes reflect Meta's stated commitment to creating an environment where authentic voices can be heard while rewarding creators who produce genuine, engaging content on the platform.

This Week’s Social Media Meme

Meta's Cross-Posting Push: Smart Strategy or Content Compromise?

Meta's latest move to encourage Threads users to cross-post their content to Instagram Stories reveals much about the company's strategic priorities and raises important questions for social media managers about content strategy in 2025.

Meta's Cross-Platform Chess Game

Meta's new prompt suggesting Threads users share their posts to Instagram Stories is hardly surprising for a company that has consistently pushed cross-platform integration. The motivation is transparent - to "get more eyes on your posts" while simultaneously driving traffic to Threads, Meta's challenger to X (formerly Twitter).

With Threads reportedly reaching 320 million active users - still significantly behind X's claimed 600 million - Meta clearly sees cross-posting as a tool for growth. Every Instagram Story featuring Threads content serves as both content distribution and free advertising for the platform.

The Cross-Posting Dilemma for Social Media Managers

For social media professionals, Meta's push raises the perpetual question: Is cross-posting an efficient strategy or a compromise on content quality?

The Case For Cross-Posting

Cross-posting offers undeniable efficiency benefits. Creating unique content for each platform is time-consuming and resource-intensive. For brands with limited social media staff, cross-posting provides broader reach without multiplying workload. The data also supports that cross-posting can effectively expand audience reach when done strategically.

Additionally, cross-posting creates content consistency across platforms, reinforcing brand messaging and potentially increasing content lifespan through multiple exposure points.

The Case Against Cross-Posting

However, each social platform has distinct audiences, formats, and engagement patterns. Instagram Stories users expect visual, ephemeral content - not necessarily text-based discussions from Threads. What works on one platform often falls flat on another when directly transferred without adaptation.

Platform-native content consistently outperforms cross-posted content in engagement metrics. Users can also develop "content fatigue" when seeing identical posts across multiple platforms, potentially diminishing overall brand perception.

A Balanced Approach for 2025

The most effective strategy likely lies between all-or-nothing approaches. Smart cross-posting involves:

1. Strategic selection: Cross-post only content that genuinely suits both platforms' formats and audiences

2. Format adaptation: Modify content to match each platform's native experience while maintaining message consistency

3. Timing considerations: Stagger cross-posts to avoid simultaneous appearance across platforms

4. Platform-exclusive content: Maintain some platform-specific content to reward followers on each channel

Meta's push for Threads-to-Stories cross-posting may benefit their business goals, but social media managers should evaluate how it serves their own objectives. Sometimes efficiency must be balanced against effectiveness.

In a social landscape where algorithm changes and platform priorities shift constantly, social media managers must remain guided by their own audience needs rather than platform prompts. Cross-posting remains a valuable tool, but one that requires strategic application rather than automatic implementation.

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