Hey friends,

Right now I’m sitting in my living room looking at a very sad snowpack outside. Utah's snowfall has been pretty disappointing this year, but we finally got some decent snow this week and I managed to squeeze in a fun afternoon at Snowbird yesterday with some friends.

There's no doubt that being on a mountain makes a dark winter day so much better.

I'm also staring at my content calendar for February and feeling a mix of excitement and mild panic. I've got trips lined up to Mexico, Taiwan, possibly DC (fingers crossed on an incredible partnership there…), and Hong Kong.

Which means I need to figure out how to keep the daily posting momentum going, while also not burning out before I even leave.

Which brings me to what I've been testing lately… TRIAL REELS.

I'll admit that I used to use Instagram's Trial Reels feature, but after awhile, I saw a MASSIVE decrease in their reach - from millions of views to a couple thousand if I was lucky. Something had changed, but I wasn't sure what.

For the past couple weeks, I've been really diving in again. If you haven't had the chance to use them yet, it's basically Instagram's way of letting you test content with non-followers before deciding whether to share it with your actual audience.

Here's how it works: You create a reel, toggle on "trial" before posting, and Instagram shows it only to people who don't follow you. After several hours (or longer if you want), you can see the performance data and decide whether to push it to your main feed or leave it as a test.

So many people have written off trial reels being useful, but I’ve absolutely been able to get some good use out of them - and if you are posting content, I would recommend you do the same!

What I've learned so far…

It takes the pressure off experimenting. I've been able to post multiple versions of the same(ish) video and test different hooks, formats, and topics without worrying about bombarding my same group of followers. (That's been huge for me during this 30-day posting challenge because I can try things I'd normally second-guess.)

The data is actually helpful. Instagram gives you metrics on views, likes, comments, and shares specifically from non-followers. This tells you whether the content has potential to reach new people… which is obviously really relevant if you are trying to grow.

Don't overthink the results. I've had trial reels get 1,000 views and others get in the hundreds of thousands. The algorithm is still figuring things out, so a reel with mediocre performance doesn't mean the concept is bad. I have absolutely still posted trial reels to my regular feed even when the views are low. I'm not just looking at total views but for patterns across multiple tests.

Hooks and opening lines. Unfortunately, we live in a world of very low attention span which means you can make the best video ever but if the first 3 seconds don’t catch attention, the video will likely perform poorly. An easy way to start testing: create multiple versions, change even one thing as simple as the text overlay, and see which one holds attention longer.

Treating trial reels like actual experiments is the goal instead of just "content I'm not confident about”. I'm testing variables - timing, hooks, topics - and using this to inform my feed posts.

The hardest part for me is that I have to be ahead of my content, and be able to set it as a trial a day or two before potentially posting… but I’ve been doing my best and after doing it consistently they are performing better and better.

I'll dive deeper into specific strategies and results in a couple weeks once I have more data. But if you have access to trial reels, I'd highly recommend experimenting with it. (No access? Try changing your settings to ‘Professional Account’.)

On the subject of posting… One thing that I’ve been able to confirm with posting more frequently is that timing really does matter!

Here are a couple tips to help:

#1: Check your Instagram Insights under "Total followers" to see when your followers are most active.

Using mine as an example: Most of my followers are active from 9am-3pm. I post at the beginning of this window so that my post will be live during these optimal hours.

#2: Consistency is Key. For some unknown, magical Instagram reason… the algorithm likes you to post around the same time when you do post.

It’s better if you can post often but I know a few creators that post only once a week, on the exact same day, at the same time - and that consistency really helps their work do well!

Now, is not doing this going to completely kill your chance for people seeing your work? Probably not, but these little tips add up and can give your content a boost.

Godox announced the AD100Pro II. This updated portable strobe brings some solid improvements to the original, including better battery life and more consistent color temperature. If you're into off-camera flash work, this one's worth checking out.

Leica is developing its own sensor. In a recent podcast, a Leica executive confirmed the company is working on proprietary sensor technology. This could be a significant shift for a brand that's historically relied on partners like Sony for sensors.

Multiple photography competitions are open for entries. The Sony World Photography Awards, Aperture Portfolio Prize, and several others have deadlines in January. If you've been sitting on a strong body of work, now's a good time to consider submitting.

The piece of gear that has made my life so much easier while I walk and shoot (which tends to be pretty much always)… The Peak Design Capture Clip.

It's a small but durable clip that attaches to your backpack strap, and securely holds your camera while you're hiking or moving between locations.

Before I had this, my camera was always either hanging around my neck (uncomfortable on long hikes), buried in my bag (meaning I missed shots trying to dig for it), or in my hand (awkward when scrambling over rocks and honestly just annoying).

The Capture Clip makes it so I can grab my camera in under 2 seconds.

It's one of those purchases that seems unnecessary until you use it - then you wonder how you ever lived without it.

(Full transparency: I earn a small commission through this link. It helps keep this newsletter free and my coffee mug full. Thanks for supporting!)

I've been thinking a lot about what "success" means for this daily posting challenge. Is it follower growth? Engagement rates? Algorithmic favor?

Honestly, the most valuable thing so far has been getting faster at creating. I'm editing in half the time, making decisions quicker, and trusting my instincts more.

That's the real win - not the metrics, but the confidence that comes from putting yourself out there and doing it consistently.

If you're in the middle of your own creative challenge or experimenting with new strategies, I'd love to hear about it. Hit reply and tell me what you're working on.

See you next week,
Paige

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P.S. Interested in Lightroom Presets? Check out my Preset Packs below, made specifically for travel, landscape, & nature.