A Bizarre Week in Social Media
By: Ben Holden, Senior Account Manager, Conversion Interactive Agency EMEA
Posted: Jan 23, 2025
Categories: Blog
If you’ve been anywhere near the internet over the past week, you’ll know it’s been one of the most bizarre in social media history.
Let’s start with the algorithm changes that shook up the platforms we thought we knew. Instagram revamped its profile grid—again—sparking some hilarity with people who've been relying on the old square formatting (poor Niall Horan & his social team). In a bid to compete with TikTok, given their impending US ban, they also extended Reels to a whopping three minutes, a move that has creators either celebrating or scrambling to adapt their content strategies.
Snapchat and Instagram both tried their hand at what can only be described as an attempted coup of TikTok’s short-form dominance. Snapchat released a campaign focused on creators, while Instagram doubled down on features that looked suspiciously TikTok-like. But just when it seemed TikTok’s reign might be in jeopardy...the twist happened.
TikTok announced it was working with none other than former U.S. President Donald Trump to prevent its looming ban (we should point out if you’re looking for a political debate, you won’t find it here). Social media erupted in disbelief. And then, in the blink of an eye, the situation flipped again. Just 14 hours later, TikTok’s ban was called off, with Trump offering assurances that calmed the storm.
This whiplash-inducing sequence left the internet buzzing. Creators and marketers alike were left wondering how to prepare for platforms that could vanish or transform overnight. It’s a reminder of the volatility that’s always just beneath the surface in the social media world.
Through all this chaos, one thing remains clear: social media platforms are locked in an arms race for user attention, and the landscape is evolving at lightning speed. For creators, brands, and users alike, the question is how to stay adaptable without losing sight of what makes these platforms valuable in the first place.
