#just imagining jamil's mixed emotions here

[viperwhispered]

Ngl I've always headcanoned my yuu to befriend kalim and be his cheerleader, moral support, and a coach (if needed) to accelerate kalim's growth in life-skill learning because I want his retainer all to myself lmao. Call it investment or whatever

Hasdfh let’s hope your Yuu is careful enough not to give Kalim a disproportionate amount of attention or said retainer might get very much the wrong idea.

What a way to be thinking ahead to get what you want, truly diligence worthy of Scarabia.

[zstargalaxy]

Hello! could we please see part 2 of Litleo!mc pleeease

TWISTED WONDERLAND X POKEMON

Grown Up Cheka x Pyroar MC

Continuation to this post : Part 1

All throughout your life you know that you were missing something...you were missing them.

Though you were young at the time, those lingering memories of magic, Overblot, Chaos and friends back in Twisted Wonderland had never left your mind.

So your determination, sweat and tears were finally paid off when you had caught found one of a way back to Twisted Wonderland during your journey to catch Giratina.

With Giratina's help, you were able to come travel between two worlds while also being able to reconnect with old friends from long ago.

You couldnt believe how much they have change.

And they couldnt believe how much YOU had change.

To think that the small little tyke from tem years ago has grown into a fine yet fierce young lady with already having a reputation as one of the strongest trainers in her home region.

Though they were shock and confused when you had told them that you were now a Pyroar, the evolve form of Litleo.

With some explanation, and a (mixed emotions) conclusion that it is similar to Puberty, they all congratulate you as they remmebered how you always wish to become a strong Pyroar twelve years ago while you in return congrats them with their own accomplishments aswell.

Like Riddle becoming a renowned Healer while also having some freedom of his own from he's mom, Deuce becoming a Law Enforcer, Azul becoming a great businessman, Kalim becoming the head of his family's own business, Jamil's Travelling, Epel helping with he's family's farm and so on.

Lilia sobbed that he no longer can adopt you like he had tried numerous times when you were still a little Litleo all those years ago with Malleus, Sebek and Silver holding him back from getting those adoption papers.

Speaking of Lilia, he was touch when he had meet your Noivern, Lily, who you had raised from a little Noibat.

Atleast it was self explanatory to you why you subconsciously name her Lily...

Well, atleast Malleus would take a look at how a dragon-type looks like from yoir world.

All of them had the privilege to see your full team as they gaze in wonder and suprise at how strong these pokemon are, especielly since it would be considerd great feat with magical and special creatures that arent normal can be hard to tame here.

Delfox, Persian, Mightyena, Midday Form Lycanrock, Noivern and Lopunny are the members of your team, and now Grim, who has been under Crewel-Senpei's car for the past twelve years, is gonna join the team now that you had come back to him.

He and Persian would probably rivals for your attention.

Leona cant help but swell in pride at how far you have gone since he had last saw ya.

You and the Savannaclaw Trio would probably have one of the most wholesome Reunion ever.

Ruggie messed with your hair as commented how the little cub had finally gotten her claws, chuckling to you that you were so adorable and troublesome back then~

You and Jack quickly became proper sparing partners, interested on how battles work for gijinkas like you back at your home world.

Even though he didnt show it through that tired and smirking face, he is proud on how far you are now, from a Litleo to a Pyroar, and that you have a strong team with ya to make sure of it.

"Better not to let your guard down, Cub."

"Wouldnt think of it, Mister Pyroar~"

Ruggie is really rubbing of ya.

Yet Leona isnt exactly prepared for when you and he's nephew meet again.

Cheka was practically jumping physically and mentally in joy when he was told that you had come back.

He knew that you werent just a figment of he's childhood imagination!

He literally pounce and hug onto you like there was no tomorrow with great strength that he had gotten over training.

Oh Arcerus, he has grown.

He has a lean yet a very built frame, matured yet recognizable face features and he's signature fiery hair has grown to the same length as that of he's Father and Uncle.

Two of you hit it off immediately once again just like when you two were kids.

You even meet he's two other friends, a Warthog and Meerkat beastman, during a tour through the Afterglow Savanah.

The three boys quickly were amazed at your pokemon when you show them, eyes shined in awe at how marvelous and powerful your partners are.

