🍎 Instagram Updates, Trial Reels, and top trends of the week…

Instagram is listening to its users, plus the viral trends of the week. Here’s what’s up:

👋 Weekly Tips & Tricks

🍎 Instagram meets iPad!

Instagram finally launched an iPad-optimized app this week, answering creators’ long-held requests.

The new app defaults to a Reels feed and offers nearly all main features on a larger screen, including Stories at the top and a sidebar for DMs, Explore, and more.

📖 Read More: Instagram is finally launching an iPad app

🧠 Test your Ideas

Don’t be afraid to test content ideas on a smaller scale before a full launch. Instagram recently expanded access to “Trial Reels,” a feature that lets creators with ≥1,000 followers post a Reel to a non-follower test audience first.

The test Reel won’t hit your main follower feed; it’s shown to a sample of users who don’t follow you, and you get 24-hour performance stats. This is a golden opportunity to gauge a video’s appeal and get feedback before you share it broadly.

📖 Read More: The social media updates to know in August 2025

👩‍💻 Use YouTube Comments

With YouTube moving toward threaded comments, it’s clear that meaningful conversations are a priority.

To leverage this, prompt your viewers with questions in your video and pin a comment to kick off discussion. When viewers reply, try to respond and keep the thread going. Not only does this build community, it also signals the algorithm that your audience is highly engaged.

📖 Read More: YouTube is experimenting with comment threading

 
🔥 Top Social Trends of the Week

⭐️ I became THAT girl: This trend is a sweet tribute to our younger selves. Using a picture from 13 Going on 30, show an image of a younger you, then current you! It’s a way to remind ourselves who we really are <3

@aujpodgee

little me is so proud of big me #thenvsnow

⭐️ I want a ring: This trend is blowing up right now, using a Raye song titled WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! It is a great way to show off that new ring or use it as a transition sound!

@sofie.vollan

Me included #engaged

⭐️ Transition Sound: Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend just came out, and users are obsessed. Using any of her songs right now is a great way to get new followers to notice you!

@adenkaybrown

Hi tim and ty ☺️☺️