You found a great video, cropped it a little, added your logo in the corner, and posted it. It got almost no views.
That's not bad luck. Platforms like Instagram have been clear that they want to recommend original content, and content that's just been reposted with small changes gets pushed down.
What counts as original
Your content is original if you made it: you filmed it, photographed it, designed it, or wrote it yourself.
It can also count as original if you took someone else's content and meaningfully changed it by adding real teaching, commentary, humor, or a new point of view. A reaction where you explain why something works counts. A side-by-side breakdown counts.
What doesn't count
These small edits don't make something yours:
Cropping it
Adding a border or a watermark
Speeding it up or slowing it down
Slapping a basic caption on top
If the viewer would get the same thing from the original post, it's not original.
Want to share something you love? Do it the right way
You don't have to stop sharing what inspires you. Just be honest about it.
Use Repost or Collab so the original creator gets credit and the reach goes where it belongs.
Tag them in the caption.
Add your take. One sentence of "here's why this works for small businesses" turns a repost into a lesson.
Why this is good news for you
This change rewards people who actually make things. If you're filming your own work, your own space, and your own face, you're already ahead of the accounts that just repost.
Your content doesn't need to be polished. It needs to be yours. A real video of you explaining something in your own words will beat a recycled clip almost every time.
A quick gut check before you post
Did I film, design, or write this myself?
If it's someone else's, did I add something real to it?
If I'm sharing, did I credit them with Repost, Collab, or a tag?
Real talk
The easiest way to never worry about this? Make your own stuff. Batch film a few hours a month and you'll have more original content than you know what to do with.
Need more original content?
Doing it yourself? Grab my free 5 Video Opening Lines so starting your own videos feels a lot less awkward. Get the free resources →
Want help planning original content? In the 1:1 Concierge Program, we build post ideas that come from your business, not someone else's feed. Spots are limited each month. See the 1:1 Concierge Program →
Ready to hand it off? Social Outfit films original content for your brand, on-site, with scripts written to sound like you. Start an inquiry →
