A brief overview of what is currently trending in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Rob Reiner: Beloved actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were tragically found dead at their Los Angeles home on Sunday.
Stranger Things: Netflix released the highly anticipated trailer for Season 5 Vol. 2 to be released on December 25.
Slop: Merriam Webster has named “Slop” its word of the year.
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
Instagram Introduces “Your Algorithm”
What It Is: Instagram has introduced “Your Algorithm,” a new feature that allows users to directly shape the Reels that they see. Instead of the algorithm quietly observing interests, users can now view, adjust, add or downrank topics that influence their feed. This is a huge shift, not only for consumers but for brands. Recommendations are no longer driven solely by watch time or likes. Users are explicitly telling Instagram what they want. Over time, the feature is said to expand beyond Reels into Explore and other areas. For brands, this is a huge shift from engagement to intentional interest.
The Brand Takeaway: As users gain more control, brands can no longer rely on fleeting trends or brand-heavy moments to guarantee reach. If people are actively curating their own feed, only the content they care about will survive the filter. This elevates consumer loyalty from “nice to have” to a core pillar in content growth. Brands that consistently show up in their clear niche with recognizable POVs, formats and value are more likely to be chosen by users for their exclusive algorithm. Relevance is becoming an opt-in… or the main focus. For social marketers, this means prioritizing consistent and repeatable content pillars that your audience truly resonates with. You need topic ownership vs. one-off hits that people forget about in a few days. And most importantly, success is now beyond views. Retention, saves and returning viewers will drive the future of your brand on Instagram. The algorithm isn’t disappearing, it’s becoming collaborative with the people that matter the most. The brands who win will be the ones invited to the party.
A recap of what you might have missed while not online
The manhunt continues for the gunman in this weekend’s tragic Brown University shooting after a person of interest was released.
Actress Hailee Steinfeld and the NFL’s Josh Allen announced their pregnancy.
For the first time in years, Paris canceled their New Year’s Eve celebration over security concerns.
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