That’s ok, because we got you. Actually, leaders from Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat got you. Because four of them just did a panel at SXSW explaining exactly what you need to know as a new creator. Spoiler alert: hashtags are not involved. Nor is there advice about a time of day to post, making high-production content, or any of the other hacks that have been swirling around for the last, like, 5 years. What they did give are 8 actually helpful tips that you need to know if you’re just starting to grow your audience on socials [Here they are]

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

They’re finally letting us reorder our carousel posts after being published. Which ok, isn’t quite letting us reorder our grid (hello, @Meta for the love of God). But is still one giant leap for user kind, and tbh such a small but handy feature it’s almost embarrassing it didn’t exist before.

For brands and creators that obsess over aesthetics (me), this is huge. It also means you can now test which image performs best as the lead without deleting and reposting the entire carousel. Which means less disruption to your analytics and more control over how your content is consumed.

Kind feels like its another step toward the professionalisation of the platform, and a step away from casual social network. Which is sad. But also, is what it is atp. We all know now that if you want something casual and cute, you’ll play Animal Crossing or Pokémon Go. Except the latter means you’ll be training AI, and you’ve been doing so unwittingly for years.

Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, has been using all the data collected from players walking around scanning real-world locations to build massive 3D maps and train AI models for spatial intelligence.

Every time you caught a Pikachu in a park or spun a PokéStop at a landmark, you were feeding geospatial data into a system. And now, it's being used for things like autonomous delivery robots and AR navigation. The company has been transparent about this in their terms of service, technically. But who tf actually reads those? This is a perfect example of how data extraction works in the attention economy; you think you're playing a game, the company is using you as free labour to build products they'll sell to other businesses. And because it was fun and free, no one questioned it. Until now. It’s not all bad though. Because it’s actually helping robots deliver pizza on time.

Here’s some TikTok f*ckery to piss you off in case you weren’t already: young people in Mexico are taking to TikTok to imagine themselves as agents from the country’s 1970s secret police?? Yeah… the DFS, a force which was infamous for torturing, murdering or disappearing thousands during the country’s “dirty war”.

The videos show young men in brown suits in front of 1970s Cadillac or Rolls-Royce. These guys are idolising having a “DFS badge, total impunity … smelling of whiskey and smoke with a sh*tload of money.” Really, it’s just another ugly far right anti-feminist trend rearing it’s ugly head. 

-Sophie Randell, Writer

Together, the panellists shared the mistakes they see new creators making constantly.

As a brand spanking new baby creator herself, this caught my eye. Because some weeks, I’m absolutely crushing it… while others my numbers f*cking flatline. Also, because I have absolutely no clue what I’m doing. Like at all.

The panel featured Julia Hamilton Trost from YouTube, Brooke Berry from Snapchat, and Katie Sollenberger from Meta. And the mistakes they named are probably ones most of us creators are doing without realising we’re killing our own momentum.

Trends have life cycles. Arrive late and you look derivative. Arrive early with a distinct take and you can ride the wave. But mindlessly hopping on everything that crosses your feed makes you look desperate and kills your unique voice.

The rule they recommend: 70% original content, 30% trend content. Your original work is what builds your actual audience and establishes who you are. Trends can amplify that, but they can't be your entire strategy.

Algorithms reward consistency. Any breaks kill momentum. If you post daily for three weeks and then disappear for a week because you burned out, you've just tanked everything you built. Scary, I know. But it’s better to post three times a week every single week than to sprint and crash.

On Instagram specifically, Sollenberger noted that consistency is crucial for algorithmic favour. On Snapchat, Berry emphasised that your public profile needs consistent Stories so brands can see the type of content and formats they could plug into. On YouTube, weekly drops at a consistent day and time teach audiences to return.

What actually matters are the signals that unlock distribution to non-followers. On Instagram, sends and shares drive reach. On YouTube, average view duration and retention matter more than subscriber count. On Snapchat, watch time drives Discover surfacing.

