Over the past year, the balance between Facebook and Instagram had started to feel different. Facebook still had scale and loyalty, but Instagram was moving faster. Younger and more active users were spending more time there because it felt visual, quick, and closely tied to everyday trends. Facebook remained widely used, but Instagram was beginning to feel like the place where momentum was building.
During this period, websites were still seen as more reliable than Google search results. Many individuals and businesses did not yet understand how to build a structured presence on Google. Because of that, personal and company websites continued to act as the main source of information and credibility. Inside Top To Bottom Social, early internal discussions had begun around how Google visibility might eventually play a larger role, even though no clear market demand had formed yet.
Follower count was still the dominant signal across platforms. Algorithms were not strongly driven by interaction, and larger numbers made profiles appear more established. While serving this demand, the team was closely observing subtle platform changes. Small scale tests around comments, shares, and saves were introduced, reflecting early signs that interactions could start carrying more weight in the near future.
This phase also marked the growing visibility of TikTok. The platform was gaining traction globally, and curiosity around it was increasing. As clients began asking questions and exploring opportunities there, TikTok related services were introduced to support early experimentation.
Instagram’s swipe up feature for accounts with 10,000 followers created new interest. Clients were guided toward reaching that level so they could link externally through stories. Around the same time, signature style logo designs started gaining attention, especially among individuals focused on shaping a recognizable personal presence online.
Visual presentation was becoming more important. Photo enhancement saw rising demand as cleaner, color graded images began standing out more on social feeds. Flyer and poster designs were also used by clients to communicate their work consistently, both online and in print.
This period was defined by observation, testing, and staying close to changes as they were unfolding.