TikTok Drama, LinkedIn's Identity Crisis, and Why Our Team Can't Stay Out of Trouble

Between endless rain, post-Christmas bank accounts crying into their empty wallets, and those "new year, new me" people still going strong at the gym (showoffs), we're all breathing a collective sigh of relief that February's finally here.

This month, we're diving into the digital playground with all the latest social media gossip. We'll spill the tea on TikTok's latest news and share some LinkedIn tips that won't make you sound like a corporate robot, and reveal our top Instagram hacks that actually work. Not to mention catching you up on what our team's been up to.

So grab your coffee (or wine, we won't judge), get comfy, and let's jump into what's been happening in the world of social media. And unlike January, we promise this won't feel like it's dragging on forever!

💎The TikTok Drama That Wasn't 

Remember January when everyone thought TikTok was getting booted from America? 

What a rollercoaster that turned out to be. TikTok creators were having meltdowns left and right, sharing their deepest darkest secrets like it was the last day of school. Spoiler alert: TikTok's still here, and those creators are probably regretting spilling their tea.

The whole saga was better than any Netflix drama - we had tears, confessions, dramatic goodbyes, and even some influencers revealing their secret sauce (turns out most of them just use the same five audio tracks on repeat, who knew?).

But here's what actually happened: While everyone was panic-posting their farewell videos, the powers that be were busy sorting out the technical bits behind the scenes. Now TikTok's not just surviving - it's thriving. Those 170 million American users can keep scrolling, dancing, and making questionable life choices on camera.

The plot twist? This isn't even the first time TikTok's faced a ban. At this point, TikTok bans are becoming like those friends who say they're leaving the party but never actually go home.

And of course, we’re thrilled that the ban didn’t go through. Especially when we have clients in America who want help with TikTok… would kinda have ruined things for us too. 

What This Means For Your Business

• Keep Creating Content: TikTok isn't going anywhere (for now). If you've been holding back on your TikTok strategy, it's time to dive back in.
• Backup Your Content: Though the ban didn't stick this time, it's always smart to save your content across multiple platforms. Think of it as digital insurance - nobody likes it, but you'll be glad you have it.
• Stay Flexible: Social media landscape changes faster than British weather. Having a presence across multiple platforms is essential.

Looking Forward

While TikTok survived this round, the social media world never sits still. New AI developments and privacy concerns keep popping up like bad pennies. But for now, you can keep posting those dance challenges and behind-the-scenes videos - just maybe think twice before sharing your deepest secrets next time there's ban talk.

💎LinkedIn's New News Banner

LinkedIn's rolling out a fancy new news banner at the top of your mobile feed. It's like having a mini newspaper delivered to your phone, minus the ink-stained fingers and crossword puzzles.

The banner shows rotating headlines about trending topics, handpicked by LinkedIn's editorial team. Think of it as your professional gossip column - except instead of celebrity breakups, you're catching up on industry trends and market updates. 

For now, this feature is only available in the US, Canada, and India. (Sorry, rest of the world - you'll have to find another way to procrastinate at work). 

What This Means For Your Business:

💎 A new way to stay on top of industry trends without looking like you're slacking off

💎 More opportunities to join trending conversations (and show off your expertise)

💎 Another reason to check LinkedIn during meetings 

💎 Perfect for spotting topics your audience cares about

💎 Brilliant for timing your content to match trending discussions

💎Instagram's Identity Crisis: The Great Reels Length Debate 

Instagram's having another one of its moments. You know, like when you tell everyone you're going on a diet but then order takeaway because "the rules have changed." First, they said Reels over 90 seconds were basically social media suicide. Now? They're suddenly all for these three-minute masterpieces.

Here's What's Actually Changed:

💎 Instagram will now recommend longer Reels in Explore 

💎 You can post Reels up to 3 minutes long 

💎 They're promising equal visibility for longer content 

Why The Sudden Change?

Maybe they've realised people actually enjoy watching longer content. Or perhaps they're eyeing up TikTok's territory again. Either way, it's a bit like your mate who swore they'd never get on Instagram and now posts 17 Stories a day.

What This Means For You:

💎 Feel free to stretch out your content (but maybe don't bore us to tears)

💎 Test different lengths to see what your audience prefers

💎 Keep a mix of short and long content in your strategy

💎 Remember: just because you can make a 3-minute Reel doesn't mean you should

Looking Forward

Whilst social media platforms play musical chairs with their features, the key is staying adaptable. And maybe keeping a sense of humour about the whole thing.

💎LinkedIn In 2025

Remember when LinkedIn was just an endless stream of "I'm thrilled to announce" posts and awkward office handshake photos? Well, times have changed, and LinkedIn's gone a bit rogue - in the best possible way.

What's Happening on LinkedIn Now:

💎 310 million active users (and not all of them posting about their morning routine)

💎 120,000 posts shared every minute 

💎 Video posts getting 20x more shares 

💎 7 minutes 42 seconds average session time (longer if you're procrastinating)

Why Should You Care?

The platform's having a proper identity shift. Think of it as that mate who used to wear suits to the pub but now shows up in trainers - still professional, just more fun about it.

