Your Instagram feed is getting very personal, and so is everyone else’s. What you like, where you are, who you know — it’s all fair game now. Your friends’ likes, your location, your reposts, it’s all being pulled into the feed to shape what you see and who sees you.
Everyone wants to be the algorithm’s favorite, and the platforms know it. The latest features aren’t just upgrades; they’re pressure tests. Of your visibility. Of your value. Of how much data you’re willing to trade to stay relevant. Whether you want to keep your data private or learn how to use it best, the smartest move is to read between the lines and shape your strategy before the algorithm shapes you.
Instagram adds reposts, friend maps and social discovery tools
Instagram just rolled out three major features aimed at making the platform more socially interactive, and they could change how your feed looks (and performs). First up: Reposts. For the first time, users can now officially reshare others’ content to their feed, complete with a dedicated “Reposts” tab and attribution to the original creator. It’s a big shift for a platform long focused on original content, but one that could boost reach and discoverability for real estate professionals who post consistently valuable content.
Also new is the Friend Map, Instagram’s opt-in answer to Snap Map. Users can choose to share their live location with friends and see posts from nearby hotspots. Finally, a new Friends tab in Reels surfaces content your friends have liked, offering more ways for your posts to be seen by extended networks.
The feature rollout wasn’t without controversy. Just hours after launch, users flooded Threads with concerns about unwanted location sharing, with some claiming their settings were toggled on by default. Instagram head Adam Mosseri responded quickly, clarifying that the map is off by default and requires double opt-in, but confusion lingered. For professionals managing public-facing accounts — including real estate agents — it’s a reminder to double-check your privacy settings and be mindful of what’s visible when you’re posting on the go.
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How to opt out of Instagram’s Friend Map feature
1. Open Instagram. Make sure your app is updated to the latest version.
2. Tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner to go to your profile.
3. Tap the ☰ menu (top right corner) and select Settings and privacy.
4. Scroll to “How others can interact with you,” and tap Location sharing (you may also see a direct “Friend Map” option, depending on your version).
5. Check your sharing status:
- If it says “Off,” you’re not sharing your live location.
- If it says “On,” tap it to manage or disable it.
6. Disable location sharing completely:
- Toggle “Share my live location” to OFF.
7. (Optional) Review device settings.
On your phone, go to:
- iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Instagram, then select Never or Ask Next Time.
- Android: Settings > Apps > Instagram > Permissions > Location, then select Don’t allow.
What this means for real estate professionals:
Instagram is leaning into social sharing, discoverability and community-driven visibility. That’s good news if you’re creating engaging, public-facing content. Reposts could amplify your reach through peer sharing. The friend map may eventually support location-based discovery — think listings or neighborhood content. And the new Reels tab gives your video content more entry points to be discovered by friends-of-friends. Bottom line: the more your audience interacts with your content, the more chances Instagram gives it to be seen.
ChatGPT is becoming the new Google, especially with Gen Z
More people are turning to ChatGPT for search, and it’s changing how we discover brands, make decisions and consume content. According to Adobe’s latest survey, 77 percent of U.S. ChatGPT users use it like a search engine, with nearly one in four saying it’s their first stop for finding info. Why? It’s fast, personal and cuts through the noise.
Real estate marketers, take note:
- People love it for everyday Qs, creative ideas and even financial advice
- 76 percent of marketers say it’s essential to show up in AI-generated answers
- Top-performing formats: data-backed stories and how-to guides
- Gen Z leads the shift — but baby boomers aren’t far behind
The bottom line: Search behavior is changing fast. Showing up in AI answers might soon matter as much as SEO.
Get the full report from Adobe here.
TikTok by the numbers: What marketers need to know in 2025
With nearly 1.6 billion users and engagement stats that blow other platforms out of the water, TikTok is more than just relevant; it’s shaping consumer behavior.
A new report from Buffer shows just how powerful the platform has become: Users average 95 minutes a day, tutorials dominate watch time, and nearly half of Gen Z has shared a TikTok in the past month.
