Welcome to the latest edition of Social Commotion, Motion’s roundup of social media updates and news. Check out our top social media updates from January 2025.
TikTok Ban Update: What Brands Need to Know
On the evening of January 18, millions of Americans settled in for their final nightly TikTok scroll before the impending ban, only to be met with a shocking realization: They had already been logged out of the app, hours before the Supreme Court’s midnight deadline. Panic ensued. Other social media platforms were flooded with cries of despair, nostalgia for favorite TikToks and dramatic goodbyes.
The nation went to bed thinking their time with TikTok was over, at least for the foreseeable future. But they didn’t have to suffer long. By Sunday morning, merely 12 hours later, TikTok was back, greeting users with a “welcome back” message.
So, TikTok was saved?! Not quite. President Trump signed an executive order granting TikTok a 75-day extension to its stay of execution. This extension gives ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, time to sell the app to a new owner and address national security concerns.
For now, TikTok is no longer available for download on Apple or Google app stores. With uncertainty looming, brands should prepare for a future without TikTok, or at least one with major changes. Here are the steps brands can take right now:
- Download your existing TikTok content and resources.
- Let your audience know where else to find you if TikTok goes dark.
- Review influencer contracts to prepare for potential pivots.
- Repurpose TikTok content for Instagram Reels, Facebook, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat or LinkedIn.
Start prepping now, and stay tuned—we’ll keep you updated as TikTok’s fate unfolds!
Instagram Will Recommend Longer Reels in Explore
Instagram has officially extended the maximum duration of Reels to three minutes, a significant increase from the previous 90-second limit. Announced by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the change is a direct response to user feedback indicating that the former time constraint was too restrictive for content creation.
Historically, while users could upload videos longer than 90 seconds to Instagram, the platform advised against doing so, noting that Reels exceeding 90 seconds often underperformed in terms of reach and engagement. This was also proven anecdotally with longer videos not being prominently featured on Instagram’s Explore page and the Reels tab. Instagram has now revised its approach, saying the platform will begin recommending longer Reels within its discovery algorithms and ensuring that these extended videos receive more exposure.
Some view Instagram’s move to accommodate longer Reels as an attractive alternative for TikTok creators seeking a broader audience and more stability. As advertisers, the update is particularly advantageous when it comes to being able to create longer-form video that highlights product demos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, thought leadership and educational content that is not suited for 90 seconds or less.
Threads Rolls Out Mobile Analytics to All Users
Threads announced a full roll out of post analytics in the mobile app, allowing users to access detailed performance data on their content. This feature, now available to everyone, offers insights into top-performing posts, follower growth and interaction rates and provides a comprehensive view of content performance.
As explained by Threads: “We’re rolling out insights for your posts on mobile and web. On mobile, tap the insights icon on your profile (at top right) and select a date range. You’ll see your top posts ranked by views and likes. To see everything you posted during that date range, tap ‘See all,’ at right. You’ll be able to sort your posts by views, likes or replies—and tap directly on a post for a breakdown of views and interactions.”
Although this data is important for social media managers and creators to track performance and optimize content strategies, the updates come at a time when social media growth is increasingly challenging due to the dominance of algorithm-driven feeds. As the default “For You” feed curates content based on individual interests, users are less inclined to follow specific accounts, making it harder for creators to grow their audience. This shift presents a challenge for creators who rely on building a dedicated following, as it reduces the impact of traditional follower-based growth.
Stay up to date on the latest in social media with Social Commotion, The Motion Agency’s monthly roundup of social media updates, or contact us today to help your brand navigate the ever-changing landscape of social media.