You even decided to show them how a Pokemon battles like with your partners and your own self.

The only words they could muster is wow.

Cheka knew that you were interasting from the start! And now look at you!

You two decided to even prank your other two friends by stalking like predators in the blades of grass and than pounce on them, making the meerkat and warthog scream in shock and horror.

The four of you ended up in a game of chase with you and Cheka riding ontop of Noivern as a result.

Falena and he's wife chuckled at the sight of you two being so close, already knewing of whats to come next in the near future.

It kinda reminds them on how they used to be before they were married.

For old times sake, during a small outing in a near by lake with lush greenary, you use ember on some uncook barbecue and gave one to Cheka as you gave some of the rest to your pokemon.

That trick was and still is the best.

Cheka decided to play a little trick on you, by swinging onto the lake and pulled you in once you had look for him in the body of water.

As a fire-type, it wasnt exactly easy nor good to bath nor swim in water so you quickly came back up the surface in a wet state as Cheka came along after with he's hair sticking to he's face.

You playfully glared and push him back onto the waters as you remove your hairband to fix your hair.

The heir couldnt stop staring at your current state of wet yet slick hair and soft facial features as you comb your hair and put it back up as a ponytail.

"Take a picture it will last longer"

Your teasing caused you and Cheka to have another chasing game until he had pounce and made you two roll down a small hill and then onto soft grass.

Laughter and chuckles filled the air that came from the two of you as you stayed in your postion of Cheka being above you and you being below him.

You two stayed there for a few moments, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and taking a breather from the chase you two had.

Cheka was quickly pulled back when he was kissed at cheek, you chuckling at he's adorable reaction until he returned the gesture.

The silent area didnt need words to tell that the two of you are enamored with eachother ;)

[twistedwonderlandsimps]

Benrey!Yuu

I'm just here to mix-and-match different kinds of Yuus with different kinds of personalities to see what monstrosity I can make. That being said,,, Benrey!Yuu brainrot! 

For those who don’t know, Benrey is a character in a roleplay called Half-Life VR but the AI is Sentient (aka HLVRAI) by wayneradiotv and his friends. You should definitely check it out on Youtube, it’s hilarious!

Also there are some spoilers here about the characters so I suggest you go watch it first.

Yuu’s dialogues is intentionally lowercase-d, by the way.

So… an eldritch creechur obsessed with Pl*ystation Plus, dissociated and lives in an absolutely different reality in their head, and completely delusional.

Even the most patient people go insane in Benrey!Yuu’s presence. No one is safe from Benrey!Yuu. They’ve practically made it their mission to make everyone question their own sanity.

And since Benrey!Yuu is the way they are, they most probably arrived late in the opening ceremony, looking completely confused and dazed.

Crowley: “Who are you?”

Yuu: “huh? wha? did you say something?”

Crowley: “You-”

Yuu: “do you have Pl*ystation Plus, uh, voucher?”

Crowley: “I don’t know what–”

Yuu: “i just– i’m waiting– i wanna- i wanna get another month but i want, like, a free trial.”

They’re completely chill and unbothered by anything.

Even when the blot monster in the Dwarfs’ Mine chased after them, they just stood there and stared at it with that infuriating smirk of theirs as the monster spontaneously burst out in flames.

Ace: “Holy– What was that?!”

Yuu: “that was, uh– that was a passport.”

Also when Riddle overblotted:

Yuu: *standing in the middle of the Rose Maze with overblot!Riddle making his way towards them in anger*

“Yuu! Get out of there! You’ll get hurt!”

Yuu: “it’s okay, i’m– i’m–  i’m not human.”

Yuu, when meeting Leona for the first time in the botanical garden:

Leona: “I was having such a lovely nap, and now I’m just pissed. Hope you’re ready to leave behind a tooth–”

Yuu: “do you have– you have credentials? can I see your– passport?”

Leona: “...What.”

Yuu, turning to Grim and whispering loudly: “he doesn’t have his passport.”

Grim, equally whispering just as loud: “What’s a passport?”

Yuu, @ the overblot bois after they calmed down:

“you– you a lil’– you’re a lil’ clumsy boy, aren’t you? lost your lil’ temper there, did ya?”

