If you've ever written “link in b!o” to avoid upsetting the algorithm, you're not alone. Marketers have been playing linguistic Twister for years, trying to avoid invisible penalties. But was that even necessary? Or are we just overthinking a three-word caption like it holds dark power?

This week, we look into whether the algorithm really cares what your caption says, or if it’s finally safe to copy paste that call to action again. Plus, your weekly dose of digital and social updates, served hot by The Viral Venti from Akari & Co.

Social Media Marketing

Instagram's Chief Drops the Mic: "Link in Bio" Doesn't Kill Your Reach

Remember when saying "link in bio" felt like signing your own algorithmic meltdown? Well, Instagram's head Adam Mosseri just served the algorithm anxiety community a reality check with a side of "you've been overthinking this."

After years of speculation, Instagram finally clarified that using phrases like “link in bio” does not hurt your reach or visibility. That includes no secret throttling, no algorithmic ghosting, and no backroom punishment for trying to drive traffic.

Key Details

• Mosseri’s Mic Drop: Mosseri categorically stated, "You're more than welcome to say 'link in bio,' it will not affect your reach one way or another. Adding 'link in bio' can be super helpful, I do it all the time, so please feel comfortable doing it as much as you like."

• The Fear was Real: Creators developed elaborate workarounds—"check my profile," "tap the URL above," "swipe up for more" “Blink in Lio” (my favorite) — all to avoid the dreaded phrase in case IG’s algo was flagging posts with the CTA.

• User Behavior Rules: Mosseri suggests any perceived drop in reach might come from audience behavior. People might skip posts with external link prompts, but that’s on them, not the algorithm.

What Marketers Should Do

• Engage, Don’t Beg: Craft captions that hook users before nudging them to the bio. A compelling story or CTA beats a lazy “link in bio” any day.

• Track and Tweak: Monitor click-through rates with UTM parameters to see if “link in bio” posts are actually driving traffic. If engagement’s low, it’s not the algorithm. It’s your content.

The Bottom Line

Instagram’s “link in bio” myth is officially busted, straight from Mosseri’s mouth. You can sprinkle that phrase in your captions without fear of algorithmic wrath, but don’t expect it to work miracles. User behavior, not the algorithm, is the real gatekeeper here. If your audience isn’t clicking, it’s time to rethink your approach. Diversify your CTAs, optimize your bio links, and keep your content so good they can’t scroll past. The algorithm’s not your enemy, but a boring post still is.

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Social Media Trends

The Weekly Scroll 📱

Instagram/Facebook/Threads

📈 Threads Gives Creators Growth Insights Threads is rolling out new tools to help creators track engagement and spot what’s working. Growth mode: officially activated. 👉 Check your stats

💬 Threads Teases DM Upgrades + Group Chats GIFs, stickers, editing, and group chats. Threads is slowly morphing into the cool cousin of your messaging apps. 👉 Updates incoming

🖼️ Instagram Tests Photo Replies in Comments Instagram is experimenting with letting users drop images in post comments. Memes in replies? It’s about to get chaotic. 👉 Watch the test

ICYMI Instagram is now indexing public posts in search engines Check it out

TikTok

🎤 TikTok Launches “Next Up” Live Singing Show TikTok's going full The Voice with a new live music competition called “Next Up.” Expect high notes, hot takes, and viral vocals. Beata Murphy, the Program Director at KIIS FM LA, is one of the judges 👉 Watch them sing

YouTube

💬 YouTube Tests Threaded Comments + Dream Track Updates YouTube's adding threaded comments (finally) and giving Dream Track’s AI tunes a fresh remix. More convo, better bops. 👉 Peek the updates

X / Twitter

📲 X Adds More Tools to New Chat Interface X is stacking new features onto its updated DM system—including reactions and better threading. Still no edit button for tweets, though. 👉 Test the tools

Other Platforms

🏅 Snapchat Backs Women in Sports with TOGETHXR Snap’s teaming up with TOGETHXR to spotlight female athletes through AR, Snap Stars, and exclusive content. Girl power, but make it immersive. 👉 See the collab

