The old strategy of creating long, infographic-style pins is obsolete. Pinterest now prioritizes authentic, scroll-stopping videos similar to Instagram Reels. Even poorly designed but powerful videos that grab attention outperform highly polished, traditional pins, signaling a major shift in creative strategy.
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Instead of guessing what short-form content will resonate, identify existing long-form videos or articles with the highest engagement. Transcribe these proven winners and use AI to extract impactful clips, carousels, and tweets. This method leverages past success to increase the probability of future performance.
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.
Five years ago, success on TikTok came from quickly hopping on trends. According to Duolingo's Zaria Parvez, that strategy is now saturated. Brands that stand out today prioritize unique creative that isn't trend-dependent, as consumers have grown tired of seeing dozens of brands doing the same thing.
As Instagram is flooded with Reels, the less-common carousel format offers a significant reach advantage. Repurpose existing talking-head Reels by creating a two-slide carousel: the first slide is a static image with a compelling headline, and the second slide is the original Reel. This is a low-effort, high-impact strategy.
Unlike social media posts that disappear within 48 hours, the average Pinterest pin reaches 50% of its lifetime engagement over 13 months. This means content "ages like wine," with old pins continuing to drive traffic for years, creating a powerful, long-term marketing asset from a single effort.
The new app layout moves the Reels and Direct Messages tabs to more central positions on the bottom navigation bar. This redesign isn't just cosmetic; it clearly indicates Instagram's strategic priorities are short-form video for discovery and private messaging for community engagement.
The most effective Pinterest ad assets now mirror the authentic, short-form video style popular on TikTok and Instagram. Marketers can simply repurpose high-performing reels with minor copy tweaks, significantly lowering the creative barrier to entry for testing the platform.
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.
Contrary to the trend of highly-designed posts, the most effective carousels now use simple, personal photos from a user's camera roll. These are paired with 2-3 sentences of text per slide to tell a story or share a tip, fostering a sense of authenticity and relatability.
In an era of highly produced brand content, raw, unpolished videos can feel more authentic and are more likely to stop the scroll. This "imperfect" quality is a strategic advantage, not a weakness, as it stands out against overly polished feeds.