13 february 2026
2016 vs 2025: how Instagram changed brands, users and the rules of the game
Ten years ago, Instagram was a place where we kept memories: morning coffee, vacation, new sneakers, a cat in the sun. The tape resembled a film — a little filtered, but sincere. Likes were collected more easily, algorithms did not dictate the rules of the game, and the word “SMM strategy” sounded more like something from the future. What exactly has changed in these ten years? Why has organic become unstable, polished visuals become suspicious, and video is the main driver of growth? And does modern Instagram have its own “new 2016” — a window of opportunity for those who know how to play by the new rules? We talked to practitioners about how the platform, the work of specialists, and user behavior have transformed. And why today social networks are no longer about posts, but about analytics, hypotheses, and...