Can you imagining Benrey!Yuu’s and Malleus’ first meeting?

Benrey!Yuu probably straight up asks if Malleus has Pl*ystation Plus or something. That, or ask for his passport. Their greetings always consist of either of those two options.

Benrey!Yuu would probably be the type to unironically call Malleus ‘Horn-y’ as a nickname.

Malleus just rolls with it. He probably assumes that it’s some quirky human thing. Just imagine him telling how his day went to Lilia.

“And then they called me ‘Horn-y’, for I indeed have horns.”

“They what–”

Okay, now imagine Yuu meeting Jamil for the first time.

Hypnosis? Pffft, like that’ll work on an eldritch creature from the void. Jamil’s gonna have to try harder than–

Jamil: “We have Pl*ystation Plus in Scarabia.”

They did not, in fact, have Pl*ystation Plus in Scarabia but Yuu got scammed into going and staying anyway.

Yuu maybe calls Kalim ‘Tommy’.

Yuu @ Jamil: “Tommy… likes mean people. that’s why he talked to you.”

Jamil: “Who’s Tommy?”

Also, Yuu’s going to have a villain moment in the future along with Grim and their villain monologue is just going to be like:

“i didn’t have a big plan! i was s’posed to be nice but you forced me to be BAAAAD so i gonna be baaad. friend.”

“What are you even saying, Yuu?!”

“i dunno. hey, you have Pl*ystation Plus, one month?”

Also also, we can’t forget about the Black Mesa Sweet Voice.

Yuu uses these orbs/balls things to express their emotions. Just them blowing blue bubbles at their friends when their friends are sad. Not a lot of dark blue since that apparently means ‘i hate you’. Just enough to comfort them.

The braincell group probably has a color coding chart to see what the colored orb Yuu spews out means.

Imagine Yuu spewing out teal orbs after fighting an overblot and their friends look at the chart and see that it can either mean ‘surprise’ or ‘needs meal’.

Yuu, getting closer to an ink puddle: *audible lip smacking*

Ace, softly: “No.”

Like Yuu, like Grim, I guess. Picking up food from the ground like feral gremlins they are.

Okay but like, Yuu terrorizing Idia by showing up out of nowhere in his room and constantly asks him for Pl*ystation Plus and if they can add him on it. Idia doesn’t even know what Pl*ystation Plus is. He’s tried introducing them to other consoles in hopes that they’d leave him alone but it doesn’t work.

Idia can do nothing as Yuu routinely break into his room. Even reinforcing the security and changing locks everyday doesn’t stop them.

Well anyway, I know this post is about Benrey!Yuu but imagine if it was also the rest of the Science Team!

Anyway, Tommy!Yuu, Bubby!Yuu, Coomer!Yuu. All the possibilities! 

Gordon!Yuu mayhaps doesn’t exist ‘cause that’s honestly just default Yuu.

Anyway, just imagine the braincell group running away from the blot monster in the mines and Coomer!Yuu just goes:

“Hello, Gordon! For three PlayCoins™, I can get us out of this dilemma!”

“Who the hell’s Gordon?!”

“Yuu, this isn’t the time to be introducing us to your shady products! Keep running!”

Coomer!Yuu just calls everyone ‘Gordon’ and gives expositions on random things as if they were a tutorial guide.

Tommy!Yuu may have a child-like personality but for some reason, they know things that should generally be a secret like the reasons for why the overblot boys overblot.

Also they have a dog but the dog’s 2D and Tommy!Yuu doesn’t understand when the others try to explain to them that their dog shouldn’t be 2D flat.

Bubby!Yuu has more than enough ability to bring the overblot boys and monsters out by themselves but chooses not to and instead runs around screaming as if their life was in peril.

Bubby!Yuu: “If you think I’m a pain in the ass, wait ‘til you meet my prototypes.”

Jack: “Your… prototypes?”

Bubby!Yuu: “Yes.”

They don’t explain any further and just leaves Jack with more questions than before.

All these Yuus are chaotic and thrive off of said chaos.

[draftingteacups]

LOL if requests are ok a romantic what if scenario, kalim x soni the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one, and remember to rest and hydrate

Sunshine boy and Soni, here we go! All rested and hydrated- thank you for the care 😌 As with all Romantic What Ifs and What Ifs in general, this is considered non canon. Please enjoy!

