Social media isn't social media anymore. It's interest media.
If you’re wondering why your reach feels like it's shrinking, this is why. For years, social media worked on what's called a "social graph" - you follow people, they follow you, and content moves through those connections. Your posts showed up for your followers. Simple right? 👌 That model is largely gone now 😱 Both Instagram and Facebook have shifted to an interest graph - meaning their algorithms now prioritise showing people content based on what they behave like they're interested in, not just who they follow. Instagram's own head, Adam Mosseri, confirmed that watch time, shares, and engagement are now the top ranking signals. And Meta's AI is actively predicting what each user wants to see next - before they even know themselves. Your content is now competing for the attention of anyone who might be interested in what you do. This is actually good news for dance studios… ➡️ Interesting content gets amplified, boring content gets buried. The algorithm reads every signal - how long someone watched, whether they sent it to a friend, whether they saved it. Content that sparks genuine interest gets pushed to more people who share similar interests. Content that doesn't? It quietly disappears. ➡️ You're not just posting for your followers. Instagram's Reels feed and Facebook's recommended content sections are now showing your posts to people who have never heard of your dance school - if the algorithm decides they'd be interested. That's free reach. But only for content that earns it. ➡️ Your content needs to speak to what dance parents actually care about. Not what you care about as a studio owner. Think about what a local parent of a 4-year-old is interested in – confidence & independence in their kids, fun activities, finding their child's passion, community & connection. Content that taps into those interests gets shared, saved, and sent to a friend. That's the stuff the algorithm rewards. ➡️ Niche and consistency matter more than ever. Instagram is now allowing users to actively select and remove topics they're interested in. The clearer your content is about what your dance classes offer and who it's for, the easier it is for the algorithm to put you in front of the right people.