Instagram Photos Are Headlines: The 3-Step Framework for Repurposing Tweets on Instagram to Outrun Social Shadow Bans and 2x Reach, Engagement, & Shares

If you’ve been in or around cannabis in the last decade since social media exploded onto our radars, you’ve likely experienced a roller coaster of success that has trended towards frustration:

• New Platform -> Huge Opportunity
• Growing Platform -> Increased Restrictions
• Mature Platform -> Outright Bans and Restrictions (aka “Shadow Bans”)

The #1 most-shared format of content in cannabis are photos and videos.

People like photos of weed. Social platforms like video content. And cannabis creators try to do anything to break through the noise.

The 3-Step Framework for Repurposing Cannabis Content For Instagram:

1. Test Text-Based Content on Twitter
2. Identify High-Performing/Engaging Tweets with similar themes
3. Use one Tweet as the image and one as the caption.

RESULTS: Last 13 Cannabis Photos vs Tweet Posts:

• Total Reach: 5,690 vs 15,386 (2x+)
• Total Engaged Accounts: 574 vs 1,418 (2x+)
• Total Likes: 563 vs 1,222 (2x+)
• Total Comments: 53 vs 182 (3x+)
• Total Shares: 17 vs 507 (29x+)
• Total Saves: 7 vs 98 (14x)
• Total Profile Visits: 61 vs 235 (3x+)
• Total Follows: 6 vs 98 (16x)

On Instagram, your image is your headline; if it doesn’t “stop the scroll,” your audience will move along without paying attention.

Using tested Tweets as screenshots to outperform photo content and outrun shadow bans.

How It Works in Practice

1. Test content on Twitter
2. Identify high performing tweets
3. Click Tweet’s Share Icon and select Share TO Instagram Story
4. Download (Save) your story image (do not post to your story yet!)
5. Then, in Instagram, create a new post.
6. Use your screenshot as your image, zoom to 1:1 (square) ratio (or slightly larger if your tweet is long; short tweets perform best in the screenshot).
7. Use your second tweet (ideally a further clarification or related theme) as your caption. This is also a great place to use the longer tweet of the two.
8. Click Post
9. BONUS/Optional: Then, share that post to your story with a CTA/Gif encouraging further engagement/shares