The Instagram Stories - Social Media News

Daniel Hill breaks down the recent interview with TikTok CEO Shou Chew, where he revealed how AI is shaping content creation, search, and user safety on the platform. Shou Chew highlighted a surprising gap between the volume of AI-generated video clips created and the low single-digit percentage of views they receive. He explained that while AI is transforming short dramas and micro-series (Duanju) similar to how Photoshop enhances magazine photos, human authenticity remains key for consumption.

Welcome to The Instagram Stories! Host Daniel Hill brings you the latest insights on Instagram reach directly from Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram. Adam answers your most pressing questions: Do paid ads affect organic reach? Does hiding likes harm your distribution? Is AI-generated content throttled? He also clarifies if what you watch impacts your content's visibility and shares a key strategy for increasing your audience: always use translations for your Reels. Plus, get Adam's take on trial Reels, how to find blocked users, and the future of the Edits app with upcoming cloud storage for drafts. Daniel also introduces his new Reach Playbook to help you improve your content's visibility. Tune in for essential platform updates and strategy.

In this episode, Daniel Hill shares essential social media updates and creator strategy to help you grow your audience. First, get the inside scoop on the new Instagram Reach Playbook, a digital guide to making content people care about, creating stronger Reels, and reaching new audiences in 2026. We also cover the latest Edits app updates, including carousel posts, clickable audio links, and the 'Popular Topics' feature for accounts over 10,000 followers. Next, hear about YouTube's AI tool, Ask YouTube, expanding to Shorts. Renee Richie from the YouTube Creator Insider team explains how this conversational discovery tool will help creators get feedback, write descriptions, and even create thumbnails. Daniel shares his experience using Ask YouTube and how it can level up your content. Finally, we dive into creator strategy with Tessa Lyons, VP of Product at Instagram, who offers three practical tips for new creators: get comfortable talking to the camera (and Daniel's teleprompter hack!), use all Instagram…

Welcome to The Instagram Stories! Host Daniel Hill dives into the latest Ask Me Anything with Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, to tackle crucial questions about the Instagram algorithm and your content's reach. Adam clarifies if scheduling posts or editing captions after posting truly hurts your reach, and gives a valuable explanation of how Instagram decides who sees your reels first. He also addresses common concerns about shadowbanning, explaining how to check your account status for any issues. Beyond reach, Daniel and Adam discuss practical Instagram features: how many Instagram accounts you can manage on one device, and how to hide your active status. They also cover upcoming features and suggestions, including an update on the Instagram Series rollout, the possibility of a formal dating feature (Adam explains why it's unlikely, but acknowledges Instagram's role in dating), and the long-requested ability to reorder story highlights. Finally, hear Adam's candid advice for someone early in their tech…

In this special episode, recorded live at the Podcast Movement conference, I sit down with podcast marketing strategist Arielle Nissenblatt to discuss essential strategies for growing your show's audience. Arielle, known for her work with EarBuds Podcast Collective and Podcast Plunge, shares insights from her keynote address, where she and Lauren Passell explored how people define audio content and consume it, including the role of video. We dive into the challenges and opportunities of incorporating video into workflows, especially for independent creators like myself, who often operate as a team of one. Arielle emphasizes the importance of differentiating your show, whether you view it as a hobby or a business, and how that mindset impacts audience growth and monetization. We explore various monetization models beyond traditional ads, such as consulting or paid newsletters, and discuss the value of making strategic choices that align with your mission.

Welcome to The Instagram Stories! In this episode, Daniel Hill breaks down the latest Instagram updates from the Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri's weekly Ask Me Anything. We tackle pressing questions like whether the platform is switching to paid tiers (spoiler: it's staying free!), the status of the Edits app for desktop, and how to reset your algorithm if you're tired of your current feed. Daniel also shares Adam Mosseri's insights on how posting trial Reels affects your reach and the best way to collaborate with smaller creators. Plus, hear about the future of horizontal video for Reels, the much-needed search bar for saved lists, and the challenges of fast-forwarding Stories. We also get an update on the globally expanding Series feature, a growing trend for episodic content. Tune in for all the essential news and feature suggestions to improve your experience.

