📝 Shhh... Insider Secrets to Mastering the IG Algorithm
June 7, 2023
The Brits are… chasing cheese? Last week contestants gathered to chase a 7-pound wheel of cheese down a hill. The race has been happening yearly since 1826. The prize? The wheel cheese of course.
But since only one person wins… racers better be… gouda at running downhill.
In today’s issue:
How can you tell if content is made by a human or AI?
Cracking the Code: How to Master Instagram's Algorithm for Engaging Posts
The paradox of TikTok’s “Dupe” trend
The Beatles and Childhood Trauma: A Therapist’s Take on John Lennon’s Life
🔑 Key Stories
A Peek into the Future with AI Chatbots
Picture this: In the near future, AI chatbots are a part of your daily life, helping you craft emails, mimicking human speech, and even conjuring up photos. It’s giving you everything from recipes to flight recommendations.
But let's hit pause for a moment. This AI takeover is happening faster than we can write the rule book, sparking legitimate concerns about privacy, safety, and the potential for misuse.
So How Do We Harness This AI Revolution Responsibly?
There's talk of a plan called the "Artificial Intelligence and Data Act," or AIDA. This proposed law aims to set up some ground rules for AI use and put checks in place to prevent misuse.
There's also a cool idea about tagging any AI-made content with a "made by AI" label - kind of like the nutrition facts on your cereal box.
Mastering the Instagram Algorithm: Make Your Posts Shine
Instagram's updated resource now explains how its ranking works across different parts of the app: Feed, Stories, Explore, and Reels.
Instagram doesn't use a single algorithm but several algorithms, classifiers, and processes to determine what users see in different parts of the app.
So, how exactly does Instagram decide what to show?
It's a mix of your activities, the person posting, and the post itself that influences Instagram's algorithm. Think likes, shares, and your recent follows.
The level of interaction you have with certain accounts, and the posts shared by accounts you follow, matter too.
This article breaks down the details of what makes a post good for the algorithm. You can use it as a sort of checklist!
How to make your Instagram posts go viral
The Irony of the TikTok “Dupe” Trend that’s Supposed to Save you $$$
In the quest for affordable alternatives to high-end products, the "dupe" phenomenon has taken off on TikTok, with influencers recommending cheaper, look-alike versions of popular items.
However, the dupe trend is reaching a bizarre peak, where the concept of a 'good' dupe is often overshadowed by a flood of subpar, barely similar, and sometimes even pricier alternatives.
Is “Dupe” just a fancy word for “knockoff” now?
Initially, the dupe trend was meant to offer budget-friendly alternatives to high-end, often inaccessible products, providing consumers with an economical way to enjoy luxury.
Over time, however, the term 'dupe' has been stretched to encompass products that bear little to no resemblance to the original, often resulting in an increase in price and a decrease in quality.
Think you're saving money with dupes?
This deep dive might surprise you. Click to find out more!
🤓 Bonus Stories
Wattpad’s Creator Program gets a page-turning makeover, making it more accessible.
Chat GPT vs. Google Bard - which will dominate the AI landscape?
The Kia Challenge: The viral sensation born form the automaker’s mistake.
🔍 Try this: Content Tips & Suggestions
Seek Some Inspiration
Great content doesn't always originate from a direct task or objective; sometimes, it springs from the unlikeliest of places.
Taking time to seek out inspiration is an integral part of the creative process.
Here's a suggestion: dedicate a portion of your week to 'inspiration hunting'.
You could crack open a visually stunning coffee table book or venture out for a rejuvenating walk in nature. Even a simple activity like browsing Pinterest or flipping through a favorite magazine could spark a fresh idea.
Remember, creativity often flourishes when the mind is at ease, relaxed and receptive to the world around it.
Make your 'inspiration hunting' time a routine, and you'll likely see a boost in your creativity.
🛠 Handy Dandy Tools
Notion: If you're a fan of Notion and would like to create your own templates (for personal use or sale), get NotionPlus to build custom templates.
AI Prompts: Once you start writing prompts that work, you probably want to save them somewhere. Enter Promptbox - a free Google Chrome extension.
