🚨 Big shifts on Instagram + Meta ads this week

👋 Welcome back to The Scroll Down! Each week we cut through the noise and bring you the updates you actually need to know from as many corners of the internet as we could find.

This week is heavy on Instagram and Meta, with some TikTok, LinkedIn, and policy shifts sprinkled in. The main place you may need to take action? Ads and creative workflows - especially if you rely on Meta’s catalog ads or Instagram’s editing tools.

Let’s dive in.

🔷 Meta / Facebook

Dynamic media in catalog ads
Meta is changing the default setting for Advantage+ Catalog Ads. Starting September 2025, the “dynamic media” option will automatically be set to ON (OPT_IN). By October 20, 2025, this will be fully enforced. That means your ads could automatically mix in videos, static images, or collections - unless you opt out.
What this means for you:
If you run product or service catalog ads, check your assets now. Make sure you have video and image creatives ready so the automation works in your favor. If you want to stick to static images only, you’ll need to opt out before enforcement kicks in. Keep a close eye on performance once this rolls out.

🔸 Instagram

Reach boost via Edits app
Adam Mosseri confirmed that videos edited with Instagram’s Edits app are getting a reach bump in the algorithm right now. He admitted it’s temporary, just to drive adoption of their app.
Scheduling posts doesn’t hurt reach
Contrary to a common rumor, scheduling your Instagram posts through Meta’s tools will not reduce reach.
Pin your own comment
Soon you’ll be able to pin your own comment to the top of your posts, giving you more control over conversation starters or call-to-actions.
Inbox filters and folders
Instagram is rolling out advanced DM filters (sort by follower count, verification, etc.) - available for pro accounts and personal accounts with 100K+ followers.
Picture-in-picture test for Reels
Reels can be viewed picture-in-picture while multitasking in other apps - potentially boosting watch time and visibility.
What ALL this means for you:
- If you’re creating video content, try the Edits app for now to take advantage of the reach bump while you can.
- Schedule posts with confidence - it won’t hurt you.
- Start planning how you can use pinned comments (think FAQs, CTAs, links).
- If you rely heavily on DMs, new filters will help you prioritize replies.
- If you make episodic content, linked Reels + picture-in-picture could work in your favor.

🟣 TikTok

Timeline view on profiles
TikTok is testing a new timeline-style view for profiles, including notes on reposted videos.
Bulletin boards in For You feed
TikTok is now surfacing brand/publisher “bulletin boards” in the main For You feed, giving more prominence to curated collections of content.
Mandatory GMV Max ads for Shop brands
As of September 1, 2025, TikTok Shop advertisers must use GMV Max - an AI-powered ad system that automates targeting, creative, and budget allocation.
Community Guidelines update
TikTok’s new rules (effective September 13, 2025) tighten restrictions on AI-generated content, labeling, and misinformation.
What this means for you:
- If you sell via TikTok Shop, you’ll need to adapt to GMV Max - less manual control, more reliance on TikTok’s AI.
- Creators should double-check labeling for any AI content to avoid guideline violations.
- Watch how the new timeline view and bulletin boards roll out - they could offer new opportunities for visibility.

🔵 LinkedIn

Links and reach
LinkedIn clarified that posts with links don’t automatically get throttled. If your post is strong and valuable on its own, adding a link won’t harm reach.
What this means for you:
Don’t stress about hiding links in comments. Just make sure your post has enough context to stand alone, and treat the link as a bonus for people who want more.

🌍 Policy & Regulation

Australia age-verification law
From December 10, 2025, under-16s will be banned from social media accounts in Australia unless parental/legal exemptions apply. Platforms must enforce age verification.
TikTok and EU law
The European Commission says TikTok is breaching the Digital Services Act by failing to disclose adequate info in its ads repository.
What this means for you:
These regulatory changes show how fast governments are moving. If your audience includes youth or international users, be prepared for stricter platform policies, more verification steps, and evolving ad transparency.

✉️ Websites & Email

Nonprofit website best practices
Strong storytelling, fast load times, and user-friendly design are more important than ever for nonprofit sites.
Email marketing challenges in 2025
Deliverability and personalization remain top challenges. List hygiene, segmentation, and high-quality engagement are key.
What this means for you:
Now’s a good time to audit your website and email setup. Even small improvements in performance or segmentation can drive more impact than chasing every social algorithm tweak.

✌️ That’s all for this week’s Scroll Down. As always, sources are linked throughout so you can dig deeper.

See you next Thursday for more of the social tea.

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