What's Working Now:

💎 Behind-the-scenes content (because everyone loves a good office dog photo)

💎 Employee stories that don't sound like they're written by HR

💎 Actually funny memes (yes, on LinkedIn - wild times)

💎 Comments that spark genuine conversations instead of just "Great post! 🔥"

💎 Content that shows personality 

And while everyone else is trying to copy TikTok, LinkedIn's doing its own thing. It's like watching your strict teacher start telling jokes - slightly shocking but surprisingly refreshing.

Making It Work For You:

💎 Mix professional insights with personality (but maybe skip the morning routine videos)

💎 Share actual stories, not just corporate waffle

💎 Join conversations without the "looking forward to connecting" energy

💎 Create content that wouldn't make your colleagues cringe

💎 The SocialJems Gang

Now we’ve updated you on social media, let’s update you on the team. Starting with the one and only Jem…

💎 Jem's London Adventure & Welsh Escape

Our fearless leader Jem ventured down to London for some LinkedIn meetups, and oh my days, what a time she had! She connected with some brilliant minds from the platform – though we suspect the wine did most of the connecting by the end of the night.

Fun fact: Jem rarely drinks, so when she does... well, let's just say there were some interesting dance moves that may or may not have been documented. 

After surviving her London escapade, Jem headed off to Wales with the family for a weekend getaway. Now, Wales holds a special place in her heart – though we're not entirely sure if it's the stunning landscapes or the fact her phone barely works there. Nothing like forced digital detox to make the boss actually take a break!

💎 Our Resident Morgenmuffel: Sarah's Latest Adventures

You know that moment when adult life hits you square in the face? Well, Sarah's just had her initiation into the 'homeowner club' with her first boiler crisis. Nothing says "welcome to property ownership" quite like emptying your savings on a giant metal box that makes hot water. Thrilling stuff.

And speaking of empty things – Sarah's house currently has two dog beds and exactly zero dogs. Yes, you read that right. She's so excited about her future four-legged friend that she's already nesting. At this rate, the dog will have a better-furnished room than she does! We're taking bets on how many more dog accessories she'll accumulate before the actual dog arrives. 

But it's not all boiler drama and empty dog beds. Sarah took a trip down memory lane and went to see Papa Roach live with her sister. Last time she saw them, she was a teenager with questionable fashion choices (weren't we all?). This time around, she might be older, but the energy was exactly the same – though we suspect her neck might disagree after all that headbanging.

Speaking of living her best life – our night owl is still adamant about her night beach adventures. The colder it gets, the more determined she seems to be. Her latest mission? Trying to convince anyone (literally anyone) to join her for a moonlit dip in the sea. So far, she's had zero takers. Can't imagine why... something about hypothermia?

We've started wondering if she's secretly part polar bear. That or the cold water helps her deal with that boiler bill. Either way, if you spot someone doing a victory dance on the beach at midnight, it's probably our Sarah!

💎 Sarah's Surprise Puppy Plot Twist!

Remember Luna, the sweet rescue dog Sarah and Bryan took in from the streets? Well, turns out she came with a few... unexpected extras. FIVE unexpected extras to be precise! That's right – Luna was secretly cooking up a puppy surprise, and now Sarah and Bryan have gone from rescue heroes to running an impromptu puppy nursery. Talk about a package deal!

The new arrivals are all healthy, wiggly, and absolutely adorable (we might be slightly biased here). Luna's smashing it as a first-time mum, while Sarah and Bryan have mastered the art of tag-team puppy care. They're taking shifts like pros – though we're pretty sure their sleep schedule now consists entirely of power naps and coffee runs.

Their house has transformed into Puppy Central Station, complete with round-the-clock feeding times and endless cuddle sessions. Every surface has become a potential puppy napping spot, and we're convinced they now see the world in puppy-vision.

While we're over the moon about these tiny new additions, we also know that raising five puppies is no small feat. So we're sending all our love and support to the new puppy parents. And maybe some coffee. Definitely coffee.

💎 Baby Alert! Cath's New Arrival

The SocialJems family just got a tiny bit bigger! If you caught our last newsletter, you'll know Cath was counting down the days until her big delivery – and now the wait is over! Our spreadsheet queen has officially upgraded to mum status, and we couldn't be more excited for her.

While Cath's swapped client meetings for midnight feeds and team catch-ups for nappy changes, she's taking to motherhood like a duck to water. No surprise there – if anyone can handle a new tiny human with the same precision as her colour-coded Excel sheets, it's Cath!

Of course, we're dying to spam you all with adorable baby photos but we're restraining ourselves and giving Cath the space to soak up all those precious newborn moments.

To our wonderful Cath: We know you're probably reading this during a 3am feed – take all the time you need with your little one. The SocialJems gang is here whenever you need us, whether it's for virtual hugs, emergency chocolate deliveries, or just someone to talk to who isn't speaking in baby babble.

💎 That's All Folks - Until Next Time!

Thanks for diving into our latest newsletter and getting to know our chaotic but lovable team a bit better. 

If you're sitting there thinking your marketing could do with a dash of personality or you just want to level up your social media game, give us a shout. We promise to make it fun (and maybe share some puppy pictures while we're at it).

Want to stay in the loop with more SocialJems updates? Head over to our website at: https://socialjems.co.uk/

And keep an eye out for our next blog, coming out soon. 😜