Call Her Creator with Katelyn Rhoades

Episode 132: The Weekly Scroll: New Reels Changes Explained (+ Creator AI Tools & Pinterest Growth)
Air Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Katelyn Rhoades
Theme: Practical, real-world tools and updates for ambitious women navigating the creator economy – focused on Instagram Reels changes, creator AI tools, and Pinterest growth.

Episode Overview

This episode of "Call Her Creator" is a Weekly Scroll edition, where Katelyn Rhoades delivers a tactical roundup of major social media shifts. She breaks down Instagram's latest updates (especially around Reels), shines a spotlight on Pinterest's quiet surge as a product discovery platform, and introduces listeners to cutting-edge AI tools for content creators. The episode closes with a direct, actionable assignment for listeners to try out in their own content strategy.

Key Discussion Points

1. Instagram Algorithm & Reels: The 2026 Shift

• The Mini-Drama Storytelling Trend ([02:05])

  • Instagram is copying TikTok's "mini drama" format—emotional, story-driven Reels with strong hooks, cliffhangers, and serialized content ("Netflix in 30 seconds").
  • Carousels were hot, but a 50/50 mix with Reels is now optimal. Solely relying on carousels is decreasing reach.
  • “People are not watching content for information only anymore. They’re watching for emotion. Storytelling.” – Katelyn ([02:51])

• New Instagram Design Update ([05:32])

  • Instagram is testing a redesign where users may open directly into Reels instead of their usual home feed.
  • “This would be a massive shift… discovering new content would be the priority… reels becoming the main growth tool.” – Katelyn ([06:20])
  • Instagram is also testing "Your Feeds," allowing users to customize their Reels experience (Following, Friends, Saved, Suggested, etc.)
  • The platform is being fundamentally redesigned around Reels and short-form video.

• Strategic Advice:

  • Double down on Reels. The algorithm and user experience now both revolve around short-form video.
  • Katelyn recommends keeping up with trends via her Club Influence membership, which curates viral Reels, trending audio, and Canva templates for creators.

2. Pinterest's Big Moment

([12:27])

• Platform Growth & Opportunity:

  • Pinterest just hit 619 million users, $4B in annual revenue.
  • 80 billion monthly searches with high buyer intent—users actively type in keywords seeking ideas and products to purchase.
  • Katelyn shares her personal workflow for using Pinterest (e.g., home design inspiration, festival outfit ideas), reiterating how easily it converts discovery into purchases, especially through Amazon affiliate links.

• Quote:

  • “If you’re sleeping on Pinterest, now is the time to get over on there. … They’re also adding AI-powered recommendations and search tools.” – Katelyn ([14:28])

• Strategic Advice:

  • If you sell physical products, services, or digital offers, Pinterest should be integral to your strategy.

3. Creator AI Tools: Stanley AI

([16:40])

• Feature Overview:

  • Stanley AI, by Stan, is an AI-driven creative assistant that connects to your Instagram and analyzes your content.
  • Learns your past posts, content style, and provides personalized viral Reel ideas and content suggestions.
  • How it works: Connect your Instagram, and Stanley AI scrapes your Reels and carousels, then suggests high-performing, on-brand ideas.
  • “Stanley promises to deliver you at least, at least minimum, one high-quality content idea per week. But honestly, … it will give you a high-quality content idea every day.” – Katelyn ([17:50])

• Personal Testimony:

  • Katelyn credits Stanley AI for accelerating growth on her own podcast account and eliminating hours of manual analysis.

4. Concrete Content Assignment: The “Expectation Breaker” Reel

([20:32])

• Format Overview:

  • Quick, low-edit, talking-head Reel that subverts audience expectations and builds immediate curiosity.
  • “The easiest type of content to make that’s performing very well is what I like to call an expectation breaker reel. These go viral because they challenge assumptions.” ([20:40])

• Step-by-Step:

  1. Film a simple talking head reel—no editing. Make it as if FaceTiming a friend (see Reese Witherspoon’s viral example).
  2. Start with a hook: “I know you’re not following me for X, but here’s something you need to hear.”
  3. Share one insight: Teach a single perspective shift, not a list.
  4. Template suggestions:
     • “I know you’re not following me for [X], but if you want better results in [Y], you need to understand this.”
     • Creator/business/real estate/product versions provided.

• Why it works:

  • It’s authentic, interrupts predictable scrolling patterns, and Instagram is currently boosting talking head, opinion, and pattern-interrupt videos.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On adapting content strategy:

  • “Even myself, I was a reels girly till the end. But me and the team started posting carousels… We’ve started shifting back to the 50/50 of reels and carousels because I’m seeing a dramatic shift in views.” – Katelyn ([04:03])

• On Pinterest buying behavior:

  • “Typically I’ll find something, I save it to my board, and later on I’ll go back, and it takes me straight to the link to purchase.” – Katelyn ([13:07])

• On creator tool efficiency:

  • “Stanley AI just kind of cuts that time in half because he does it for me.” – Katelyn ([18:54])

• On creating viral reels:

  • “It’s low effort too. Low effort, high reach. Let’s go.” – Katelyn ([22:41])

Important Timestamps

• Intro to Weekly Scroll and algorithm context: [01:05–02:20]
• Instagram Reels and algorithm shift: [02:20–07:25]
• Instagram’s New Reels-Centric Redesign: [05:32–08:47]
• Pinterest’s Growth and Strategy: [12:27–15:54]
• Stanley AI introduction and benefits: [16:40–18:54]
• Content Assignment: Expectation Breaker Reel: [20:32–24:05]

Tone and Language

Katelyn’s tone is encouraging, direct, practical, and a bit playful—rooted in experience but always focused on what’s actionable right now. She consistently uses real-world examples, brings a “no-fluff” attitude, and closes with tangible next steps.

Summary Takeaways

• Instagram is now Reels-first—adapt your strategy accordingly.
• Pinterest’s growth is a quiet but vital opportunity for business owners—add it to your playbook.
• Embrace creator AI tools like Stanley AI to simplify your workflow and generate custom content ideas.
• For immediate impact, try the “expectation breaker” Reel: it’s fast, authentic, and algorithm-friendly.

Action Step:
Film and post an “Expectation Breaker” Reel this week, using one of Katelyn’s templates to authentically grab your audience’s attention.

For more tips, resources, and to join Club Influence, check the show notes and links in the episode description.