Massive Agent Podcast – Episode 420: 9 NEW Instagram Hacks for 2026
Host: Dustin Brohm
Release Date: January 8, 2026
Episode Overview
Dustin Brohm kicks off the year with Episode 420 of the Massive Agent Podcast, delivering a no-fluff, high-energy breakdown of the nine most important and actionable Instagram hacks for 2026. The episode is tailored for real estate agents and mortgage loan officers eager to build a scalable business, emphasizing total lead control and self-sufficiency in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
Brohm stresses that agents who want to scale must own their audience and lead flow—not depend on portals, paid ads, or unpredictable referrals. He frames the episode as a guide to gain certainty and practical methods to not just “post for posting’s sake,” but to generate real results via Instagram.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Bingeable Profile Grid
[13:30]
- Main Point: Your Instagram (and TikTok) grid should invite curiosity and encourage visitors to binge multiple posts.
- Tactic: Look at your top nine images and ask, “Would this grid make a stranger curious or interested enough to click?” If not, add text hooks to thumbnails.
- Example: “It’s not meant to be a museum. It’s meant to get people to click and binge the way they do on Netflix.”
— Dustin Brohm [14:29] - Quick Tip: Do the same on Facebook Reels and video grids for cross-platform gains.
2. Obsess Over the Start: The Hook
[17:05]
- Main Point: The intro seconds make or break your video.
- Dos: “Grab attention in the first one to three seconds, or they’ll just scroll on to the next one.”
— Dustin Brohm [17:18] - Don’ts: Never start with “Hi, I’m Dustin…”. He calls this “the kiss of death for content.”
- Pro Tip: Practice writing hooks like, “Here’s how to buy a million dollar house for 35k.”
3. Don’t Give Away the Topic at the Start
[21:56]
- Main Point: If you immediately tell viewers the subject (e.g., “This is about FHA loans”), you risk losing anyone not already interested.
- Strategy: Instead, lead with the result or curiosity:
- Instead of: “Today’s about FHA Loans,”
- Try: “Here’s how to buy a million dollar house for $35K.”
- Brohm’s Why: "That grabs their attention, stuns them a little bit. It’s a bold statement."
— Dustin Brohm [22:57]
4. Leverage Story Captions and Haptics
[26:24]
- Insight: Instagram Stories captions (the pop-up in the bottom left) cause a haptic shake, grabbing more attention.
- How to Use: Not every story needs it—save it for CTAs and “must-see” moments (emojis, bold statements, call to action).
- Quote: “It shakes the phone just slightly, just like a little vibration. That haptic is an extra way to grab attention.”
— Dustin Brohm [26:36]
5. Link to Other Reels in Your Reels
[29:44]
- New 2026 Feature: Reels now support linking to other reels directly.
- Strategy: Build content series (e.g., “DMs in Real Life”) and link parts together inside each reel for longer, deeper binge sessions.
- How-to: On the posting screen, under the caption, a “link to reel” option lets you title and direct traffic.
- Quote: “When someone’s watching it, in the bottom left it says ‘Watch’, and you can title it whatever you want.”
— Dustin Brohm [30:09]
6. Story Views Reset Hack
[32:45]
- Fix for Drooping Story Views:
- Let your Stories expire (12–24 hours off).
- Come back with a highly engaging story (poll, bold statement, tweet image).
- Watch views and interaction spike!
- Power Move: The post-reset story should encourage replies—or at least simple engagement.
- Brohm’s Experience: “When you let your stories expire…the next story you do after should be highly engaging.”
— Dustin Brohm [33:30]
7. Make Content as Short as Possible
[35:00]
- Rule: “It needs to be as long as it needs to be, and not a second longer.”
- Why: Algorithms reward completion rate; viewers want ‘quick hits.’
- Current Trend: Carousels are outperforming many reels for creators, but both should be short and punchy if possible.
- Quote: “A four-second reel could be perfect and get the point across…but people want to watch shorter stuff, quick hits.”
— Dustin Brohm [35:45]
8. Turn Lead Magnets into Tangible Things
[38:32]
- Tactic: Print out your digital guides (buyer/seller/neighborhood guides) and display the hard copy in your posts or stories.
- Why: Showing something tangible boosts credibility and dramatically increases DMs/conversions.
- Quote: “When you see it with your eyes, you’re like, oh, cool, that’s a real thing. …Your conversion will go through the roof.”
— Dustin Brohm [39:00]
9. Mix Content Types (“Edutainment”)
[41:05]
- Key: Pure entertainment is dead—every post should educate and entertain (edutainment).
- Mix It Up:
- Entertaining skits
- Green screen and memes
- Blind ranking videos
- Whiteboard reveals (keep next tip covered as a hook)
- Inspiration: Follow other creators, adapt their concepts for your local market and personality.
- Quote: “If you’re not having fun with it, people can tell…If you’re putting out boring shit that bores you, that’s a problem.”
— Dustin Brohm [42:09]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On self-introduction in videos:
“Introducing yourself is the kiss of death for content. …Why are you introducing yourself to someone that already knows you? It’s a massive waste of…video.”
— Dustin Brohm [18:19] -
On shifting content for engagement:
“You have to grab their attention with something that makes them interested enough to stick around to find out the topic.”
— Dustin Brohm [17:34] -
On Instagram’s fast evolution:
“Shit is just accelerating so fast…If you're not already [taking your business seriously], let’s double how serious you take it.”
— Dustin Brohm [08:42] -
On experimentation:
“If you see myself or any other creator do something and you’re like, you know what, that’s cool, I’m going to do my own version…Do it.”
— Dustin Brohm [43:30]
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Intro & Episode Purpose | 00:00–10:10 | | State of Social – Why You Must Evolve Now | 11:00–13:00 | | 1. Bingeable Profile Grid | 13:30–17:00 | | 2. Obsess Over Content Hooks | 17:05–21:40 | | 3. Don’t Give Away Topic at Start | 21:56–25:35 | | 4. Story Captions & Haptics | 26:24–29:14 | | 5. Linking Reels | 29:44–32:25 | | 6. Story Views Reset Hack | 32:45–35:00 | | 7. Make Content as Short as Possible | 35:00–38:32 | | 8. Make Lead Magnets Tangible | 38:32–41:05 | | 9. Mix and Entertain with Edutainment | 41:05–44:00 | | Closing Thoughts | 44:01–46:00 |
Episode Tone & Style
- Direct, conversational, and candid
- Brohm peppers in humor, gentle tough love, and memorable analogies: “It’s not meant to be a museum…binge the way they do on Netflix.”
- Emphasizes taking ownership and practical action above all.
Final Takeaway
Dustin Brohm’s Instagram hacks for 2026 are hands-on and current, designed to empower real estate professionals to control their own client flow, escape dependency on lead portals, and stay at the front of a fast-moving social media landscape. From mastering hooks and bingeable grids, to embracing edutainment and leveraging subtle Instagram features, this episode is a can’t-miss tactical masterclass for agents who want practical ways to level up this year.
“If you’re not having fun with it, people can tell…And if you’re putting out boring shit that bores you, that’s a problem.” — Dustin Brohm [42:09]