Berry specifically noted that watch time is critical for getting the Discover feed to notice you. The creators surfacing on that page got there through watch time metrics, not follower numbers.

Brands scan your public profile before reaching out for opportunities. So if you want travel brand deals but have zero travel content on your profile, they're moving on to the next person. Your grid, Story Highlights, and pinned content need to showcase exactly the type of work you want to get hired for.

Berry explained this perfectly: your public profile is your home on the platform. If there's nothing showcasing the consistency of content or formats brands can plug into, they won't consider you. Treat your bio, playlists, and Highlights as a living portfolio with clear positioning and contact info.

New creators fear flops and avoid testing. And that's exactly backward.

Instagram's Trial Reels exist so you can test topics and formats with non-followers first, then promote winners to your grid. YouTube Studio's Test & Compare lets you A/B thumbnails.

Run lightweight experiments weekly. New hook, new length, new call to share. Test the first three seconds and watch how retention shifts. Pair thumbnail testing with hook testing and you'll learn faster what actually works versus what you think should work.

The creators breaking through are going niche. They have clear positioning, specific expertise, defined audience, consistent format.

This ties back to the 70/30 rule. Your original content should have a clear point of view and serve a specific audience. Trends can broaden your reach occasionally. But your core content needs to be specific enough that people know exactly why they should follow you.

Not vanity metrics like likes or follower count. Instagram wants sends, YouTube wants retention, Snapchat wants watch time.

Switch to a professional or creator account to unlock analytics. Review your top three winners and laggards each month. Study how viewers find you, the data tells you what's working - you just have to actually look at it.

The difference between momentum and stagnation rarely comes down to luck - it's usually a handful of avoidable missteps.

These aren't secrets. They’re the basics most people ignore because they're chasing viral moments instead of building foundations. This isn't mysterious algorithm hacking. It's just doing the actual work instead of looking for shortcuts that don't exist.

You got this, cuties (speaking to myself, also lol) x

-Sophie Randell, Writer

Today’s trend comes from Pitch Perfect (2012), the film about college a cappella groups competing. The audio everyone’s using is when Benji finally gets his moment and sings Magic by B.o.B featuring Rivers Cuomo. He’s singing “I got the magic in me, every time I touch that track it turns into gold”. And somehow, even though the film is 14 years old, it’s fully having a comeback.

People are using this audio to show a kind of realisation or power shift. It’s a very specific type of humour, self-aware growth, not always healthy, turning a vulnerable moment into a “wait… I can actually do THIS?” realisation, with a bit of villain origin story energy thrown in. For example, “Me as soon as I realised I could just be snarky back to the kids” and "Me at 12 realising if I could stay in my room no one can be mad at me".

Using Benji’s version, film yourself mouthing along to the lyrics while slowly raising your hands in amazement. Then add text on screen showing a realisation that led to a bit of a power trip, or a skill you’ve clocked about yourself at work.

A few ideas to get you started:

-Fiona Badiana, Intern

😂Yap’s funniest home videos:  Compilation of funny dogs to make you feel better...
✨Daily inspo: Burnt out?
🎧Soooo tingly: This cat eats better than me lowkey
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Loaded Potato Taco Bowl! 

Hey Austin!

As you're a service-based business, my advice is to start with LinkedIn! The platform is a goldmine for connecting with potential clients. Create as much content as you can so you start showing up on people's feeds. At the same time, begin building your network. Use the LinkedIn search bar to find people who would be an ideal client for you, connect with them, and interact with their content.

Make sure your comments are thoughtful, not just "nice post" or something generic. Over time, they will begin noticing you, and hopefully interacting with your content, too. It will take a few months for you to grow a real presence on LinkedIn. But being super intentional about who you engage with will help you connect with the right people much faster.

- Charlotte Ellis, Editor ♡

We get it. Creating content that does numbers is harder than it looks. But doing those big numbers is the fastest way to grow your brand. So if you’re tired of throwing sh*t at the wall and seeing what sticks, you’re in luck. Because making our clients go viral is kinda what we do every single day.