Protecting Your Brand Amid Constant Social Media Shifts

From TikTok’s on-and-off relationship with the US to Meta’s questionable policy decisions to the tech bros lined up for the inauguration, does January have you feeling dizzy or maybe a little sick? As a brand, what does this mean? 2025 is shaping up to be a doozy of a year for marketers, and as your agency partner, we’re here to support you through the rollercoaster. 

In case you missed it, Mark Zuckerberg has communicated a number of changes in the first two weeks of January that came as a bit of a surprise. He made the decision to remove 3rd party fact-checking as well as overhauled Meta’s hateful conduct policy, under the guise of free speech. In addition, he has also made misogynistic comments about how our workplaces should operate. As a woman-owned business, we’re not about that bullshit.

For many brands, small and large alike, Meta has been a successful advertising platform over the years.  So while we do not hold the same values as Mr. Zuckerberg, we understand the importance of supporting clients’ success. As we monitor what these changes will look like for the Meta eco-system here are some of the top questions we are asking ourselves and our clients:

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1. Are you contradicting the values you have previously communicated to customers? While the immediate shockwave isn’t a clear indicator of how the platforms will evolve, we anticipate both Facebook and Instagram to become more turbulent. If so, what message is it sending to your consumers by having your advertising on the platforms? 
2. Is it safe for your brand to advertise on the platform? While there are still tech-enabled controls to assist in brand safety decisions, they still won’t tell us whether or not the platform as a whole is right for our brands. Our years of expertise in social media provide us with the knowledgeable boundaries of when a platform has gone too far. Moderation and community management must increase. As we saw with the changes made to X, bad actors become more emboldened with these policy changes, and it is critical to keep asking if the platform is still correct for your strategy. If you’re moderating in-house, how are you providing support to your community managers fielding hateful comments on your behalf? 
3. Speaking of community management, we believe strong communities are at the heartbeat of what has made social media so successful. How will you protect your brand community? You’ve done the work to build a band of loyalists, how will you show up for them? The relationship a brand holds with their creators is at its best when both parties feel like the other has their back. 
4. How are you diversifying your channels? There was a time when much of our recommended strategies would have been on Meta. Luckily, over the years, there are very few brands we would make that same recommendation today. There are great Predictive ROI (PROI) products on the market to ensure your brand has the correct marketing mix. As we know with TikTok, channels can come and go (and come back) in the blink of an eye. Don’t put all your advertising dollars in the same billionaire’s basket. 
5. Lastly, look at your owned channels. Where can you own your brand content and data? Effective strategies include emails and newsletters. How can you strengthen your website and provide more value to consumers? Tighten the areas of your marketing plan that you can fully control.  

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As an agency partner, our responsibility is to recommend the best strategy for your brand, from your bottom-line success to your brand’s reputation. We’ll continue to monitor the platforms available, and we encourage brands to stay nimble and flexible as things change rapidly. 

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