🌟 Creator Spotlight
Beatle Mania and Trauma: A Therapist’s Innovative Approach to Mental Health Content
In the age of the creator economy, some of the most compelling content is born from the raw intersection of personal experience and professional expertise.
Take Patrick Teahan, for instance, a Boston College-trained clinical social worker and childhood trauma survivor who's making waves on YouTube with his compassionate, honest, and incredibly insightful psychoeducational videos.
Like many of us, Teahan sought therapy to navigate his own childhood trauma.
His therapeutic journey with his counselor, Amanda Curtin, was transformative - not only for his personal healing but also for his career.
Today, he utilizes the RRP group model of childhood trauma developed by Curtin and infuses it with his own lived experience, bringing the wisdom of therapy to the digital realm in a unique and accessible way.
I’d like to spotlight one of his most thought-provoking videos (which is how I found his channel): a deep-dive analysis of John Lennon's childhood trauma. Through the lens of Lennon's song, "Mother", Teahan guides us through an exploration of the late Beatle's life, contextualizing his journey within the larger conversation about childhood trauma.
He unpacks Lennon's life: a respected public figure, a musical genius, an activist with his heart in the right place, who also struggled with substance abuse and troubled relationships.
He suggests that the tumultuous ride of Lennon’s life can be traced back to his childhood.
I had heard a bit about Lennon’s life but this video was enlightening as to what he went through, how he treated people, and I loved Teahan’s psychological analysis. It gave me the opportunity to reflect in a few ways too.
With a gentle hand and an empathetic voice, he dissects the dissonance of Lennon's life: a revered public figure renowned for his contribution to music and activism, who was also known for his struggles with substance abuse and troubled relationships.
Teahan puts forth a compelling argument that Lennon's tumultuous life can be traced back to his early years, advocating for a more compassionate understanding of the man behind the legend.
Teahan's videos, such as this Lennon analysis, are a testament to the rise of mental health content in the creator economy.
Therapists like Teahan are leveraging digital platforms to create accessible and informative content that not only de-stigmatizes mental health discussions but also provides a valuable resource for those unable to access traditional therapy.
Teahan's work is a beacon in the ever-evolving landscape of content creation, showcasing how personal narratives and professional expertise can combine to create engaging, transformative content.
Through his TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, he is making therapy less an exclusive privilege and more a communal conversation, reaching out to the masses in their language and on their terms.
The role of the creator is evolving, and professionals like Patrick Teahan are leading the charge.
By bridging the gap between professional counseling and content creation, Teahan is not only contributing to the creator economy but also transforming the way we talk about mental health in the digital age.
You can find Patrick via his Website, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
If you have any thoughts or questions, let us know at brittany@createitcompany.com
Have a Creator Spotlight idea or request?
♥️ Weekly Cause
LIFT: A Revolution in Generational Change
In a world where poverty, just like wealth, is often a legacy, and where countless families are trapped in an unforgiving cycle due to long-standing racial inequity and community underinvestment, there's a beacon of hope.
Meet LIFT, a nonprofit with a mission to shatter this destructive cycle, one family at a time.
At the heart of "Why We LIFT" is a unique approach - they invest in parents. They're not just talking about financial investment.
They aim to bolster the well-being, financial strength, and social connections of families, bringing about a change that lifts not one, but two generations simultaneously.
Their program takes on the trauma of poverty, fuels a sense of possibility, and enhances well-being as parents turn dreams into achievable goals.
And it works - most parents report reduced stress, improved finances, and strong relationships within just three months.
This profound work needs your support.
Your donation can fuel transformational change, help parents achieve their dreams, and lift families out of poverty.
Be part of this revolution.
💭 Final thoughts
It’s the first week of June which means it’s time for you to go see the new Spiderman movie if you haven’t already!
No spoilers, I promise, but I will say that it’s SO good (and I’m not really a superhero movie kinda person).
It is stunning and so much fun to watch. So go see it. And tell me if you do.
See you next week,
Brittany@Create It
Get yerself a content planner already!