The true measure of success for short-form video is its shareability in private channels like DMs or Slack. Content created with this goal in mind—focusing on the first three seconds and strong storytelling—will stay in the feed longer and achieve greater impact.

Instead of posting a video directly to the feed, place it on the second slide of an Instagram carousel. Use the first slide as a compelling, static text hook. This piques curiosity, encourages a swipe, and can lead to higher engagement and watch time for the video.

Instagram is testing a default home feed composed entirely of Reels, reflecting that video now drives over 50% of time spent on the platform. This move solidifies its shift to a short-form video app, forcing brands still focused on static images to adapt or lose significant organic reach.

Data reveals Instagram Reels now achieve double the reach (30%) and engagement of traditional photo or carousel posts (13-14%). With Instagram's head confirming the app is being redesigned around Reels and DMs, marketers should shift all focus to video and deprioritize static image content.

Overly polished video content in B2B can signal "advertisement" to users, causing them to disengage. Lower-fidelity, more authentic content often performs better because it feels more organic and native to social media feeds, focusing on the message rather than slick production.

When social media reach and engagement decline, it's easy to blame the platform's algorithm. However, the more productive mindset is to see it as a reflection of your content's declining quality or relevance. The algorithm isn't hurting everyone, it's hurting those who aren't good. The solution is to improve your craft, innovate, and adapt to cultural trends.

LinkedIn reported double-digit growth in video uploads but notably omitted data on video engagement or watch time. This suggests that while marketers are following the platform's advice to post video, it may not be yielding results. Marketers must analyze what platforms *don't* report.

LinkedIn now lets users see how many people save a post or send it in a private DM. These are strong signals to the platform's algorithm, indicating high-quality content. Focusing on creating content that encourages these actions can significantly boost organic circulation beyond simple likes and comments.

LinkedIn's report on 2026 small business trends uses "predictive" and "hopeful" language. This isn't just an analysis of the past; it's a signal to creators about the type of content (like video) and behavior the platform wants to promote, effectively revealing their future algorithm priorities.