Social media never sits still, but not every announcement requires you to change your strategy. This week, the biggest developments involved AI, advertising competition, and questions about how platforms access business website content. Here are three stories worth understanding before you head into the weekend.
1. Meta Is Doubling Down on AI
On October 21, Meta reported its third-quarter results and highlighted its growing AI ambitions. Reuters reported that Meta's Muse AI agent had attracted more than 10 million account sign-ups in the United States and Canada in approximately six weeks. The company is investing heavily in AI infrastructure and plans to make AI a more central part of its business. Nasdaq
What this means for you: AI is becoming a bigger part of the social media landscape, but you do not need to adopt every new tool. Use AI where it saves time, such as organizing ideas or outlining captions, while keeping your own experience, judgment, and voice at the center of your content.
Read the Reuters report on Meta's AI strategy.
2. TikTok Is Shifting Advertising Dollars to Other Platforms
A report published October 21 by Business Insider found that TikTok was shifting some advertising spending toward YouTube, Pinterest, and mobile advertising networks after Meta blocked TikTok's parent company from advertising on Meta's platforms in several markets. Sensor Tower estimates cited in the report showed TikTok's share of advertising spending on YouTube rising from 9% early in October to 17% between October 9 and 16. These figures concern TikTok's own advertising budget, not the results a typical small business should expect. Business Insider
What this means for you: Even large companies have to adjust when advertising access changes. Avoid depending entirely on one platform to reach customers. Choose channels based on where your audience spends time, and make sure your website and customer relationships can continue working if a platform changes its rules.
Read the full Business Insider report.
3. Meta's Website Content Terms Are Under Scrutiny
New commercial terms from Meta are scheduled to take effect on October 30. After concerns were raised about language that appeared to permit website content to be used to train AI products, Meta removed the explicit reference to training. However, legal experts quoted by The Verge say the remaining website-crawling language still raises questions about how broadly the terms could apply. Meta says the update does not give it new rights that override website owners' crawling preferences. The scope and implications remain disputed. The Verge
What this means for you: If your business has a website connected to its social media accounts, do not ignore changes to commercial terms. Review the current terms and ask whoever manages your website to check its crawling instructions, including its robots.txt file. If your site contains proprietary material or information you do not want exposed, seek advice from a qualified professional about your options.
Read The Verge's report on Meta's revised terms.
One Trend to Watch Next Week
AI is moving deeper into content creation, discovery, and business tools.
Watch how platforms continue to integrate AI and explain how business content is accessed and used. For small businesses, the best response is not to chase every new feature. Focus on useful original content, clear information about your products and services, and direct relationships with customers.
What This Means for Your Business
This week's stories point to three practical priorities:
Keep your marketing diversified. Maintain a useful website and reliable ways for customers to contact you outside social media.
Use AI deliberately. Let it assist with repetitive work, but verify its output and preserve your expertise.
Protect your business assets. Pay attention to platform terms, website settings, account access, and the information you publish.
You do not need a new strategy every week. You need a strategy that can adapt when the platforms change.
Today's 5-Minute Task
Reconnect with someone in your professional community.
Choose a customer, supplier, industry peer, or fellow creator you appreciated working with recently. Send them a genuine message thanking them for their help, sharing something useful, or asking how a project is going.
Do not pitch a service or ask for a favor. Spend five minutes strengthening a relationship without expecting anything in return. Good business relationships often begin with small, consistent interactions.
Follow Friday
This week, we are highlighting two welding and metal art creators who offer inspiration, useful ideas, and a reason to keep learning.
Alex at AM Custom Fab
AM Custom Fab is worth following for instructional welding videos, creative fabrication projects, and practical shop solutions. Alex shares techniques and ideas that can help welders and fabricators learn new skills or approach a problem differently.
Follow along:
David Madero at Madero Co.
Madero Co. is a strong follow for anyone interested in metal sculpture, creative problem-solving, and the process behind turning ideas into finished artwork. David Madero's work demonstrates how welding and fabrication can extend beyond traditional shop projects into large-scale and highly creative art. His willingness to share the process also makes his work valuable for other artists and makers.
Explore his work:
Both accounts are reminders that you can build an audience by sharing what you know, showing how you work, and helping others appreciate your craft.
Follow Slag Tag Media
For more practical social media education, platform updates, and ideas for growing a small business, follow Slag Tag Media on these verified channels.
Thank you for being part of Slag Tag Media+. Keep learning, keep connecting, and keep building something you are proud of.
Have a question or a topic you would like us to cover in a future article? Send it our way. Your questions help shape what we share next.
Have a good weekend, and keep growing.
- Jonny
Email: slagtagmedia@gmail.com
Editors note: For those of you that went to FabTech Expo this week in Las Vegas, Nevada, I hope you had a fantastic time there. Saw everything you were looking for, made some amazing connections, made form new friends, gain a few more fans and overall had a fun time. Thank you to all who caught up with me and said hello, dropped a few words of encouragement or took a selfie. It was an absolute blast and cant wait to see you all next year in Chicago, IL for FabTech 2027.
-Jonny