Happy Wednesday!

Hopefully you’ve recovered from the craziness that was TikTok this weekend. I debated on sending out a newsletter on Monday, but figured with the holiday and inauguration, people were probably preoccupied. So today, I’m going to recap what went down with TikTok on Saturday and Sunday in case you haven’t caught up on all the drama yet.

Before that though, one thing I do want to point out is a few of the social media platform updates this week. I think that all the uncertainty with TikTok has led to other platforms really ramping up their video efforts. Facebook and Instagram have had reels tabs for a bit now, but as you’ll see below, Twitter and Bluesky are rolling out video-specific tabs on their platforms as well.

It’s something to keep an eye on as the 75-day extension unfolds for TikTok. Everyone is gunning for that top spot if TikTok doesn’t survive. Who will take it? We’ll see how it shapes up.

Well folks, we just witnessed what might go down as the shortest "permanent ban" in social media history. Remember when your parents used to ground you "forever" and then cave after a day? That's basically what happened with TikTok this weekend, except instead of your parents, it was the entire United States government.

The saga kicked off when TikTok decided to jump the gun on its own ban, shutting down operations on Saturday night (January 18th) instead of waiting for the official January 19th deadline. Talk about an overachiever! For a few anxiety-inducing hours, millions of Americans found themselves actually having to make eye contact with family members during dinner.

But wait – plot twist! Enter incoming President Trump with a classic "well, actually..." moment, extending the deadline by 75 days. It was weird that TikTok even thanked Trump specifically with its welcome back message when users got back into the app for the first time.

It's like when your professor gives you an extension on that paper you thought was due at midnight. Sure, it's not a permanent get-out-of-jail-free card, but it's bought TikTok some valuable time to figure out its next moves.

Here's where things get extra spicy: while TikTok made its dramatic exit and equally dramatic return, its sister app CapCut was caught in the crossfire (which admittedly, I didn’t even think about this possibility until it happened…). And unlike its famous sibling, CapCut took its sweet time coming back online. For those living under a rock (or still using Windows Movie Maker), CapCut is the secret sauce behind many of those polished TikTok videos you've been mindlessly scrolling through.

Content creators found themselves in a particularly awkward position – like showing up to a party with all your friends but forgetting your pants. They had TikTok back, sure, but without CapCut, many were left scrambling to find alternative editing tools. It's a stark reminder of just how interconnected our digital ecosystem has become. When one domino falls, it often takes down a whole row of others we didn't even realize were connected.

The extended deadline gives ByteDance (TikTok and CapCut's parent company) 75 days to figure out its next steps, but let's be real – this is far from over. It's like getting a temporary reprieve from your dentist; you know you'll have to deal with it eventually. The whole situation raises some pretty big questions about digital sovereignty, national security, and just how dependent we've become on these apps for both entertainment and livelihood.

For now, your favorite dance challenges and cooking hacks are safe, but this weekend's digital drama served as a wake-up call for many creators and users alike. Maybe it's time to start thinking about backup plans – or at least download a few alternative video editing apps, just in case.

Because if there's one thing this whole situation taught us, it's that in the world of social media, nothing is truly permanent – not even a "permanent" ban.

Let's have an uncomfortable conversation about something that I deal with on a weekly basis: digital marketing agencies are slowly being crushed under the weight of shrinking budgets and expanding expectations. It's like being asked to create a five-star meal with convenience store ingredients – and oh, could you make it Instagram-worthy while you're at it?

Remember when clients used to pay for expertise? These days, it feels like we're all contestants on "Who Wants to Be the Cheapest Agency?" – a game show where the prize is barely covering your overhead. I recently watched a potential client's jaw drop when I quoted standard industry rates. "But my nephew's roommate said he could do it for half that!" Sure, and I could perform surgery for half what a doctor charges, but would you want me to?

Here's a fun experiment: Tell a traditional advertising agency you expect a TV commercial for $500. They'll laugh you out of the building. Yet somehow, clients expect digital agencies to deliver:

And all for what amounts to pocket change in traditional marketing budgets. Make it make sense.

Can we talk about how freelance marketplaces have warped client expectations faster than a TikTok trend goes viral? When someone sees "Complete Digital Marketing Package: $299" online, they start thinking that's the benchmark. What they don't see is the corner-cutting, template-recycling, and AI-generated content that often comes with those bargain-basement prices.

Here's what happens when you choose the lowest bidder:

But hey, at least it was cheap, right?

Digital agencies aren't just button-pushers and post-schedulers. We're brand architects, trend forecasters, crisis managers, and growth strategists. We don't just post pretty pictures – we build digital ecosystems that turn scrollers into customers.

Yet somehow, we're still fighting the perception that digital marketing should cost less because it's "just online stuff." By that logic, shouldn't software engineers be paid less because they're "just typing"?

Part of this is on us, fellow agency warriors. We've done a poor job educating clients about the value we bring. When was the last time you:

It's time for digital agencies to stand up and say enough is enough. Here's how we start:

If a client's budget can't support professional digital marketing, they're not ready for professional digital marketing. Full stop. It's better to have no digital presence than a bad one that damages your brand.

And it’s better for you to move on to a potential client that does have a budget for your services rather than lower your prices and hate your decision two months down the road.

To my fellow agency leaders: It's time to stop the race to the bottom. We're not commodity sellers – we're strategic partners. Let's start acting like it.

To potential clients reading this: You wouldn't trust your legal strategy to the lowest bidder. Why would you trust your digital presence – often the first point of contact with your customers – to one?

The future of digital marketing isn't in being the cheapest option – it's in being the smartest option. It's about delivering value that makes price a secondary consideration. Because at the end of the day, you're not buying posts and pixels – you're buying expertise, creativity, and results.

Have you felt the pressure to lower your agency's rates? How do you communicate value to price-sensitive clients? Let's continue this conversation! Reply to this email or leave a comment (if you’re reading online).

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