Lets dive into the latest Instagram updates, starting with Meta's new AI assistant in the Edits app. This powerful tool analyzes your Instagram account data, offering personalized suggestions on what's trending, why certain videos performed well, and even ideas for hooks, captions, and trending audio. Daniel shares his own test, where the AI accurately identified a too-long hook in one of his videos, highlighting its actionable feedback. A clip from the Instagram @creators account emphasizes how the Edits Assistant saves time and helps creators understand their data for better content. Next, learn about Instagram's new feature allowing you to boost live streams. Historically, boosting was limited to posts, Stories, and Reels, but now you can expand the reach of your live broadcasts. Daniel explains how this is a game-changer for creators doing sales, hosting events, or featuring keynote speakers, allowing you to schedule promotions at least two hours in advance. These boosted live streams run only while…

On this episode of The Instagram Stories, I'm breaking down the latest insights from Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, on how creators can maximize their reach and understand Instagram ranking. This is part four in his series, where Adam shares three key pieces of advice: first, focus on engagement rates, not just total views or likes. He explains that Instagram uses proxies like watch time, shares, and likes to determine interest, so understanding the *rate* (percentage of people who liked or shared after seeing your content) is crucial. I'll also walk you through where to find these insights on your own posts, showing you how skip rate, share rate, and like rate are ranked in order of importance for your reach.

On this episode, I'm breaking down the biggest social media updates for creators from the recent Meta Connect and Made on YouTube events, plus a key Instagram strategy to boost organic engagement. First, we dive into the Meta Connect announcements, where Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Muse, their new AI personal agent with voice and real-time video capabilities. This "personal superintelligence" is designed to help users accomplish goals, and Meta is exploring a novel business model where Muse helps people make money through transactions, a significant shift from their usual approach. We also cover Meta's new glasses, including enhanced privacy features, private processing for AI, FDA-cleared hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss, camera-free audio glasses, Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3, and even VR glasses that offer a private cinema or workstation. Next, we shift to the Made on YouTube event, focusing on new creator tools coming to YouTube Studio. You'll hear about Ask Studio expanding to mobile, which I've found…

Meta introduces its "Meta One" unified subscription tier and previews the upcoming "Edits+" feature. Threads launches new podcast integration tools, Instagram’s head explains algorithm controls, and growth strategist Maral Sattar shares tips for turning podcast content into engaging social clips.

In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill breaks down Instagram Head Adam Mosseri's latest Q&A insights, addressing long-form video plans, account handle impacts, and algorithm updates. Plus, creator Bailey shares a step-by-step tutorial on using the Edits app to streamline video workflow.

In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill breaks down major updates across Meta, Instagram, and YouTube. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduces "Muse," a new 24/7 personal AI assistant designed to tackle real-world tasks, manage schedules, and automate workflows. Plus, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri shares two big updates: a new profile feature that allows you to add tagged posts directly to your main grid, and part two of his deep dive into how Instagram's ranking algorithm prioritizes originality, recency, and fresh creators. Finally, YouTube rolls out a new AI tool for YouTube Shorts that gives creators actionable feedback on hooks, pacing, and visuals before hitting publish.

In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill shares five key insights from the Creator Economy Live conference in Manhattan. On the creator side, learn why reliability drives repeat brand partnerships, how to handle underperforming posts, and why reaching out to past clients unlocks quick revenue. For brand marketers, the episode highlights strategies for keeping long-term creator collaborations fresh and methods for spotting genuine audience engagement.

In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill breaks down how content ranking actually works across Instagram and YouTube. First, we examine Adam Mosseri's insights on why Instagram ranks content, how separate algorithms power Stories and Reels, and what controls users have over their feeds. Then, we dive into YouTube's recommendation system with Senior Director Todd Beaupré and Creator Liaison René Richie to explain how YouTube pulls content for individual viewers and why losing subscriber engagement doesn't destroy your video's reach. Plus, details on Podcast Movement 2026 coming to New York City.

In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill breaks down Instagram Head Adam Mosseri's recent Ask Me Anything session. We dive into the most anticipated desktop updates, clarify the real reason why clickable links are restricted in post captions, and explore whether brands face different rules on the platform than individual creators.

Meta settles landmark teen safety case; YouTube redefines "Qualified Views"; Instagram tests AI First Draft editor; TikTok rates strategy hacks. Meta agrees to a historic $17 billion child safety settlement with US attorneys general, forcing major changes for teen accounts on Instagram and Facebook. In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill breaks down Meta’s new 2-hour daily time limits, non-personalized feed toggles, and nighttime app locks. Plus, we examine YouTube’s new exposure-based view model and how Creator Insider’s René Ritchie defines "engaged views" versus standard impressions. We also cover Instagram's new iOS editing tool "First Draft" and break down TikTok’s "Tok or Flop" strategy tips.

Looking for the best weekly social media news podcast to navigate algorithm changes, platform updates, and digital marketing strategies? The Instagram Stories - Social Media News is your essential guide to understanding creator tools, audience growth, and online visibility. Hosted by Daniel Hill, the show breaks down official updates directly from platform executives like Instagram Head Adam Mosseri. Each episode delivers clear, actionable social media tips covering Instagram Reels reach, account status management, video monetization, and app features—giving creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs the exact tactics needed to expand their reach across social networks.

