In April 2026, Instagram made a significant change to the way it recommends content. According to analysis published by MWM, the platform announced it would stop recommending posts from accounts that primarily repost or aggregate other people's content — affecting both the main feed and the Discover tab.
If your business uses Instagram to reach new customers, this matters. But the good news is that if you're posting genuine, original content about your business — your work, your team, your story — this update works in your favour.
What changedOriginal Content Gets The Reach. Copycats Don't.
The update targets accounts that have built a following by simply resharing viral posts or other people's images rather than creating their own. Those accounts will now see their reach outside of their existing followers significantly reduced.
For businesses that post their own photos, videos, and updates, nothing changes for the worse — in fact, you're now competing on a more level playing field. Instagram defines original content as anything you've genuinely created or meaningfully transformed. That means real photos of your work, behind-the-scenes videos, your own commentary, and posts that reflect your actual business.
"Accounts that regularly repost content they didn't create will no longer be eligible for recommendations across the app."
Instagram, April 2026 — via MWM / TechCrunchWhat Counts As Original — And What Doesn't
Instagram's definition is clear enough to work with. A meme you've made with your own angle or commentary counts. A photo you took of your own product counts. Re-sharing a competitor's post or downloading a trending video and reposting it does not — even if you add your logo as a watermark.
- Photos and videos you've taken yourself
- Behind-the-scenes content from your business
- Memes or trends you've genuinely put your own spin on
- Customer testimonials you've created
- Your own commentary on industry news
- Reposting someone else's viral content
- Sharing another account's images without transformation
- Adding a watermark to downloaded content
- Speeding up or cropping someone else's video
- Aggregating posts from other pages
Authenticity Has Always Been Your Competitive Advantage
Large accounts and content farms have long exploited Instagram's algorithm by flooding it with recycled content. This update levels the playing field considerably. A local business in Suffolk posting genuine photos of its work, its team, or its customers now has a real route to being discovered by new people — without needing a huge following or a big advertising budget.
Your story is something no one else can replicate. The café on the high street, the tradesperson who's been serving the same community for twenty years, the independent retailer with a personality — that's exactly the kind of content Instagram is now trying to surface more of.
We Take The Hard Work Off Your Plate
Most local business owners know they should be more active on social media — they just don't have the time to do it well. That's entirely understandable. You're running a business, not a content studio.
We help local businesses develop a social media approach that's sustainable and genuinely effective. That means a clear plan for what to post, content that reflects your brand accurately, and marketing that connects with the right people in your area — without resorting to the kind of generic, recycled posts that Instagram is now actively pushing down.
The businesses that respond to this update quickly and build good habits now will have a head start on everyone who leaves it too late. If you'd like a straightforward conversation about where your Instagram presence stands and what would make it stronger, we're here.