80% saw more reach with this IG trick

Instagram’s turning into your assistant (finally)
You’ll soon get weekly and monthly performance recaps straight in the app — views, follower growth, the works. Instagram’s also adding milestone “celebrations” when you hit big numbers (like 10k followers). Think Spotify Wrapped, but for your content grind.

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🌀 Creator economy updates

YouTube chills out (a little)
Content that’s “risky” might still stay up if it’s deemed valuable for free expression. Basically, the platform is making more room for nuance — especially around political and controversial topics.

Snapchat’s coming for Meta with AR glasses
New fully AR-enabled Spectacles are launching next year, and Snap wants to beat Meta to market (Meta’s aiming for 2027).

New studio alert: Unicorn
Ex-BuzzFeed and Doing Things execs launched Unicorn — a content studio co-developing long-form IP with creators and giving them 50/50 revenue splits. They’ve raised $900K to kick it off.

Apple’s gunning for creators too
At WWDC, Apple quietly dropped some creator-first upgrades:
→ New voice isolation tools that keep vocals “clear and crisp” in videos
→ Studio-quality vocal recording via AirPods (yes, seriously)
→ High-res video interview recording from Zoom and Teams, built-in
Basically, Apple wants your next podcast or creator collab to sound expensive — even if it’s happening from your bedroom.

YouTube’s not slowing down
In 2024 alone, YouTube creators added $55B to the U.S. GDP and supported nearly half a million full-time jobs. The next wave? More infrastructure and more long-form.

Alphabet’s getting sued (by its own guy)
Investor Tony Tan is suing Alphabet for withholding docs on why Google keeps hosting TikTok in the Play Store.

Skincare content is getting…younger
A Pediatrics study found TikTok routines by kids aged 7–18 often feature six-step regimens and cost ~$168/month. Many products have irritants. Only 25% use SPF.

Instagram’s test Reels are quietly working
You know those Reels that don’t hit your followers’ feeds but show up to strangers instead? Turns out they’re effective.
Instagram says 40% of creators started posting more because of the “trial Reels” feature — and 80% of them saw more reach from non-followers.
It’s part of a broader shift: helping creators test content without judgment from their core audience.

Why brands are obsessed with gamers

At Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit, Havas Play spelled it out:
Want Gen Z’s attention? Meet them in-game, not in-feed.

Creators on Twitch and TikTok now run the show — they don’t even need brand deals. They are the strategy. Havas carefully pairs brands with creators (even the edgier ones) who actually resonate.

ARC Collective’s CEO put it bluntly: “TV’s gridlocked. The power’s with creators who own their podcasts, merch, and IP. We just help them scale it.”

The shift:
→ From platform reach to creator trust
→ From scripted campaigns to creator-led worlds

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Threads is (finally) testing DMs

Two years later, Threads is testing in-app messaging. But it’s limited — for now — to users in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Argentina.

Still, it’s a big move. Meta knows messaging = retention, and with 350M MAUs on Threads, it’s only a matter of time before the feature goes global.

Still thinking about launching a podcast? Do it.

Spotify’s Roman Wasenmüller says 2025 podcast growth is outpacing previous years. And nearly half of Americans still don’t listen monthly — so the ceiling is high.

Creator Victoria Garrick Browne’s tip: Start with 8 episodes. If it pops off, build from there. If not, no harm done.

Just know: weekly drops, video edits, and promo clips are the new standard. Podcasting is a commitment, not a side quest.