This Social Media Statistic Made My Jaw Drop

A key finding from Meta's antitrust trial

Last week, I was reading through some of the infographics from Meta’s ongoing FTC antitrust trial (*yawn* I know, I know). As part of the trial, the company was forced to share internal data about how people actually use Instagram. And while there were lots of charts and slides and legal jargon, here’s a stat that made my jaw drop:

Only 7% of Instagram usage in 2025 is spent looking at content from real-life friends.

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Let that sink in. That means 93% of the time, your audience is watching Reels, exploring creators, or chatting in DMs. Not scrolling your cousin’s brunch pics or even your friends’ new baby posts. Public posting isn’t the point anymore, Instagram has become an entertainment-first platform with connection happening behind the scenes.

So what does that mean for you as a marketer or brand?

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1. Stop Chasing Feed Likes. Start Sparking DMs.

The real engagement is happening in private messages now. That’s where sales happen, links get clicked, and loyal fans are born. Start nudging followers into your DMs with polls, questions, opt-ins (“DM me ‘SKINCARE’ for my favorite SPF”), or tools like ManyChat to automate responses and build lead flows. If you’re still just posting and hoping for a like… it’s time to shift your focus.

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2. Embrace the Era of the Creator

Meta also made it clear: creators are now their priority. Why? Because regular users just aren’t posting anymore. To keep the content machine running, they’re incentivizing creators like never before: giving them tools, visibility, and access brands used to have to fight for.

So, either lean into becoming a creator yourself (especially if you're a founder or solopreneur) or start thinking like one: Show your face. Post lo-fi content. Be entertaining, not just promotional. Make it feel personal, not corporate.

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3. Shift Your Strategy to Match the Reality

Here’s your cheat sheet:

✅ Use Stories to warm up and funnel people into the DMs
✅ Use Reels to entertain and expand your reach
✅ Use the grid as your brand’s storefront, not its voice
✅ Use the DMs as your actual conversion tool

And most importantly: stop writing “we.” Start writing “I.” People want to talk to a person, not a logo.

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