Now, TikTok’s own research with WARC argues that marketers are measuring its impact all wrong. Relying on last-click attribution misses the point, the report says, because users often begin their journey with a TikTok video — but convert somewhere else. To solve for this, the platform is pushing its GRO model (Goals, Readiness, Optimization) as a smarter way to track performance across the full funnel. Together, the insights paint a clear picture: TikTok isn’t just a branding tool; it’s a conversion engine hiding in plain sight.
What this means for real estate professionals:
Whether you’re trying to build awareness, connect with first-time buyers or drive clicks to your listings, TikTok has the audience — and now, the measurement tools — to back up your strategy. Stop counting just the final click. Start creating value-packed content that meets your audience where their journey begins.
Zuckerberg wants to put superintelligence in your pocket
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled his vision for AI superintelligence — and it’s deeply personal. Rather than centralizing power, Zuckerberg says Meta aims to build “personal superintelligence” tools that help individuals pursue their goals, creativity and relationships. His team, including the co-creator of ChatGPT and the former CEO of Scale AI, is working to digitally replicate the brain’s learning model. While other tech leaders push automation, Meta’s betting the rest of the decade will decide whether AI empowers people — or replaces them.
What this means for real estate professionals:
Meta’s focus on personal AI means future tools could act more like smart assistants — helping agents manage tasks, connect with clients and stay creative, rather than replacing them.
Smarter homes, smarter assistants: Alexa+ enters the AI era
Amazon’s new AI-powered assistant, Alexa+, promises smarter scheduling, intuitive reminders and integrated shopping — but it’s off to a shaky start. The upgrade brings generative AI into everyday routines — syncing calendars, summarizing emails, remembering preferences and even acting on your behalf.
For real estate professionals, this could mark a shift in how buyers experience and expect smart home functionality. Although it may no longer be about guests asking Alexa to order toilet paper at a showing, features like personalized reminders and agentic AI could turn a connected home into a tech-driven lifestyle demo. Understanding these evolving tools can help you meet — and shape — modern buyer expectations.
What this means for real estate professionals:
As Alexa+ pushes smart home tech further into daily routines, buyers will increasingly expect homes to be “AI-ready.” Real estate professionals should brush up on smart home features, from device compatibility to privacy considerations. Highlighting smart integrations like voice-controlled lighting, climate or security systems can boost a home’s appeal — especially for tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z buyers. And at open houses, agents may want to prep devices ahead of time or set boundaries to avoid unexpected voice commands from curious visitors. As AI assistants become more capable, homes aren’t just where we live — they’re where automation lives, too.
TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read)
- Instagram gets more social: Reposts, Friend Map and new Reels tab help boost visibility — but privacy concerns around live location sharing are sparking backlash. Check your settings.
- ChatGPT is the new Google: Seventy-seven percent of users search with AI now. Gen Z leads, but boomers are joining in. Real estate pros should focus on how-to and data-backed content to show up in AI answers.
- TikTok = not just branding: With 1.6 billion users and sky-high engagement, TikTok drives conversions — you just might not see them on the last click. Start posting tutorials and value-first content.
- Zuckerberg’s next move: Meta is building personal AI — think smart assistants for creativity, productivity and connection, not just automation.
- Alexa+ enters the AI chat: Amazon’s new AI assistant aims to become your daily helper. For agents, that means new smart home expectations — and a new way to demo tech during showings.
From Instagram leaning harder into social discovery to TikTok reframing what success looks like, the tools may feel familiar, but the strategy behind them is shifting. Layer on Meta’s and Amazon’s AI plays, and one thing becomes clear: Platforms are betting big on personalization, automation and visibility. The smartest marketers won’t just adopt the tools; they’ll read between the lines.
Each week on Trending, digital marketer Jessi Healey dives into what’s buzzing in social media and why it matters for real estate professionals. From viral trends to platform changes, she’ll break it all down so you know what’s worth your time — and what’s not.
Jessi Healey is a freelance writer and social media manager specializing in real estate. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, or Bluesky.
