November social updates and the bigger patterns they reveal

What's Brewing: November 2025

Welcome back to What's Brewing, where we break down the social and marketing updates that actually matter for artists, creatives, and brands.

This month's updates might look like a random grab bag of new features, but zoom out and you'll see a clear pattern: platforms are fundamentally rethinking how creators build, connect, and monetize.

The shift from public broadcasting to community cultivation isn't new, but November's rollouts make it undeniable. From Spotify's very much exepected video play to Patreon's social ambitions, the platforms are finally (maybe?) listening to what creators have been asking for.

Let's dive into what's new, what it means, and how you might want to test these features.

🎵 Spotify Brings Music Videos to North America

What's new: Spotify is rolling out music videos in the US and Canada after successful beta testing in 85+ international markets. Users will be able to toggle between audio and video with one tap, directly competing with YouTube Music's core functionality.

Why it matters: This isn't just about adding videos. It's about Spotify positioning itself as a true multi-format platform. For musicians and visual artists, this creates a discovery surface without requiring audiences to leave their preferred streaming app.

Strategic considerations:

• Music videos on Spotify = another distribution channel for visual content

• The seamless audio/video toggle could change listening behaviors

• Early adopters may gain visibility as the catalog builds

Try this: If you're a musician or work with music-based brands, prepare video content specifically optimized for the Spotify experience—horizontal format, attention-grabbing opens, and content that works with or without sound.

📌 TikTok's Bulletin Boards Embrace the DM Era

What's new: TikTok is testing Bulletin Boards—one-to-many broadcast channels that live in DMs. Creators and brands can share up to 20 posts daily (1,000 characters each) with subscribers who opt in. Fans can react but not reply.

Why it matters: This is TikTok acknowledging what Instagram confirmed: DMs are now the primary engagement surface. More content is shared privately than publicly on most platforms, and Bulletin Boards let creators meet audiences where they're actually spending time.

Strategic considerations:

• Exclusive content builds loyalty (sneak peeks, early access, BTS)

• Limited daily posts = strategic curation required

• One-way communication maintains creator control

💡 Try this: Use Bulletin Boards for content that feels too "insider" for your main feed for example, studio updates, process thoughts, product teasers, or community-specific updates that reward your most engaged followers.

💭 Patreon's Quips Solve the Discovery Problem

What's new: Patreon launched Quips—public, tweet-style posts (text, photos, videos) that surface in a discovery feed to Patreon's 8M+ active users. Beta testers saw 50% membership growth from the feature.

Why it matters: Patreon just addressed creators' biggest pain point: growing audiences on social platforms, then begging them to move to Patreon for monetization. Now you can grow and monetize in the same place.

Strategic considerations:

• Discovery without leaving your monetization platform

• Public content as a top-of-funnel for paid memberships

• Lightweight format reduces content creation pressure

💡 Try this: Use Quips for bite-sized, high-value takes that showcase your expertise or creative POV. Think of it as your "greatest hits" content that demonstrates why someone should become a paying member.

📊 Instagram's Competitive Insights: Helpful or Harmful?

What's new: Instagram rolled out Competitive Insights in the Professional Dashboard. Creators and brands can now track up to 10 competitors' follower growth, posting frequency, content types, and even boosted posts.

Why it matters: Transparency or anxiety fuel? This feature offers legitimate benchmarking data but also invites unhealthy comparison. Use it strategically or ignore it completely, both are valid choices. We’re actually excited to test this one out, we’ll be reporting back soon.

Strategic considerations:

• Benchmark against brands in your category, not aspirational outliers

• Track what's working (content types, cadence) not just vanity metrics

• Be intentional about when/how you check this data

💡 Try this: If you use this feature, set specific research questions first ("What's the posting frequency for brands with our follower count?" or "What content formats drive the most engagement in our niche?"). Avoid aimless browsing.

👻 Threads Ghost Posts Reduce the Stakes

What's new: Threads introduced Ghost Posts—content that auto-archives after 24 hours. Replies go to your private inbox, and only you can see who liked or replied.

Why it matters: This is Threads betting that posting anxiety is killing engagement. By removing permanence and public metrics, Ghost Posts encourage more spontaneous, unpolished sharing, exactly what text-based platforms need to stay alive.

Strategic considerations:

• Lower-stakes posting = more frequent presence

• Private engagement maintains connection without performance pressure

• Ephemeral content for timely thoughts, hot takes, or experimental ideas

💡 Try this: Use Ghost Posts for content you'd normally overthink.. we’re talking those work-in-progress thoughts, industry commentary, or questions to your community. The format rewards authenticity over polish.

The Through-Line: Community Over Content

Here's what ties these updates together: platforms are moving away from one-to-many broadcasting and toward sustainable, community-first models.

Bulletin Boards, Ghost Posts, and Quips all prioritize depth of connection over breadth of reach. Spotify and Instagram's moves show platforms trying to reduce friction, whether that's keeping users in one app or giving them better competitive intelligence.

For creators and brands, this means rethinking success metrics. Follower counts matter less when engaged communities drive monetization. Viral moments matter less when consistent, intimate connection builds loyalty.

💡 Our take: Test the features that align with how you already want to show up. Don't feel pressure to be everywhere, doing everything. Choose the platforms and tools that support your actual creative and business goals, not just the latest shiny feature.

What are you testing this month? Reply to this email and let us know which update you're most excited (or skeptical) about. We read every response.

Until next month—keep brewing ☕

TEAM UNEARTHLY