Did you notice the recent changes to the Instagram Feed? Although subtle, they're loudly warning where social platforms are heading. A world of social-first content creation and consumption that keeps people on the platform.

If you want to geek out with me on what these changes mean and why they matter here are 4 points:

📱 FULL SCREEN: Social media consumption happens largely on mobile, with the years platforms have expanded the aspect ratios. TikTok went full screen and now Instagram has followed. This was true on IG Reels, but now it's true to the feed as well.

💡 WHY THIS MATTERS: Content creation will have to be made for mobile or your content will appear so small compared to your competitors, brand awareness and relevance will suffer.

🔉 SOUND & ENGAGEMENT BUTTONS FRONT AND CENTER: TikTok started it, that sound button you can so easily click, discover new artists, but more importantly... remix and create your own content. This same functionality is there on your feed now.

💡 WHY THIS MATTERS: Having this sound button readily available is pushing not only toward native consumption but also native creation! This is the button that gave the great Khaby the ability to remix content and curate a 137M following. The platforms want us to create and consume social-first content on their platform. This means traditional ways of content creation will be pushed out.

💰 PAID ADS: Paid ads on TikTok and now Instagram as well are blending seamlessly into the rest of the organic content. I don't know about you but sometimes, especially on TikTok, it takes me a few seconds to realize it's an ad.

💡 WHY THIS MATTERS: If you're ads ain't blending into the native platform you are spending money on... you're at a loss. This will require innovation. This will require entire teams stepping out of their comfort zone to adapt to this new world.

🥊 THE HOOK: Straight to the point. This new way of consuming content is forcing content creators to get straight to the point. You have to immediately deliver: education, inspiration, entertainment or value, if not you lost your audience.

💡 WHY THIS MATTERS: Whether you’re teaching grammar or programming the winners in these platforms are those who are able to educate and entertain in snackable sized content.

✨ CONCLUSION: This is a blatant example of where Social Media Platforms are heading: video, social-first video content that keeps you watching, engaging and creating in the platform.

TikTok came to disrupt the way content is created and consumed, all the other platforms are catching on and implementing these changes. These subtle changes are hugely important, we need to notice them and prepare for them because the algorithms are changing whether we want to or to not.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ME AND LET'S CONTINUE TO GEEK OUT ON THE FUTURE OF SOCIALS.