Kalim met Soni in the strangest of circumstances, but that only showed Kalim that Soni was a nice person who was dependable in even the most critical of situations. I feel like the first thing that came to his mind when they were surrounded by Grim's fire and the world seemingly in flames was "She's nice!"

It was only after the first week that Kalim managed to catch up with Soni when he visited the place to invite her over to Scarabia. He'd only heard things from the other students.

How she somehow dealt with the collars that popped up throughout the school before they all just disappeared overnight.

How she had monsters who listened to her commands without hesitation and never flinched from them.

How even without magic, she didn't bow under the social pressure that everyone else in her position would have faced and even turned the tables on them as the teaching assistant.

He would love to bring her over to his friends! He met them a short while back from last year and he had only reunited with them shortly, but they were still as kind as ever! When Kalim did introduce her to his friends, Soni looked somewhat surprised by them like she discovered an amazing treasure and they all flocked her.

Kalim: "Ahaha! They really like you!"

Soni: "That seems to be the case. They're very sweet."

Kalim: "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. You're really nice!"

Soni almost looked like she was about to argue with him on that point, but then the Pokemon all scattered to the shadows as Jamil came over to bring them for dinner. I like to imagine that whenever Kalim comes over to Ramshackle, he likes to hang out with Soni in the lounge with Jamil sometimes accompanying him to remind him of the things he needs to do.

Soni, as a result, often helps Kalim with certain things like studying and keeping track. She actually encourages him to take breaks in-between study sessions, something that she often does with Ace and Deuce that works wonders for Kalim. I feel like it's during one of these sessions where Kalim is alone with Soni that he really speaks his mind about her.

Kalim: "Y'know, Soni, you're a really nice person!"

She gives a weak laugh at that.

Kalim: "I'm serious!" and then he lists down all the things that she's done for him and other people. "...And I feel like you need to sit down and be appreciated by the people who care about you!"

Soni: "That's a bit difficult when I'm working a job, attending school, and the only one with a braincell in my friend group."

Kalim then decides to try and help out around Ramshackle whenever he comes around, which sometimes works out okay! He's learning about Pokemon and General Pokemon Care with Soni, and he just loves that sort of thing because it can be applied to his friends in Scarabia, which makes them happy.

Eventually, when Episode 4 comes around, Kalim just feels a weird feeling in his heart when Soni comes to the dorm and looks so tired. He's heard all about what happened with Octavinelle and the whole contract situation with even the Scarabia students getting mixed up in it. The best way to show his appreciation for all her hard work is with a parade, something that Jamil thinks isn't the best thing for someone like Soni, which confuses him.

That's when he brings out the magic carpet for her, and I feel like at that moment, that's when Kalim really focuses on Soni. He tells her to show her emotions and to be open with them because Kalim can see that she's unhappy.

It hurts him to see her like this, almost terribly so and he doesn't really know why.

All he really knows is that she looks so upset in the moonlight and he wants to take that pain away from her.

That's why when Octavinelle-Scarabia Training Arc started, Kalim was thrilled! Jamil and Soni were the ones who were running around and keeping things in check in varying degrees, so if Octavinelle could come around to help them, then they'd both be able to relax. While Jamil looked wary about that, Soni, for the first time in a while, looked somewhat pleased.

When the Overblot happens, Kalim feels like the world is ending, but Soni brings him back to reality.

Soni: "I think the only thing that you can do for Jamil right now is to give him a punch to the face. It worked well with other people. It'll work now."

Kalim: "!"

Soni: "Being peaceful right now isn't going to do shit, so let's hit him back with all the force of a thousand suns."

Azul in the background just trying not to be the subject of Soni's rage alkdsfjlsajkl

With that out of the way, they beat up Jamil, get him back to normal, and near the end of Episode 4, Kalim was happy to see his Pokemon Buddies again and was looking for Soni when he saw her talking with Ace and Deuce, looking exasperated and happy as Soni held Happiny in her arms.

This was the point that Kalim really realized his feelings and man, he just became so much happier, but at the same time shier towards Soni. At this point, Soni can't really tell the difference of Kalim's sunshine personality, but Jamil can.

