February 19, 2025
Meta’s selling more ads, TikTok’s selling more stuff & users have all the power
Meta is flogging more ad space, TikTok is coming for your wallet, and Instagram is sneakily reshaping how brands tell their stories.
Meanwhile, AI is worming its way into your DMs, Threads is still pretending to be relevant, and Pinterest has decided that collaging is the future. If your strategy still looks the same as last year, it’s time to rip it up and start again.
Our key takeaways from the last week in social:
- Social commerce is no longer optional. TikTok has turned in-app shopping into a science, with 58% of users buying directly through the platform (AMZScout).
Meanwhile, Instagram and WhatsApp are pushing DM-led shopping harder than ever. If you’re not selling in-platform, your competitors are.
- AI is changing how content reaches users. Meta’s new AI-driven message summaries and X’s AI content personalisation mean platforms are filtering content before users even see it. If your messaging isn’t sharp and engaging from the first second, you’re invisible.
- Users have more control over brand content – Instagram’s grid editing, Pinterest’s collaging, and TikTok’s dislike button all signal the same thing: brands don’t own their narrative anymore, users do. That means more remixing, more reordering, and more scrutiny on content that doesn’t land.
Meta means more ads, more AI, more questions
Meta is testing multi-brand carousel ads in Instagram Stories, squeezing up to four different advertisers into one skippable placement (Social Media Today). It might bring cheaper CPMs, but at what cost?
- If users are already swiping past ads at a 50-60% rate (Statista), cramming four brands into one frame seems… optimistic.
- If this rolls out, brands with instant-impact creative will win. Everyone else? You’ll just be paying to boost Meta’s ad inventory.
Meanwhile, AI is taking over Meta’s messaging apps.
- Messenger’s “Memory” will soon recall past interactions, while Instagram DMs will auto-summarise unread chats (Meltwater).
- The takeaway? No one is reading long messages. Keep DMs snappy and straight to the point, or risk getting summarised into irrelevance.
Instagram is quietly grabbing more power
Instagram is testing profile grid editing, meaning users (and brands) can rearrange posts however they like (Socially Powerful).
It’s a game-changer for brand storytelling. No more burying your best content under a sea of average posts.
- If this rolls out, expect more curated, “designed” Instagram profiles, rather than just chronological feeds.
Instagram is also going all-in on WhatsApp integration. A new Stories sticker will drive users straight to WhatsApp chats (Social Media Today). This isn’t just a convenience feature. It’s Meta quietly shifting eCommerce into private messages.
- 83.6% of WhatsApp users open the app daily (Backlinko), making it the most frequently used messaging platform globally.
And finally, Instagram is testing a pause button for Reels (SocialBee). Not the most groundbreaking feature, but it could encourage users to engage with longer-form content, rather than just flicking through.
TikTok’s retail revolution gains pace
TikTok’s grip on in-app shopping is undeniable.
- TikTok Shop is now influencing nearly 40% of purchases (Metricool).
- Live shopping is exploding. Half of TikTok LIVE viewers end up making a purchase.
- 90% of TikTok Shop users plan to buy again (ChannelX), proving it’s not just a gimmick.
If you’re selling beauty, fashion, tech, or impulse-buy products, TikTok isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential.
But TikTok isn’t just focusing on shopping. It’s also giving users more control over content. The new “Dislike” button means posts that miss the mark will drop faster than ever (Sprout Social).
Remember, users spend an average of 58.4 minutes per day on TikTok (Social Shepherd), but they scroll fast. That means bad content will disappear quicker than ever.
If engagement is tanking, rethink your creative strategy immediately. TikTok’s algorithm ruthlessly down ranks poor-performing content
Threads & X are still finding their place
Threads is finally starting to feel like an actual social platform, rolling out hashtags, profile search, and more privacy controls (Sendible). It’s still not a serious Twitter/X competitor, but it’s getting there.
Meanwhile, X is going all in on AI. Elon Musk’s “Grok” AI tool is getting custom user instructions, meaning AI-generated content will play a bigger role in how people interact on the platform (Smart Insights). We think, Yuk! But let’s see
If your brand is active on X, be prepared for AI-driven content moderation, curation, and automation to reshape the platform.
Pinterest & YouTube are niche, but noteworthy
Pinterest is betting big on user-generated content with its new “Collage Remix” tool (Later).
- If your brand is in fashion, beauty, home, or lifestyle, this could be a goldmine as users are actively reshaping and re-sharing branded content.
Often the forgotten platform it’s worth noting that Pinterest users spend 80% more on products than people on other social platforms (Business of Apps).
Meanwhile, YouTube is getting serious about AI deepfake detection (Social Media Today). Expect more scrutiny on AI-generated marketing content, especially for high-trust categories like finance, health, and education.
The takeaway? Adapt or get left behind
- Social commerce is exploding
TikTok leads, Instagram & WhatsApp follow. If you’re not selling in-platform, your competitors are.
- AI is reshaping engagement
Content is being summarised, filtered, and ranked before users even see it. If your messaging isn’t sharp, you won’t be seen.
- Users control the narrative now
TikTok dislikes, Instagram grid editing, and Pinterest remixing mean your content is no longer just yours. Brands that embrace this shift will win.
That’s it for this week. Need help keeping up? Let’s talk.