Meta has kicked off the week with a pair of announcements that should make its creator community happy. On the Instagram side of the tech company, a new ranking algorithm will surface more original content in user feeds. Meanwhile, on Threads, a new bonus program will open up a new revenue stream for creators.
Instagram’s attempt to promote original posts in its feed has been a years-long effort; in 2022, the factors that inform its ranking algorithm changed to depreciate reposts and content aggregators. The man who announced that update, Instagram Head Adam Mosseri, returned to his social channels on April 30 to reveal his platform’s latest adjustments.
Mosseri explained that Instagram will remove reposted content from its feed by replacing those reuploads with the original videos. The resulting “Direct Replace” posts will include tags that direct viewers to the original creator’s account. Serial aggregators who regularly repost “unoriginal content that they didn’t enhance” will be barred from the feed entirely.
Subscribe to get the latest creator news
These changes will roll out on Instagram in the coming months. “We want to be the best platform for creators online,” Mosseri said, “which means we need to do more to drive reach to creators who create original content.”
View this post on Instagram
Creators are Threads are also receiving a reward. Meta’s months-old rival to X (formerly Twitter) is getting a “limited-time bonus program,” according to TechCrunch. The monetization option has been noticed by several creators who have been promised earnings up to $5,000 on posts that receive at least 10,000 views.
A Meta support page offers more details about the Threads bonus program. Qualifying posts must receive at least 2,000 views, include text, and feature no copyright material or watermarks from other platforms.
The Threads bonuses resemble the payout systems Meta has introduced on its other platforms. Creators on Instagram and Facebook already take advantage of that revenue stream, and it seems as if they’ll continue to thrive — especially if they limit themselves to original posts.