Jamil on the sidelines is just watching Kalim try his hardest to have Soni look at him romantically, but she doesn't seem to see it. It's hilarious at points.

Like Kalim offers to braid her hair with some jewels from the treasure vault, but Soni just looks at all the shining treasures and goes, "Ah, that's a bit much." After managing to convince her on the topic, Kalim never looked so happy to have Soni wear a braid that was decorated with small, flower-shaped gemstones that were the color of Kalim's eyes. Although she never kept them and gave them back, Kalim just ran away whenever she brought it up to him, leaving Jamil to put them back in the Treasure Vault.

When they finally get together (after many moments that are very Rom-Com-esque), Soni is softer with him and it's noticeable.

It's hard for Soni to show affection, but Kalim learns to understand her social cues and goes along with them. Kalim gives hugs and Soni awkwardly hugs him back. Soni is not used to hugs, which makes Kalim hug her even more. Kalim likes to brush her hair because he thinks it's pretty and long. He likes to give presents, which is something that Soni finds a little overwhelming at times. He usually gives her things to tie up her hair like hairpins for her bangs and hair accessories.

But for Kalim, Soni's greatest gift to him is her joy, especially once he learns about what happened to her in the past. It's a relationship that brings warmth and comfort to these two, but it takes time to get there.

[writing-for-me-at-this-point]

So, question, are the blotlings sentient? Like, do they wake up and automatically know "Ok, this giant beast is my mom/dad, but these dudes over here are also my dad, but they're bad and hurt mom/dad so they need to DIE." Or are they telepathically linked to Darling and feel all the pain and suffering the leaders put them through, so they immediately up in arms like "Aw HELL no!" It would be cool if Darling could command them to some extent. 🤔

Well, I imagine the blotlings would just be an extension of MCs will. If they feel threatened, they attack the threat, if MC is in a peaceful state, they probably flock to them for affection, etc.

That won't happen since this is an overblot, and once MC manages to calm down, the blotlings will deteriorate. Riddles become ink and once it's soaked into the ground, rosebushes. Leona's would just melt into ink, maybe leaving their claws and teeth behind. Azuls will disappear into saltwater and sea foam mixed with ink. Jamils would become an extremely poisonous ink and need special clean up. Vils will shatter into glass. Idias just... Burn themselves out and become smoke. And Malleus' will follow suit with Leona's, maybe leaving horns behind as well.

They aren't sentient, but just all of MCs negative emotions. Think of it as a coping mechanism, where MC will literally break their mind off into small pieces, just so they can protect them.

Unfortunately, MC will either die due to the overblot or burn themselves out- only to be at the mercy of the dorm leaders once again.

[unifiedsocialblog]

15 of the Most Important Instagram Trends to Watch Right Now

Instagram trends can make or break your social marketing strategy. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of them.

Brands that keep up with the top trends on Instagram can take advantage of new features and beta tools ahead of their competitors. They also show their followers they know what’s up.

With added pressure from TikTok and a new head of company, Instagram is rolling out lots of new innovations, features, and tools.

These are the top trends on Instagram we’re watching right now.

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a lifestyle photographer used to grow from 0 to 600,000 followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

15 top Instagram trends to watch for

1. More Instagram Stories, fewer posts

Instagram Stories have taken over, with more than 500 million viewers every day.

They have also become the place where people keep tabs on their friends and family, according to Instagram research.

On the other hand, the Instagram feed is primarily associated with polished content and discovery.

Getting rid of the chronological feed has only reinforced that perception. Posts now need to be slightly more evergreen. Stories seem more real-time by contrast.

The majority of users see the Instagram feed as a place to find information and discover products and brands.

While that’s good news for brands, regular users find it more difficult to imagine their content in the mix. Some have viewed Instagram’s decision to test hiding likes as an attempt to spur more sharing from those who feel intimidated by the feed.

2. Growth of the Explore tab

More than 200 million Instagrammers check the Explore grid every day and that number is expected to rise this year.

The feed’s new navigation bar now offers shortcuts to IGTV and Shop. From there, people can delve into their niche interests, like beauty, travel, food, or art.

Or, they can get lost in a selection of Stories that will now be algorithmically fed into the Explore feed.