Stuck at 200 views on TikTok? In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill reveals how to break out of TikTok’s 200 view jail using the app’s Creator Search Insights tool. Discover how keyword optimization, on-screen text, and script placement help the TikTok algorithm properly index your content for higher reach.

In this episode of The Instagram Stories - Social Media News, host Daniel Hill breaks down key takeaways from Instagram Head Adam Mosseri's recent Q&A. Learn the design history behind Instagram’s new wordmark logo and whether the main app icon is due for a redesign. We also tackle common growth and algorithm myths—including whether switching to a business account hurts your reach, if editing captions resets post performance, and whether third-party scheduling tools penalize your visibility. Plus, explore strategic tips for testing content with Trial Reels, updates on the upcoming Series feature, and step-by-step navigation for managing blocked accounts.

YouTube has increased the requirements to be part of the YouTube Partner Program. It feels like they've moved the goal posts for small creators. In this episode, we discuss the new requirements and get into a bit about why they've made this change. Additionally, Instagram has updated some of their design elements, and a new post from the @creators account helps you think strategically about your Instagram captions.

When you create content with someone, you can post it as a "collab" - meaning it appears in both of your follower's feeds, and you can both respond to comments and see the analytics to know how it performs. The Head of Instagram explains how collab posts work, along with answers about using a logo or a photo as a profile picture, changing the order of posts on your Instagram grid, and translated posts into other languages.

Creating thumbnails is hard. Thankfully YouTube Studio now includes the ability to generate them automatically using AI. Also, the YouTube team added the ability to add a thumbnail to Shorts on the desktop - something that's been needed for a long time! The Head of Instagram explains how to hide content from your followers, plus we get into video editing tips from creators.

Have you ever experienced the situation when you accidentally like an old Instagram post someone made? If you unlike it immediately, will they know? The Head of Instagram explains the difference between how phone notifications work vs. Instagram in-app notifications. Also, I share my favorite takeaway from the Creator Economy Live event for when an Instagram post flops, the Edits team adds the ability to share directly to Stories, and the musical artist Sombr shares his songwriting process where he only writes song snippets to see what performs well before writing the rest of the song.

The Head of Instagram answers questions weekly, and on this show, I dissect the answers. On today's episode, we break down who can see what on Instagram - if someone can tell you viewed their profile, if there's a way to know who saved and shared your post or Reel, and if someone sends you a DM you haven't accepted yet, if they can tell you read it. We'll also get in to some reach related questions, including if having multiple captions on a carousel will boost reach, and if carousels are still valuable. Plus we get into some feature suggestions, and at the end, I ask for questions so I can do my own Ask Me Anything episode.

People say all the time how much they wish Instagram could go back to the way it was before the algorithm - back when things were chronological and you saw content from only the people you chose to follow. Instagram lets you do that with the "Following" feed. Also you can remove an Instagram follower without them knowing, and Instagram added the ability to replace the audio on any of your existing posts.

On Mondays we dive into what the Head of Instagram shared on his weekly Ask Me Anything videos. This week he answers a bunch of questions about Reach, including if removing unwanted followers will help and if turning your account to private temporarily then back to public will help.

Instagram adds the ability to make a Series, linking videos together, and additional languages that videos can automatically be translated into. The Edits team adds custom font support, lyrics as captions, and the ability to search for effects. In the strategy portion of the episode, we get into how to grow long form YouTube by using YouTube Shorts.

Good news - Meta has removed the ability to use AI modify anyone's publicly available Instagram photos! Also the Head of Instagram answers questions about the new AI tools, how to increase reach globally, and how long the shelf life of a Reel is in the recommendations.

Major update - I have launched a video version of this show! In today's episode, Meta rolled out their latest AI updates but that included the ability for anyone to generate any AI images from anyone's Instagram posts. If you don't want that, I explain how to prevent it by going into the Instagram settings. Additionally the YouTube team has updates for Shorts and Account Status, and the Edits app has the ability to put images and text behind you using layers.

The Meta team announced Muse Image, the company’s first image generation model from Meta Superintelligence Labs. Also the Edits team added the ability to automatically generate bilingual captions, and the Head of Instagram explains how to create a shared collection. In the strategy section of the episode, we get into the value of cross-posting Reels to Facebook and how to use YouTube Shorts to create an engaged community.

Google adds Search Profiles for creators who have over 100,000 followers, YouTube posts get music, and the YouTube team explains how to get started with YouTube Shorts. Also the Threads team has been improving live chats, and the Head of Instagram explains how to handle a post that doesn't perform well - should you take it down and repost it immediately, or leave it up? If you are interested in sponsoring the show, send me a DM! I'd love to chat

If you find this show valuable or helpful, would you mind leaving a review? It doesn't cost anything and it's greatly appreciated. Today on the show, the Head of Instagram answers questions like "how do I find the setting to add more captions to the carousel?", "how do I know when someone specific posts?" and "do you ever just stop adding features to Instagram and Edits?"

The CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerburg, announced Meta Ray-Bans - without the Ray-Bans - for $80 cheaper. Also Rene Ritchie from the YouTube Creator Insider team explains how to use the AI tool Ask Studio, and the Head of Instagram explains how long to wait before posting your next video.

The Head of Instagram announced on Threads that the Instagram app is now available for Samsung TVs. Also, the Instagram team announced on Friday that carousels now support multiple captions - so you can make one caption per slide. In today's episode, the Head of Instagram answers questions about Reach, Engagement, Stories, and short form vs. long form video.

Snap has new AR glasses and they're $2,200. They're also massive. The Head of Instagram explains when the best time to post is, and why you might not want to create a new Instagram account if you pivot to a new topic. Also the Edits team is adding AI to help assist you.

The Head of Instagram explains how to re-order your grid, explains that editing a post after publishing does not hurt performance, and explains about the AI they're building in Edits to help you make better videos - and maybe even do the video editing for you. He also answers questions about turning off follower count, and customizing your algorithm to affect the content you see from people you've chosen to follow.

Instagram announced today they are bringing Customization of Your Algorithm to the main feed- you can see the topics Instagram thinks you're interested in, and change them. You can access Your Algorithm by navigating to Reels or Explore and tapping the icon in the upper right corner (the two lines with hearts). Also 3 tips for sharing content on Threads, plus a roundup of the latest YouTube news.

With the new “Reorder your grid” feature, you can now rearrange content on your main profile grid. It's been a long time coming. Also the Head of Instagram answers questions about creators using Instants, Translation, the sweet spot for length of Reels, and more.

Today the YouTube team adds the ability to talk to the AI in YouTube Studio and have it remember, Instagram gives more details about Instagram Plus, Adam Mosseri answers why the same Reel posted twice performs differently, and a TikTok creator shares a strategy for getting more views.

The Head of Instagram announced the teleprompter feature from Edits is now in the Instagram app, then answers questions about when the Edits desktop app is coming, the best times to post, whether or not to have 2 Instagram accounts or just one.

The Head of Product at Meta, Naomi Gleit, announces new Subscription options at Meta, Rene Ritchie from the YouTube Creator Insider team explains the new AI Remix feature inside YouTube Shorts, and Adam Mosseri explains how to understand Instagram's insights.

The Head of Instagram's weekly Ask Me Anything sessions are always full of great info, and this week is no exception. We talk about how to use Trial Reels, what to do if someone is harassing you by creating fake accounts, and some feature suggestions including a dislike button and why Instagram won't let you see who shared your content.

Today's episode is focused on YouTube - they're rolling out carousel posts in YouTube Shorts, plus a new co-viewing metric for YouTube TV watchers. There's also an interview with Daniel Wall of YouTube's Behind the Wall channel, talking about how to know when it's time to hire a team and who to look for. At the end I do Wednesday Waffle where I make a prediction about the item of the summer.

How does Instagram Instants compare to Snapchat and BeReal? Can you turn off Instants? The Head of Instagram answers those questions plus busts a myth about using DMs to increase reach and more on today's episode.

Instagram rolls out Instants, and I started using it! Mark Zuckerberg announced encrypted AI conversations, plus how to use Edits to link directly to Reels, and advice on the questions to ask when a piece of content does not perform well.

The Head of Instagram explains why you may have lost followers last week, how long a Reel should be, and how to prevent people from leaving your Reels after 5 seconds. He also discusses feature suggestions including a faster, simpler way to organize a carousel, plus Trial Reels being available on desktop (yay!)

The Threads team continues to add features, and this one is important - being able to send DMs from your laptop (or desktop). Now you finally can! Also the Edits team has some new features, including one called "Fuse" that I really like, and we get into Edits features to help you with your workflow. Lastly the YouTube Creator Insider team interviews Adam Savage from the TV show "Mythbusters" all about his strategy.

The Head of Instagram does his weekly Ask Me Anything, answering questions like "can I still post memes on Instagram?" and "tips for meme accounts to stay original?". He also talks about the most common traits in successful creators and if Instagram Verification prevents you from having your account suspended.

The team at Instagram is going to start penalizing aggregators who don't make original content, and just take content from others. Additionally, the team at YouTube is going to stop sending push notifications to subscribers after 1 month of not clicking on them, and will communicate new videos through the YouTube Inbox (the bell!) instead. Also the CEO of Snap, Evan Spiegel, explains what it's like to have Instagram and Meta copy all your ideas.

The Instagram team has improved insights, making it easier to find the data you need to figure out how your content is performing. The Edits team has added some improvements, including the ability to duplicate videos so you can A/B test content without needing to remake it.