Podcast Summary: Build Your Tribe | Grow Your Business with Social Media
Episode: New Instagram Algorithm in 2025 | Trends and Predictions - 809
Release Date: November 14, 2024
Host: Chalene Johnson & Brock Johnson

Introduction

In this insightful episode of "Build Your Tribe | Grow Your Business with Social Media," host Brock Johnson delves deep into the anticipated changes and trends shaping Instagram's landscape in 2025. With a keen eye on evolving algorithms and user behaviors, Brock shares eight comprehensive predictions that business owners, content creators, and entrepreneurs should watch for to stay ahead in the competitive social media arena.

1. The Death of Faceless Accounts

Timestamp: [09:58]

Brock predicts a significant shift away from faceless marketing on Instagram. He distinguishes between brand accounts of major companies and personal brands that rely solely on generic B-roll footage to attract followers.

• Key Points:

  • Faceless marketing involves using unrelated visuals with clickbait captions urging users to "read the caption."
  • This approach hampers authenticity and trust-building, essential for personal brands.
  • Users express growing disdain for such tactics, as evidenced by Brock's highly engaged thread where 95% opposed faceless marketing.

• Notable Quote:

  "If you are trying to build a personal brand without showing the person who is the brand, it's going to be very tough. It's going to be very tough to be authentic."
  ([15:39])

2. AI-Generated Content Becomes Indistinguishable

Timestamp: [16:22]

The rise of advanced AI tools like InVideo AI V3 is revolutionizing content creation, making AI-generated content nearly indistinguishable from human-crafted posts.

• Key Points:

  • AI can now generate entire reels or YouTube videos from simple text prompts, complete with original voiceovers and storytelling.
  • The quality and authenticity of AI content are improving, posing challenges for creators to maintain unique and genuine engagement.
  • Emphasizes the importance of maintaining authenticity by using personal narratives and genuine interactions.

• Notable Quote:

  "By mid 2025, it's going to be really, really, really tough to distinguish between what is AI generated and what is not."
  ([17:14])

3. Financial Transparency

Timestamp: [19:01]

Brock foresees a growing trend towards financial transparency among content creators and influencers, driven by both ethical considerations and regulatory pressures.

• Key Points:

  • Moving away from inflated or fake income claims towards honest disclosures of revenue and financial strategies.
  • The FTC's crackdown on false income claims is pushifying this shift.
  • Transparent sharing helps set realistic expectations and fosters trust with followers.

• Notable Quote:

  "Financial transparency and being honest about revenue numbers and income amounts is very important for setting realistic expectations and for selling in an ethical way on social media."
  ([20:43])

4. Share-Worthy Content as the Secret Sauce

Timestamp: [21:03]

Shares are identified as the most potent form of engagement, crucial for increasing reach and virality on Instagram.

• Key Points:

  • Creating share-worthy content falls into five categories, enhancing post visibility.
  • Emergence of meme influencers who gain popularity through relatable and humorous content.
  • Although more shareable content will flood the platform, the average shares per post might decline due to oversaturation.

• Notable Quote:

  "According to Instagram CEO himself, he has now said this numerous times, the best form of engagement is a share."
  ([21:14])

5. Small Accounts Will Dominate

Timestamp: [23:11]

Small Instagram accounts are set to gain prominence, receiving more views and engagement compared to larger accounts.

• Key Points:

  • Accounts with fewer followers (<10,000) are experiencing a 34% increase in views compared to previous years.
  • Instagram is prioritizing original and smaller creators, leveling the playing field.
  • Success stories indicate that hyper-focused niche communities can drive significant business growth even with a modest follower base.

• Notable Quote:

  "Accounts with less than 10,000 followers on Instagram are going to have a lot of success, not just with views but with growing a business, with sales, and with customer generation in 2025."
  ([24:54])

6. Boom in Online Entrepreneurship, Coaches, and Freelancers

Timestamp: [25:22]

The decline of network marketing and multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes is paving the way for a surge in independent online entrepreneurs, coaches, and freelancers.

• Key Points:

  • Major MLM companies are restructuring or facing declines, leading individuals to seek independent business ventures.
  • Tools like Stan Store and ManyChat simplify online business operations, making entrepreneurship more accessible.
  • The shift emphasizes personal brand building and direct sales, moving away from traditional MLM structures.

• Notable Quote:

  "There's going to be a boom in online entrepreneurship, in coaches and in freelancers. The reliance upon network marketing, multilevel marketing is going down."
  ([25:23])

7. Resurgence of Carousels

Timestamp: [29:30]

Carousels are making a comeback on Instagram, evolving from highly edited posts to more authentic, raw storytelling formats.

• Key Points:

  • Instagram now allows up to 20 slides per carousel, providing more space for storytelling and engagement.
  • Authentic, candid photo dumps with genuine captions resonate more with audiences, mirroring trends seen on TikTok.
  • This shift encourages creators to share imperfect moments, fostering deeper connections with followers.

• Notable Quote:

  "We're going to see more people creating carousels that aren't highly polished and edited, but rather, a collection of photos from your recent life."
  ([31:03])

8. Live Selling on Instagram

Timestamp: [34:14]

Live selling is poised to become a major sales channel on Instagram, inspired by the success of platforms like TikTok.

• Key Points:

  • Instagram Live offers real-time interaction, making it easier to convert viewers into customers through direct engagement.
  • Tools like ManyChat enhance live selling by automating responses and providing links based on viewer interactions.
  • The integration of shopping features during live sessions can streamline the purchasing process, similar to traditional broadcast shopping channels like QVC.

• Notable Quote:

  "Using ManyChat to sell on Live is going to be a game changer on Instagram in 2025."
  ([35:59])

Additional Insights

Views Improvement in 2025

Timestamp: [36:33]

Post the US Presidential election in 2024, which led to significant ad spend and algorithm changes, Brock anticipates a rebound in Instagram views as advertising reduced and algorithms normalize.

• Key Points:
  • The cessation of heavy political ad spending is expected to improve organic reach and engagement.
  • Lower competition for viewer attention can lead to better visibility for creators and businesses.

Closing Thoughts

Timestamp: [37:38]

Brock concludes with optimism for Instagram in 2025, emphasizing that those who stay updated with trends, remain consistent, and embrace authenticity will thrive. He encourages listeners to engage with the latest strategies and persevere through challenges to achieve unparalleled success on the platform.

Conclusion

This episode provides a comprehensive roadmap for navigating Instagram's future, offering actionable insights and predictions that can empower listeners to adapt and excel. By emphasizing authenticity, leveraging advanced tools, and focusing on engagement-driven content, Brock Johnson equips entrepreneurs and creators with the knowledge to build and expand their tribes effectively in the evolving social media landscape of 2025.