🎯 Pinterest Shares Holiday Marketing Playbook Pinterest is gifting brands an early present: top tips to crush holiday campaigns. Hint: start now or risk being the ghost of Q4 past. 👉 Unwrap the tips

Digital Marketing Trends/Ads

Tour de Headlines

Meta

🗳️ Meta Halts Political Ads in Europe Thanks to new EU rules, Meta is pausing political ads across Europe. Consider it a digital detox from campaign chaos, at least for now. 👉 Read the move

🔁 Shorter Facebook Video Ads Get More Replays Meta’s data says short video ads loop better and get more attention. TL;DR: Less time, more shine. 👉 Trim that ad

TikTok

🛑 TikTok Ban Still Looms Without a Deal The U.S. government says the TikTok ban stays unless a sale happens before the deadline. ByteDance is officially racing the clock. 👉 Eyes on the clock

Google / YouTube

🧥 Google Adds AI-Powered Virtual Try-Ons Google's new shopping tool lets you preview clothes on different body types before you buy. Window shopping just leveled up. 👉 Try it on

X (Formerly Twitter)

🚫 X Bans Multi-Emoji Ads X is cracking down on ads stuffed with emojis. Marketers, it’s time to chill with the 🎯🔥💥🚀🤑. 👉 Tone it down

Other Platforms

🎯 LinkedIn’s B2B Branding Playbook LinkedIn’s tips? Think short videos, influencer collabs, and emotional value. Basically, B2B marketing is finally getting a glow-up. 👉 Skim the tips

Interesting Stats

Show these to execs when they question you

🧠 TikTok Ban Impact: When TikTok faced a temporary ban in early 2025, Facebook and Instagram usage jumped by 37%, revealing how interconnected platform engagement dynamics are.  

🌐 Meta's Attention Share: Meta’s dominance dropped from 85% to 60% of total user attention once TikTok and YouTube were included in the “attention economy”, illustrating how new entrants quickly erode incumbents’ grip.

📱 TikTok Reach: TikTok reached over 2.05 billion global users, with a projection to hit 1.8 billion monthly active users by the end of July 2025.  

🎭 Gen Z Meme Usage: 67% of Gen Z report preferring comedy and meme content on short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

📊 Influencer Marketing Spend: Global influencer marketing budgets reached $32.55 billion in June 2025, signaling major strategic shifts toward ROI-focused partnerships. 

Recommendations/Resources

Tools & Apps We’re Loving Right Now 🛠️

Best AI Image Creator – Leonardo AI is blowing our minds. We’re ditching clunky design tools because this one’s got the magic touch.
👉 Give it a go

Best for Tracking TikTok Metrics & Competitor Benchmarking – TokBackup has become our secret weapon for TikTok insights. If you’re not using this, you’re flying blind.
👉 Explore TokBackup

See Competitor Ads in Real-Time – Meta Ads Library lets you spy on your competitors' strategies and campaigns. Lurking in here is basically a full-time job.
👉 Peek inside

Google Ads Campaign Insights – Google Ads Transparency Center lets you see where ad dollars are flowing. If you like data with a side of snooping, this tool’s for you.
👉 Go snoop

Best AI voiceovers - So, your talent flubbed a line, or you changed your script after recording? ElevenLabs lets you turn text into hyper-realistic voiceovers so seamless, no one will ever know.
👉 Fix it

Best AI Video Generation- HeyGen is a cool AI tool that lets you create videos with super realistic avatars that talk just by typing a script. It’s great if you hate being on camera or want to make content fast—plus, it can speak over 40 languages, so it’s perfect for reaching a global audience. Super easy, saves you time and money, and the results actually look professional.
👉 Try It

Ad Creative Analytics - Beautiful creative reporting to help your team generate more revenue from your paid social ads.

👉 Try it out

Shower Thought  🚿💭

It won’t be long before people use ‘the ’20s, the ’30s, and the ’40s’ to describe the 2020s, the 2030s, and the 2040s.