REELS TRENDS (AND ONE OF THEM REALLY GOT US THINKING!)
Alright, here we are with another trending content report, but this week, WE want to kick it off with something a little different. SOMETHING that we hope you will take with you as a best practice for putting creators *first* ❤️🔥
There is an inherent flaw in the way content is re-shared on Instagram, and it can be especially harmful to smaller creators and businesses. In the early days of social media, being re-shared by a large account was a great way to extend your reach to new audiences, and while that is certainly still true, there is a caveat to consider. With the way the algorithm functions today (ya know, all the computer learning that uses data with the aim of curating the user experience), retaining the engagement on your own intellectual property (aka your content) really matters! 
OKAY, SO WHAT ARE WE GOING ON ABOUT HERE? WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH TRENDING REELS? THE ANSWER IS “SO FREAKING MUCH!”
We're talking trending audio - and when someone creates a piece of original content, there are loads of opportunities for that content; To inspire the masses with their own take on a novel concept; to have the audio repurposed in all kinds of amazing ways; or to have that content re-shared by others. It also means that the vital information Instagram is using to assess the value of content can be *scooped* by a different account. Getting express permission to re-share content and providing attribution to the original creator in the caption is the bare minimum required, and it has always been the rule of the road. But ultimately if that audio takes off on the account it is re-shared to... all of the value (i.e. the engagement, the reach, the algorithmic rewards that Instagram bestows as a result of the content, and often... the follows) ends up going to the account that the content popped off on.THIS CAN ACTUALLY TRANSLATE INTO THE LOSS OF POTENTIAL ACCOUNT GROWTH AND THE LOSS OF REAL WORLD OPPORTUNITIES FOR MONETARY GAIN + CONVERSIONS FOR SMALLER CREATORS - CREATORS WHO ARE LOOKING TO SOCIAL MEDIA + RELYING ON THEIR CREATIVE USE OF IT TO HELP THEM GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.
At this point, you might be wondering, "what exactly can be done about this?" Ultimately, Instagram should take a page out of Tiktok's book (as they so often do 😅) and build re-sharing of original content into their interface. On Tiktok, users can re-share videos that they'd like to see reach their audience, however instead of being shared as their own content, it is actually a direct share of the original video, benefiting the original creator and helping them grow on the virtue of their own intellectual property and creativity. In the meantime, until Instagram sorts it out, here are some best practices for you, if you are seeking to re-share someone else's content (specifically if the content is a reel)
In addition to requesting permission and explicitly crediting the tagged creator in your caption, re-share the reel using the original video's audio name (as opposed to your own). That way, for any successful results your video generates , the trending sound is credited appropriately to the original creator; not the account that re-shared it.If you have a larger following, utilize the reach of your stories and directly share the original content to your stories and write your own caption/information that you are hoping to share in a supplementary post or additional slides in your story. This will direct your audience to the original content - thus, you leverage your platform and share your thoughts, while content creators reap the rewards of your signal boost. A total win-win.
Please note: Absolutely no shade is meant in the following example. This was executed according to current social media norms, and honestly, was a lot more clear about the credit than you see most of the time. The platform itself needs to change to better accommodate awesome channels like Later Media in lifting up smaller creators. This account definitely got way more eyes on it than it otherwise might have through this share, but we hope that Instagram makes it easier for creators to get all of the benefit their own content deserves for themselves. 
All of that said... we can't forget to mention how killer this audio is! And to be honest, it sounds a lot like the kind of thing we hear from so many of our clients - they have a passion for the business they have created; not so much for their secondary career as a content creator 🫠 If this sounds like you too, might we recommended showing off your latest offering using this audio (and remember to tag the original creator)? It's cheeky, it's relatable, and it's on trend. 
SHOW ‘EM HOW IT’S DONE
This easy to re-create reel is perfect for anyone who is selling a product - get inside your potential customers' heads and manifest that "add to cart" action with this fun and quick bit of audio. Take a screenshot of you scrolling your online shop with a text overlay, film your products in real life and link them to your site, or take some pretty straight inspiration from the example we has posted here, and show yourself putting a product in the cart of your site. Bonus tip - use this to draw attention to strategically show off a specific item you think will catch their attention and reel them into your world (pun v much intended)
LEAVE THEM WANTING MORE
This audio has been used in so many fun ways - our favourites being the ones that highlight a part of a maker or creatives process. From sped up macrame (like in our example), to sewing and/or unraveling threads and yarn, to sanding and more... this audio is super short and makes for a fun and different way to create some simple, yet effective content. 