3. Sound on for Instagram Stories

It’s still important to design for sound off environments. But a recent Facebook (and Instagram) study found that viewers like voiceover and music. 80% of Stories with voiceover or music performed better than ads without.

Currently 60% of Instagram Stories are viewed with sound on.

Maybe TikTok’s musical platform has helped turn up the volume across social media channels. Either way, expect TikTok to influence more Instagram trends to come.

4. Strategic stickers in Instagram Stories

Stickers are popular on Instagram Stories, but businesses have had mixed results with them. That’s going to change this year, though.

Expect to see fewer unnecessary and generic stickers, and more polished and original branded stickers over 2019.

5. More interactive Instagram Stories

While stickers have been a mixed bag for businesses, interactive stickers have been a hit.

Questions, poll, countdown, and emoji-slider stickers don’t just prompt more engagement, they make Instagram Stories more sticky. In other words, people stick around longer if there’s something for them to interact with.

For instance, Instagram internal data shows that nine times out of 10, the polling sticker increases video views.

Look for Instagram to unveil for interactive elements over the coming year.

6. Easier ways to shop on Instagram

With more than 70% of shopping enthusiasts using Instagram to explore brands, Instagram now rivals Pinterest as a platform for product discovery.

Over the past year Instagram introduced product tags in feed posts, product stickers in Stories, and a shopping feed via the Explore tab.

With more than 130 million taps on these tags each month, a direct buying option is the logical next step. In March 2019, Instagram rolled out a beta in-app Checkout feature that it’s testing with 20 brands, including Adidas, Burberry, Nike, and Revolve.

Instagram charges merchants a selling fee to use Checkout. But, if it spikes enough sales, the fee won’t stop more brands and influencers from getting in on the action.

Pick up tips on how to make your Instagram account more shoppable.

7. Shoppable influencers

Instagram influencers face a barrage of comments and DMs that often ask the same question: Where’d you get that?

To save influencers’ time, Instagram now lets creators tag products in their posts, which can be purchased directly with Instagram Checkout.

Only a select few currently have access to the feature, including Chiara Ferragni, Kylie Jenner, and Vogue.

Right now, they can only tag businesses participating in the beta Checkout program. But more will be available soon.

8. More realness and representation

Authenticity is so last year. 2019 is all about #nofilter.

Celebrity influencers like Jameela Jamil have waged a war on airbrushing, photoshopping, filtering, body shaming, and non-inclusive creative.

View this post on Instagram

Boob stretch marks are a normal, beautiful thing. I have stretch marks all over my body and I hereby rename them all Babe Marks. They are a sign my body dared to take up extra space in a society that demands our eternal thinness. They are my badge of honour for resisting society’s weaponizing of the female form. ❤️ ps. My face is white because I wear spf 100 sunscreen like a boss. ???? PS. LOVE YOUR BROWN SKIN. I tan responsibly but I love to tan! I love to embrace and celebrate my heritage. This skin bleaching and whitening should be banned. It’s inherently racist, classist and emotionally very damaging. #brownandproud

A post shared by Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamilofficial) on Apr 1, 2019 at 7:50am PDT

Expect to see stretch marks, zits, and more from brands, especially in Instagram Stories. And with it expect to see more real talk about mental health, body insecurities, and other important issues.

In fact, Jamil’s radically inclusive @i_weigh account continues to gain followers. And with a follow from @sussexroyal, the official account of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, I WEIGH’s profile will by royally amplified.

Expect brands to more frequently sub models for real people. You should also see more diverse creative.

Aerie has earned major social klout for its “Retouching free since 2014” aesthetic. This goes for influencer partnerships, too. See IKEA’s partnership with the rainbow Amina Mucciolo being @studiomucci.

View this post on Instagram

#tbt I can’t believe it’s already been a year since this happened! Caption from the original post: “Total full circle moment! @mrstudiomucci and I got married at @ikeausa 10 years ago and now our loft is featured in the @ikeafamilymag ???????????? and my mug is on the cover ????!” See link in my bio for the full #Ikea home tour.

