The Social Insider with Sam - 24th January 2025

Welcome to The Social Insider with me – Sam!Here you’ll get the inside scoop of what’s been going on from my screen to yours. Read on to find out more about my upcoming events, projects and the latest news and tips for your social media PLUS?everything in between!

What You Need to Know About the Grid Changes on Instagram

This weekend brought some major changes to Instagram, leaving many users scrambling to adjust. If you’re someone who relies on Instagram for business or simply enjoys creating content, you may have woken up to a bit of a surprise. Here’s everything you need to know about the updates and how to adapt without losing your cool.

Say Goodbye to Squares and Hello to Portrait

Late Friday night (US time), Instagram announced that profile grid images would no longer be displayed in the classic square ratio but would shift to a portrait ratio. By Saturday morning here in the UK, this change was live, leaving many business owners frustrated.

The immediate problem? Square images were automatically resized to portrait, which often meant losing important information on graphics designed for a square layout. If this caught you off guard, you’re not alone but there’s a simple fix:

1. Go to your Instagram profile.

2. Click on the image in question.

3. Tap the three dots in the top right corner.

4. Select Adjust Preview and then Fit.

5. You’ll now see the option for a black or white background.

This adjustment ensures that your existing square posts display correctly.

Moving Forward with Portrait Ratio

For all new posts, make sure you use the updated portrait ratio to avoid any future headaches. If you’re worried about cross-platform compatibility, there’s good news: the new Instagram sizing works just fine on Facebook and LinkedIn.

While Facebook’s profile grid remains square, it’s not a major issue most people don’t pay much attention to the grid layout there. Focus instead on creating content in the new Instagram ratio, which will also perform well across other platforms.

A Quick Tip for Tidy Grids

If your current grid looks a bit messy due to the changes, use this as an opportunity to refresh your content. Share updated graphics for your key products or services, or repurpose existing content that aligns with the new layout. Don’t feel pressured to fix every old post ust tidy up the last 9–12 images and move forward with the new ratio.

Three-Minute Reels: A Game-Changer

In addition to the grid update, Instagram announced another exciting change: three-minute Reels. This is fantastic news for creators who need a bit more time to tell their stories or share tutorials.

But remember, just because you can post three-minute videos doesn’t mean you should. Here’s a quick breakdown of optimal Reel lengths to keep your audience engaged:

- 7–15 seconds: Trending audio, relatable memes, and quick attention-grabbers.

- 20–40 seconds: Tutorials, news updates, or short entertaining clips.

- 50–120 seconds: High-engagement storytelling, allowing you to dive deeper into your content.

Longer Reels (up to 3 minutes) should be used for storytelling and high value tutorials.

Maximizing Your Reels Across Platforms

Instagram’s three-minute limit aligns perfectly with TikTok and YouTube Shorts, so be sure to share your Reels across these platforms for maximum reach. On Facebook, the limit remains 90 seconds, so keep that in mind when repurposing content and why not share them to Stories, you can only share the first 60 seconds but if you edit your reel to speed it up they will fit nicely on Stories.

Instagram’s Answer to CapCut: “Edits”

In response to TikTok’s issues over the weekend, where 170 million US users suddenly lost access Instagram announced its upcoming editing tool, Edits. Similar to CapCut, this new feature will allow creators to enhance their Reels directly within Instagram, streamlining the content creation process.

This addition is particularly exciting for those of us who’ve relied on external tools to edit videos. Stay tuned for more details on Edits in the coming weeks.

Take Action Without Stress

The recent changes may feel overwhelming, but they’re also an opportunity to refresh your strategy and experiment with new content. If you’re unsure where to start, why not book a FREE 20-minute strategy call with me? I’ll help you plan your Reels for the month ahead and provide tips tailored to your business.

Change can be challenging, but with a little creativity and a clear plan, you can turn these updates into a chance to stand out. Remember, Instagram is all about connection, creativity, and fun.

Looking back on my first ever in person?January Social Surgery

On Thursday, I hosted the first ever Social Surgery in person drop in days in Northampton, and it was fantastic - I am really looking forward to supporting more local businesses!

Social Surgery Days are an opportunity to take time out of your business to work on your social media content and strategy with my support or just have a burning question I will be on hand to help you with anything social media and marketing related. They will run on the fourth Thursday of every month, from 10am to 2pm?

If you’re a business (no matter your size) based in Northamptonshire or local, why not pop along? These sessions are designed to support businesses with their social media and marketing.

What can I help you with?

? Get help using a platform.

? Solve issues like account hacks or technical problems.

? Step away from the office to work on your social media strategy.

? Plan out your social content for the month ahead. Whether you want to spend the whole day with me, drop by for an hour, or simply grab a cuppa and have a chat.

Click here to view upcoming dates

Limited time left to SAVE on my membership!

and finally...

Simplify your Socials is the ultimate membership designed to give you everything you need to make your social media simple, stress-free, and effective in growing your business.

Join before the end of January and lock in the special price of ￡37 per month for life. But don’t wait too long the price will increase to ￡47 per month on 1st February. (Special Annual offer available as well)

Plus, there’s an exclusive bonus for the first 30 members who join!

If you’re among the first 30 to join, you’ll secure a FREE spot at my in-person group training day in March in Northampton (exact date to be confirmed). This is a great opportunity to receive hands-on support, network with like-minded business owners, and refine your social media strategy in a collaborative environment.

Can’t attend in person? No worries you’ll have the option to join via Zoom as well!

What’s included in the membership:

??Daily social media content Ideas and accountability

?Monthly challenges, LinkedIn, Reels, Sales Sprints

??Personal access to me every other Wednesday to ask me anything

??Monthly Q&A/Training/Hotseat session with me personally

??Monthly interactive social media content planning implementation co-working Sessions

??Custom Social Media Graphics Designs

??Guest expert speakers to help you grow your business

??A thriving community for networking and growth

??Regular support and the latest social media updates

??Library of training videos to help you improve your social media? ?

Simplify your Socials is?Helping you

? Stay consistent with your social media

? Simplify your content creation process

? Build a strategy that works without feeling overwhelmed

Ready to simplify your socials and start seeing results?

?? Join Simplify Your Socials Now and lock in your lifetime price of ￡37 before it’s too late and get a exclusive training day with me.

See you next Friday!