What Instagram’s big shift means for you

Score one for the little guys. 

Instagram recently announced they’ll be rolling out a host of changes to their algorithm in the coming months, which will be great news for smaller, original creators and slightly alarming news for content aggregators. Here’s the breakdown:

• An equal playing field: Instagram is introducing a new ranking system that will shine the spotlight on reels posted by smaller accounts to amplify their reach. They’ll do this by recommending content to a smaller audience, and the content that gets the most engagement will continue to get pushed to more and more users. (Similar to how TikTok’s FYP supposedly works)  
• Originality wins: Instagram will reward original content by favoring/recommending the OG post instead of copies/reposts. The exception: content that has been changed in a significant way. TBD what constitutes “significant” changes. 
• Giving credit where credit is due: Instagram is taking things one step further by adding labels to reposted content. These labels will link to the originator’s account.
• You had a good run, aggregators: If you continue to share found content without making any big alterations to it – specifically 10 or more times over a 30-day period – Instagram will severely limit your reach by removing you from recommendations. 
• All hope is not lost, aggregators: It should be noted that these changes seem specifically aimed at Reels. So your tweet screenshots, stolen memes, and videos yanked from other platforms (TikTok) are probably safe.

On one hand, this is incredibly positive news for creators/accounts who consistently churn out creative content seemingly into a void while larger aggregator accounts reap all the rewards. The promise of discoverability is essential for any social platform that wants to encourage new voices to join the fray. 

But what does this mean for established accounts? As with all Instagram shifts you can take note of the algorithm change without feeling like you need to chase it. Good, consistent content created with your audience in mind will always win.  

So, if you’re a small creator making content for all the right reasons, sit back, relax, and hopefully prepare to see your reels explode. Your chances are better than ever. 

And if you’re running a larger account, sit up, pay attention, and make sure you're also making content for all the right reasons. The playing field is about to get a lot more even.

ICYMI:

• We’re all pals once again – UMG and TikTok have landed on a new music licensing agreement that will see its roster of artists return to the platform. 
• Another one bytes the dust? According to the Washington Post, a TikTok ban could also take CapCut, Lemon8, and more companies owned by ByteDance along with it. 
• Instagram is experimenting with ‘Clear Mode’ for Reels, which would hide the UI buttons and description on videos, giving viewers a cleaner look at the content. 
• To game or to job hunt, that is the question. LinkedIn has added three new puzzle games to its platform. Taking a page out of Wordle’s playbook, each of the games can only be played once a day. 
• So many stickers, so little time: Instagram released four new stickers for Stories – Add Yours Music, Frames, Reveal and Cutouts – to enhance engagement on the app.

LIKE//RETWEET//SHARE//ETC

What if I told you the RSPB (the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) – an English, Welsh, and Scottish charitable organization started in 1889 – has one of the most entertaining, engaging, and creative TikTok accounts out there? 

In January, the social team started a new series ‘Bird of the Week,’ which has grown into essential viewing. It provides people with consistent entertainment and an unhinged comments section where everyone feels safe to share their favorite birds – because, come on, we all have one. Shoutout peregrine falcons.

Here’s why it works:

• The first video in the series completely sets the tone: From the voiceover to the graphics to the old-school sound effects, it is absolutely one of those concepts that was probably a tough sell to the higher-ups, but I so appreciate the social team who fought hard for this to come to fruition. 
• It initially racked up over 600K views and over 800 comments, and they actually tweaked their content to respond directly to feedback. The second video in the series begins with a montage of positive comments from the first installment, culminating with a request to begin including bird facts in the videos, and guess what, they do it – in their own way. 
• They have continued to take user comment requests for different birds to highlight. The comment section is quite possibly one of the best little corners on the app. 
• The series has built a fiercely loyal following. It feels like one big dysfunctional family where people get to type things like, “can we have Starlings next please there's about 476 that sit on a tree outside my house and eat everything I put out I'm scared to leave the house.”

Make it work for you: Don’t ever say a charity account has to be boring. Break the mold, try something different, and when a series catches on, squeeze everything you can out of it. Here’s hoping we’re still watching ‘Bird of the Week’ five years from now.

Do you bee-lieve in miracles? 

The Arizona Diamondbacks Twitter account pulled one off last week when their game was delayed for nearly two hours because a bee colony swarmed the netting behind home plate. Tossing out bee-related facts, puns, video edits, and even a ticket promo probably wasn’t on their to-do list when they woke up on April 30th, but they pulled it off masterfully. 

Here’s why it works:

• Rain delays are so been there, done that. But a bee delay? Now we’re talking. The account grabbed onto the strangeness of the situation with both mandibles and pivoted their copy for the rest of the game to make it bee-centric. 
• They were able to adjust in real time to the circumstances. There was no time for detailed planning – they had to essentially wing their content for the rest of the night and think on the fly about how they could continue to fully capitalize on beegate. 
• They were in tune with the rest of the internet, recognizing that this was something that was starting to trend and squeezed every drop of honey from it.
• It’s a long season. The Diamondbacks currently sit 9 games back from the first-place Dodgers in the NL West. But for one night, they got to have some good old-fashioned creative fun for a full game and their followers ate it up. 
• Anytime you can toss a Jason Statham reference in some social copy, it’s a good day.

Make it work for you: You can game plan as much as you want, but at the end of the day, some of the best social moments are spontaneous – or in response to spontaneous circumstances. A good social team can churn out planned and scheduled content, but a great social team – with trust from management – can recognize when to toss a plan out the window and flex every creative muscle they have.

Post of the week

How can we as a society make sure that Ryan Gosling never stops doing press? In case you haven’t seen his answer to ‘why he wants to redo La La Land,’ well, you’re very welcome. Thank you, The Wall Street Journal for your service. Also please everyone go watch The Nice Guys. I’m begging you.