May brought a handful of updates worth paying attention to. Instagram is doubling down on carousels and launching a new ephemeral sharing feature, LinkedIn is making a serious move into creator monetization, and TikTok is expanding a program that has real implications for travel and CPG brands. Here's what actually matters and what you should be doing about it.
Carousels are already one of the best-performing formats on Instagram. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has championed them for years as a top format for reach and time spent. Now, Instagram is testing something that could make carousels even more valuable: individual captions for each image or video within a carousel.
Currently in testing with a select group of users, the update would allow creators and brands to add a unique caption to each slide rather than relying on a single caption for the entire post. This opens the door to richer storytelling, more contextual information per slide, and a much more intentional approach to how carousel content is structured. Combined with March's carousel reordering update, Instagram is clearly investing in making this format more flexible and more useful for creators and brands who are willing to put the work in.
Instagram launched Instants on May 13, a new photo-sharing feature that lives in the Instagram inbox and disappears after friends view it. Photos can't be edited before sharing, can't be screenshot or screen-recorded, and vanish within 24 hours. Users can also compile their Instants into a Story recap. A companion standalone app is rolling out in select countries for quicker camera access.
The comparison to Snapchat is obvious, and Instagram isn't trying to hide it. What's more interesting is what this tells us about where Instagram thinks engagement is heading. The platform has been steadily pushing toward more private, friend-to-friend interaction and away from the public broadcast model that defined its early years. Instants is the most direct expression of that shift yet. For brands, this feature isn't a direct opportunity — it's limited to close friends and mutuals, with no advertising or brand presence built in. But it's a signal worth understanding. The more Instagram users migrate toward private sharing, the more the public feed becomes a discovery surface rather than a connection surface. That changes how brands should think about what they're publishing and why.
LinkedIn is reportedly planning to host up to 4,000 creator-led events per year as part of a major push into creator monetization. According to Business Insider, the platform is currently testing paid events with selected creators, with a focus on educational, professional content. LinkedIn's Premium Events program generated $18.9 million between the second half of fiscal 2025 and the first half of 2026. The plan is to expand to 50 creators for gated events in the second half of 2026, with paid events involving up to 1,000 creators rolling out in late 2026 and early 2027.
This is LinkedIn making its most aggressive creator economy play yet. The platform has historically been cautious about creator monetization, leaning heavily on invite-only programs and limited revenue share. That approach is changing. With TikTok, YouTube, and even Facebook all paying creators, LinkedIn has to compete or risk losing the voices that make the platform valuable to its professional audience. For mid-market B2B brands, this matters beyond just the creator opportunity. If LinkedIn succeeds in building a thriving creator ecosystem around educational events, it becomes a more powerful distribution channel for the kind of thought leadership content your ICP is actively seeking.
TikTok expanded its TikTok Go program in the U.S. in May, opening up its travel affiliate program to more creators. Originally launched for hotel promotions, TikTok Go now allows creators to tag accommodation and travel-related businesses directly in their posts and earn commissions on bookings. New partner integrations include Booking.com, Expedia, Viator, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and Trip.com. When a creator tags a business, the post includes a transparent disclosure that they're earning a commission — and users can view details, check availability, and book directly within TikTok.
The travel angle is the headline, but the real story is what this expansion signals about TikTok's broader commerce ambitions. The platform is building out affiliate and commerce infrastructure across categories, and travel is a natural starting point given how much travel discovery already happens on TikTok. For CPG and consumer brands watching this space, TikTok Go is a preview of where native commerce on TikTok is heading — and the brands building creator relationships now are going to have a significant head start when those capabilities expand beyond travel.
What are the biggest social media updates in May 2026? The four most significant updates from May 2026 are Instagram testing individual captions for carousel slides, Instagram launching its new Instants ephemeral sharing feature, LinkedIn announcing plans to host up to 4,000 creator-led events per year, and TikTok expanding its TikTok Go travel affiliate program in the U.S.
What is Instagram Instants? Instagram Instants is a new photo-sharing feature that allows users to share unedited, in-the-moment photos with close friends or mutuals. Photos disappear after being viewed and cannot be screenshot or screen-recorded. Instagram also launched a standalone Instants app in select countries for quicker camera access.
How does LinkedIn's creator event program work? LinkedIn is planning to host gated, creator-led events as part of an expanded monetization push. The platform is currently testing paid events with selected creators focused on professional education. Plans include scaling to 50 creators for gated events in the second half of 2026 and up to 1,000 creators for paid events in late 2026 and early 2027.
What is TikTok Go, and how can brands use it? TikTok Go is a travel affiliate program that allows creators to tag accommodation and travel businesses in their posts and earn commissions on bookings. Brands in the travel and hospitality space can get listed in the program to increase visibility through creator content. Partner integrations include Booking.com, Expedia, and Viator among others.
Should brands use Instagram carousels in 2026? Yes. Carousels generate around 12% more engagement per post than other Instagram formats according to Buffer research, and Instagram is actively investing in making the format more powerful with updates like reordering after publishing and individual slide captions currently in testing.
Keeping up with platform changes is one thing. Knowing which ones actually matter for your brand's strategy is another.
That Random Agency helps mid-market B2B and CPG brands cut through the noise and build smarter social strategies that drive real results. If you want to talk about what any of these updates mean for your brand, let’s chat.