A post shared by Amina Mucciolo (@studiomucci) on Mar 28, 2019 at 10:36pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

"Middle school and high school years were really hard for me. When it came to accepting my body it felt like a forever struggle that would never ease up. Now I know that my beauty is not determined by how skinny my waistline is or how perfect my skin is. The truth is I know I am beautiful, every day, outside and in. Every pimple, stretch mark, every roll and curve are real and unretouched. My beauty shines every day in every way. And yours does too." @daniebb3 Loves the swim she's in! Share your unretouched swim photos with #AerieREAL @Aerie & we’ll donate $1 (up to $50K) to @NEDA for every post.

A post shared by aerie (@aerie) on May 20, 2019 at 6:00pm PDT

9. Rise of relatable influencers

Users are looking for authenticity from their influencers, too. The unrealistic lifestyles and picture-perfect aesthetics of certain Instagram influencers has given rise to Instagram vs. Reality memes. Out of that has come a new breed of influencer: the relatable influencer.

For example, mommy blogger Laura Izumikawa shares the ups and the downs of parenting. Joana Ceddia channels her awkwardness into humour. Jen Gotch talks anxiety and bipolar disorder. These influencers attract followers who are going through similar experiences.

As Izumikawa shares, “People are on social media to connect—or at the very least—relate to others. Being open and transparent will go a long way to help you connect with your audience.”

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This is feels like my new normal. Swollen eyes, constant flow of tears and long, beautiful hair. It’s stress, and insecurity and sadness.  it’s emotions – some of which I haven’t felt in a long time.  And it’s not that my meds don’t work or that I’m having a depressive episode, and part of me wishes it was, because I know exactly what to do when that type of situation arises.  Strangely they come with less pain than this. Less tears.  Less rumination and obsessive thinking because the sensation is closer to no emotion than all emotion.  Add in a little shame, because I thought I was stronger than this.  And also I realized that I am not immune to vulnerability and vulnerability has kind of become my brand.  And it feels scary to share and it feels oftentimes meaningless to share, because it is really personal and I don’t have a solution and I usually like to offer solutions along with problems. And I’m in this fucked place because I asked to be and I should be grateful. I’m here alone, in solitary confinement – a form of psychological torture, writing this book that I really want a lot of people to read, because although it is a memoir, the goal is not just to share funny stories from my past. The goal is to enlighten people about their own mental health, to deglamorize success, build emotional intelligence, help as many people as possible feel less alone and yes of course, make everyone laugh. And I feel that instagram was a big part of what brought me this opportunity so I feel accountable to the platform and more specifically to you. So yeah, no solution here. Just an update, because the lack of an update was making me feel worse than an actual update. I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  I believe there is a light at the end of every tunnel. I just am not deep enough until the tunnel to see it and I want to go back, or lay down & cry or watch the entire first season of the Walking Dead while drunk.  But I won’t because I know moving forward is the only way through. Don’t feel bad for me, I am just identifying what is happening and acknowledging that I hate it more than going to the dentist naked – which I never have done, but it sounds awful.

A post shared by jen gotch (@jengotch) on Jan 27, 2019 at 3:59pm PST

10. The influence of TikTok

The unstoppable growth of TikTok, a music-backed video-sharing app that’s popular with teens, may inspire copycat behaviour from Instagram—as we saw with Snapchat.

IGTV will probably see the most changes, since many think the channel is due for a revamp.

And there are already early signs. Instagram’s recent overhaul of the IGTV feed resembles a cross between TikTok and Snapchat’s Discover feeds. Horizontal scrolling has been replaced with vertical scrolling. And, an algorithm automatically queues up the next video for you to view.

TikTok’s popular challenges have already organically migrated into Instagram follower feeds. So it wouldn’t be surprising to see Instagram attempt to foster more of that, especially since these challenges inspire content creation.

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anxiety has left the group chat.

A post shared by Liz Plank (@feministabulous) on May 14, 2019 at 11:19am PDT

11. More channel-to-channel sharing

With posts in Stories and IGTV videos in the feed, Instagram has been toying with increased linkage between its different formats. Expect to see more crossover from brands who are attempting to boost views in different streams.

For example, when Instagram changed its feed algorithm, we saw more people sharing “new post” alerts in their Stories. Also, one-minute IGTV teasers have been popping up in the feed to direct viewers to the main channel.

Stories are no longer contained to the top of the app either. Now, they’ll show up in the Explore grid too.

