For years, Instagram has had a bit of an identity problem. Original creators would spend time making content, only for aggregator accounts to repost it, rack up huge engagement, and sometimes even outperform the people who created it in the first place.
But Instagram has finally decided to push back. And honestly, at SMR Social, we think this is great news, especially for small businesses that are putting genuine effort into creating their own content.
Instagram Is Prioritising Original Content
Instagram has officially updated its algorithm to prioritise original content creators. That means accounts that mainly repost other people’s photos and carousel posts, often known as aggregator accounts, will no longer be recommended as heavily across Explore and other discovery surfaces. Instagram explained the reasoning clearly themselves:
“Original creators are the heart of Instagram.” And they’re right.
Without original content, the platform becomes repetitive very quickly. If every page is simply reposting the same content over and over again, eventually, there’s very little reason for people to keep engaging. So Instagram is now actively rewarding creators and businesses that make their own content while reducing the reach of accounts that mostly recycle content from elsewhere.
Why This Is Such Good News for Small Businesses
This update massively benefits businesses that already create their own content consistently. And that’s especially true for local businesses. Because most small businesses are not running meme pages or repost accounts. They’re showing their products, their services, their workspace, their team, their customers and their day-to-day operations. That’s exactly the type of content Instagram now wants more of.
In other words, businesses that have been putting in the effort to show up authentically may now have a better chance of being discovered organically.
Instagram Wants Real Businesses, Real People and Real Stories
One of the most interesting parts of this update is that Instagram clarified that original content does not only mean highly polished creator content. They specifically mentioned things like:
- Photo series
- How-to guides
- Visual storytelling
- Original perspectives
That’s important because it means small businesses do not suddenly need to become full-time content creators or influencers.
- You don’t need cinematic production.
- You don’t need viral editing.
- You don’t need to reinvent social media.
You just need to show your own world.
- Your process.
- Your experience.
- Your business.
- Your perspective.
That’s what Instagram is trying to reward.
Reposting Isn’t Dead, but Lazy Reposting Is
This doesn’t mean businesses can never share third-party content again. Instagram has made it clear that using outside content is still completely fine if you’re adding something meaningful to it.
That could mean:
- Adding your own insight
- Providing commentary
- Creating an educational angle
- Building on the original idea
The key difference is value.
Instagram is essentially asking:
“Are you contributing something original here, or just recycling content?” And honestly, that feels like a positive direction for the platform overall.
Why This Could Improve Instagram for Everyone
For a while now, Instagram has started to feel increasingly repetitive.
- The same trends.
- The same reposted clips.
- The same viral carousels copied endlessly.
This update feels like Instagram trying to steer things back towards originality and personality. And for users, that could make the platform feel more interesting again. People follow businesses because they want to see something real. Especially local businesses. They want to see:
- What’s happening behind the scenes
- What makes a business different
- Who the people behind it are
That kind of content is impossible for aggregator accounts to fake properly.
This Is Another Reason Small Businesses Should Create Their Own Content
At SMR Social, this is something we encourage constantly. The businesses that tend to perform best long-term are usually the ones creating content based on their actual day-to-day operations rather than relying heavily on reposting trends or generic content. That doesn’t mean every post needs to be groundbreaking. But it does mean your content should reflect your business in some way. Because that’s ultimately what builds trust, familiarity and connection over time. And now, Instagram’s algorithm appears to be rewarding that approach more directly.
Original Content Doesn’t Mean Perfect Content
This is probably the most important point. A lot of small businesses hear “original content” and immediately panic because they think it means they need to become professional creators overnight.
You don’t. Original content can be:
- A quick video of your workspace
- A photo series showing your process
- A simple explanation of something customers ask all the time
- A talking-to-camera clip sharing your perspective
It just needs to come from you. That authenticity is exactly what platforms and audiences are leaning towards more and more.
Why We Think This Is a Healthy Shift
Social media has spent years rewarding whoever could distribute content the fastest, not necessarily whoever created it. This update feels like a move back towards rewarding creativity, personality and originality. And for small businesses trying to build genuine relationships with their audience, that’s a very good thing. Because when the platform starts favouring original content over recycled content, smaller businesses suddenly have a much fairer opportunity to compete. Not because they can outspend bigger brands.
But because they can be more real.