Two Courses, Our Honest Take. The Social Media Lessons That Actually Stuck
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As the newest member of UMM’s social team, I’m lucky enough every now and then to go back to school (AKA attending industry events and hearing directly from the experts themselves). In the past few weeks, I’ve crashed TikTok (yes, the birthplace of that ever-elusive algorithm) and attended a behind-the-scenes boot camp at Brandwatch. Both events were full of shiny insights, big ideas, and those ‘aha’ moments that have you scribbling notes like a maniac. Here’s what actually stuck, so that you can skip the ticket.
BLINK AND YOU’LL MISS IT
Here’s the brutal truth that both events kept hammering into us: you’ve only got 2–2.5 seconds to grab someone’s attention. Yep, that’s it. Just 2.5 seconds to hook them before they scroll onto the next thing.
A lot of pressure, right? So what does that actually mean? It means your window to hook someone is tiny. A visual, a sound, or a caption has to make them feel something, build suspense, or just go, “Wait, what’s even happening?” TikTok isn’t Instagram or Facebook. It’s fast, messy, chaotic, and happening right now.
For brands, that means your content might need to do things that feel a bit… uncomfortable. Jump on trends you haven’t tried. Use copy that makes you nervous. Maybe even hide your product until the very end. It might go against everything your marketing gut says, but the game is changing. And if you want to win, you’ve got to learn how to play by a new algorithm.
LISTEN FIRST. POST SECOND.
Forget what you want to push. It’s time to start listening to what people want to hear. The feed is alive, trends are talking, and the algorithm is humming differently every day.
Michael from Tag at Brandwatch put it perfectly: “Every post should do one of four things: entertain, inspire, educate, or convert.” That’s it. Once someone’s thumb pauses mid-scroll, your job is simple: make them laugh, learn, feel, or click.
Because socials aren’t billboards. They’re conversations. And the beauty of conversations is that you get to jump in.
With this, Manasvi from NBN Australia explained the importance of community engagement. Social media hands us the tools—reply, stitch, like, comment—so why not use them all? The more you play around, the more people stay. That’s when your brand stops being “content” and starts being human—witty, alive, actually part of the discussion. More than just a scream, a conversation starter.
THE SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSION THAT’S KILLING GOOGLE
Did you know 70% of people now use TikTok as a search engine? You read that right. Not just Gen Z hunting for a funny video, but everyone, for everything; fashion (69%), food and bev (75%), beauty (78%), travel (82%). TikTok isn’t just Insta’s sparring partner anymore; it’s coming to end Google’s reign as top SEO tool.
People are actively searching, browsing, and discovering content in ways that feel personal, immediate, and visual. For brands, this is a golden opportunity. These moments when people are actively looking for something are when audiences are most receptive to discovery. People are fishing for answers. Make sure you’re the one who bites.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE REST OF US
Socials aren’t a place for brands to chase every trend. Think of it like jump rope. It’s all about the rhythm. You wait for the rope to swing, time your jump perfectly, and slide in with the flow. Jump too early or too late and you trip, interrupt the beat, or get ignored. The brands that stand out are the ones that feel in sync, know what people want, and actually feel real. You don’t have to be the loudest, just the one who moves in time with the conversation.
The bottom line: be thoughtful, be human, and show up in ways people actually care about. Do that, and suddenly, your brand isn’t just scrolling past; it’s the one people stop for.
