7 HUGE Instagram Updates You Should Know About
Things are changing!
Instagram Is Evolving—Here’s What You Need to Know
OMG—so many changes to Instagram this month! But don’t worry if you missed them, I’ve rounded up the most important updates so you can stay ahead of the game without sifting through endless news.
But first, in case you missed it, Meta announced their focus for 2025.
Meta’s 2025 Focus: Creativity & Connection
Meta has set its sights on two key themes for Instagram this year—creativity and connection. They’re prioritizing:
Best-in-class creative tools, rewarding original content, and embracing new technologies.
More interactive and social ways to engage, with an emphasis on messaging and friend connections.
What This Means for You: Keep these two words in mind—creative and connection—when planning content. The more engaging and unique your posts are, the better they’ll perform.
What’s Changed in January? The Biggest Instagram Updates
🔹 3-Minute Reels – Instagram now allows longer Reels (up to 3 minutes) for U.S. creators.
For business owners: this means more flexibility to share detailed stories, product demos, or customer testimonials without feeling rushed. However, since short-form content still performs better for shares, it’s smart to test longer Reels strategically—using them for engaging narratives while keeping high-impact, bite-sized content at the forefront. If your audience is highly engaged, this could be a great way to deepen connections, but watch your analytics to see what actually resonates!
🔹 Vertical Grid Layout – Your profile grid is now vertical instead of square, and you can adjust thumbnails to fit.
For business owners: this means your profile may look slightly different, but most audiences won’t notice the change. The key takeaway? Check your grid layout and use Instagram’s new editing tool to adjust thumbnails if needed—especially if your brand relies on a curated aesthetic. While this shift isn’t game-changing, keeping your profile visually cohesive helps maintain a strong first impression for potential customers!
🔹 Trial Reels – Instagram’s new feature lets you test Reels with non-followers first before deciding to share them widely.
For business owners: this is a game-changer for testing content before committing to sharing it with your followers. This “soft launch” feature lets you gauge how a Reel performs with non-followers first—helping you refine your messaging, test new creative styles, and even repurpose past viral content. If engagement is strong, you can confidently share it more widely, making this a low-risk, high-reward tool to grow your audience without disrupting your existing brand presence!
🔹 Reels Tab Updates – Instagram is doubling down on Reels by making them more social—now, you’ll see a dedicated feed of Reels your friends have liked or commented on. This means your content has the potential for more organic reach if people engage with it. However, for privacy-conscious users, this also means your viewing habits may be more visible.
For business owners: Focus on creating shareable, engaging Reels that spark conversations and increase visibility, but consider opting out if you prefer to keep your content interactions private.
🔹 Insights Upgrades – New analytics include:
View Rate: See what % of viewers watch past 3 seconds.
Views Over Time: Compare retention between followers and non-followers.
Performance Tips: Automated suggestions to help improve your content.
For business owners: Instagram’s new Insights updates give small business owners more visibility into what’s working—especially with the new “View Rate” metric, which shows how many people watch beyond the first three seconds. Since watch time now drives reach, keeping people engaged for longer should be a priority. You can also filter performance by followers vs. non-followers, helping you refine your strategy for attracting new audiences. Tip: Use these insights to test different hooks, formats, and storytelling techniques to see what keeps viewers watching!
Coming Soon: Major Features to Watch
📌 Instagram Edits App (Launching in March) – A new standalone video editing app with advanced editing tools, better camera quality, and shared drafts. (I’m assuming this will be like TikTok’s Capcut [which I love]). More to come!
📌 Story Highlights May Disappear – Instagram is testing a profile redesign that removes Highlights, replacing them with a tab on your grid. This could impact brand storytelling, so stay tuned.
Final Thoughts: How to Stay Ahead
Instagram is evolving fast, but the core takeaway is simple: prioritize creativity and connection. Keep an eye on watch time, experiment with Trial Reels, and be mindful of how new features affect engagement. Stay flexible, test what works, and—most importantly—keep creating!
Need help navigating these changes? Reply to this email with your questions!
xxAlison
Such a great newsletter. Thanks for the insights!