The grid will offer personalized Stories recommendations, reminiscent of TikTok.

Instagram is reportedly testing adding direct links for Instagram Stories, too.

12. Sharing Twitter takes on Instagram

Hot takes have taken over Twitter, and they’re showing up on Instagram more and more.

It’s true, @fuckjerry’s been stealing (ahem, now crediting) Tweet memes for years. But, accounts like @will_ent show that this Instagram trend is not letting up.

As The Verge author Megan Farokhmanesh notes, “For some meme creators, Twitter and Tumblr are a canvas, while Instagram is the wall where they display their work.”

Look for Tweets appearing in more Instagram-friendly templates, from branded backgrounds to cleaner, cropped screenshots.

Expect also to see more text-a-gramming, too, ranging from Rupi Kaur-esque poems to more type-moding in Instagram Stories.

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#ElleWoods2020

A post shared by Hello Sunshine (@hellosunshine) on May 17, 2019 at 9:59am PDT

Read more about what meme creators get right on Instagram.

13. Increased social activism

With heightened activism spurred by social unrest and the upcoming elections in Canada and the United States, people are sharing their opinions on social media more than ever.

Text-friendly platforms like Facebook and Twitter have traditionally been associated with social activism. But Instagrammers now have a stronger-than-ever grasp of how to use the platform to share and amplify their views.

From “I voted” stickers to climate change memes, it’s become increasingly common and sometimes inescapable for people and brands to take a stand on the platform.

Activism on all fronts often involves calls for donations to nonprofits.

In February, Instagram introduced a donation sticker that can be added to Stories. While the feature is not yet available to everyone, people will be able to select a nonprofit and even customize the name of their fundraiser.

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School strike Day 1… Now I’m not alone anymore! On Friday 24/5 we are striking in 1387 places in 111 countries. And counting! I Stockholm samlas vi i Humlegården kl 11:30 nu på fredag. Sen går vi till Kungsträdgården. Forskare och aktivister talar, inklusive jag. På scen: Astrid S, Molly Sandén, Jireel, Danny Saucedo, Lamix och Annika Norlin (Säkert!) Dela detta!! Sprid till alla!! #FridaysForFuture #schoolstrike4climate #climatestrike

A post shared by Greta Thunberg (@gretathunberg) on May 21, 2019 at 11:50am PDT

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Saw this sign near my neighborhood coffee shop. It, like all of last night’s firsts, gives me so much hope. For the first time in HISTORY, there will be more than 100 women in Congress, speaking for us. Check out @glennondoyle’s latest post for a great list of where things stand. #midtermsmatter

A post shared by Natalie Portman (@natalieportman) on Nov 7, 2018 at 1:51pm PST

14. Crackdown on Instagram bots

Facebook and Twitter have been under the microscope for their role in influencing elections and harbouring hate speech. And more recent reports are uncovering the role Instagram has played, too.

Over the coming year, we’ll likely see Instagram take steps to combat abuse on its platform. We’ve already seen a few, including increased access to verification and the addition of “About this Account” to profiles with large followings.

Bans on Facebook may start to apply to Instagram, too. For example, far-right figures Louis Farrakhan, Alex Jones, Milo Yiannopoulos, Paul Joseph Watson, and Laura Loomer were removed from both sites this month.

But before there were any headlines about Russian meddling, Instagram already had a bot problem. Fake engagement bots have long been the scourge of the app, and Facebook has already started the year off by slamming bot sellers with lawsuits.

More purges, enhanced security, and increased scrutiny will likely follow in 2019.

15. Changes to Instagram Direct

Rumours that Instagram would completely push direct messaging to its standalone Direct app can finally be put to rest, at least for now.

With Direct gone, it’s likely that Instagram users will see some changes or improvements to the in-app messaging feature instead.

GIFs were introduced last year, and the Quick Replies tool was added to help businesses quickly answer frequently asked questions. It’s possible that Instagram will offer more filtering options for business and regular accounts.

For example, the option to make a Close Friends list for Instagram Stories makes it easier to direct message a group of friends at once. There are also rumours that Instagram will make direct messaging available on desktop.

Instagram is testing option to share content to Close Friends each separately pic.twitter.com/p21B4oiPof

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 15, 2019

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