How the Interest Graph Is Taking Over

“I want creators quitting their part-time jobs and being creative for a living.” – Jack Conte

We’re witnessing the fall of the follow.

Social media is evolving, and with it, the way we connect with audiences. We’re moving from a “follower” era to an “interest” era, and this shift is having a huge impact on how we create and deliver content.

Lately, I’ve been focused on coming up with ways to improve my content, especially short-form video, while also looking more broadly at some of the changes taking place on social media platforms.

Here’s what’s happening ― and why it matters: 

Relevance is the New Reach

For over a decade, traditional social media algorithms focused heavily on the social graph, meaning that what users saw on their feeds was based primarily on who they followed and the interactions within their network. 

The social or follower graph was all about loyalty. If you wanted to reach users, you’d focus on building a large follower base and getting engagement from that audience. 

Over the last few years, social platforms have shifted toward the interest graph, where content is served based on a user’s expressed interests rather than just who they follow. Think of TikTok’s “For You” page or Instagram’s “Explore” feed. 

These spaces are built on user behavior patterns, feeding content to people who have shown an interest in a specific topic ― whether they follow that profile or not. This means your posts could be seen by new audiences, expanding your reach beyond just your followers.

And while some users love it, creators are realizing that the new interest-driven algorithm disrupts lasting connections, leaving them with less control over their work and audience.

Patreon’s founder, Jack Conte, spoke at length about the impact this shift is having on creators in his SXSW Keynote, Death of the Follower & the Future of Creativity on the Web.  

He argues that prioritizing content discovery over fostering genuine connections with followers is making it harder for creators to reach their true fans, undermining their creative freedom and financial stability, and forcing them to chase trends rather than focus on meaningful work. 

It's a powerful take on the challenges and future of creative freedom.

Adapting to the Shift

Here’s the thing: we can’t control how social media platforms operate, but if we want to continue to benefit from discovery and reach, we have to play the game.

The social media landscape is always changing, and while it might feel unpredictable, the creators who succeed are the ones who stay flexible and learn to work with the new algorithms. 

Besides, the interest graph is all about tapping into people’s passions and curiosity, which is exactly where travel content shines. Small creators, rural towns, and niche destinations now have almost as much opportunity to reach users as big influencers and well-funded tourism boards. 

There are 3 key ways this shift opens new doors for reaching potential travelers:

• Broader reach without followers

• Focus on content quality and relevance

• Aligning content with traveler interests

Of course, capturing attention is just the first step and building on social media alone won’t cut it anymore ― you need your own platform.

That way, you can use social media for discovery and include clear calls-to-action in your content to direct viewers to your blog, newsletter, or website, where you can build deeper connections.

This is the approach I’m taking. I want to leverage social media without being glued to it, focusing my time on creating meaningful content rather than chasing algorithms. 

With that in mind, let’s talk strategy.

Creating for the Interest Economy

With the interest graph, the old “quantity over quality” approach of posting constantly just to keep your followers engaged is fading out. Now, social media platforms are prioritizing high-quality content that matches specific audience interests ― no matter where it’s coming from.   

Here are 5 ways to capitalize on the interest-based shift:

👉 Define Your Content Pillars 

If you want to grab attention through the interest graph, create content that sparks curiosity or solves a problem, rather than just pumping out posts to stay in the feed. Think of topics that naturally align with your destination and build your content around these key themes.

🔥Take action: List 3–5 categories that align with your destination’s strengths. Use these themes to guide content creation and ensure that each post or campaign speaks directly to these interests.

👉 Use Searchable Keywords 

The interest graph is driven largely by searchable keywords that indicate what a post is about. By optimizing your captions, you increase the chances of your posts being discovered by people who are already interested in those experiences ― think SEO for social media posts.

🔥Take action: Research popular keywords and hashtags in your niche. Use tools like Google Trends or Allintitle to see what people are searching for in relation to your specific themes and incorporate these keywords naturally into your posts to increase discoverability.

👉 Create Evergreen Content Around Niche Interests

Evergreen content is especially valuable in an interest-based algorithm. Focus on creating high-quality, interest-driven content that provides ongoing value such as listicles or guides. This type of content remains relevant and searchable long after it’s posted.

🔥Take action: Plan out 2–3 pieces of evergreen content per month around your core themes. These will serve as long-term assets with the potential to reach new people over a long period of time.

👉 Ride the Trend Wave and Use Hooks

Getting lots of views or going viral on social media is often all about tapping into trends. Platforms prioritize content that grabs attention in the first few seconds, so jumping on trending audio, prompts, or challenges that speak to the interests of your audience is a great way to get noticed. 

🔥Take action: Pick a trending audio or hashtag that fits your brand, create a captivating hook, and see how it performs. Test different approaches to find what resonates with your target audience.

👉 Experiment with Interest-Driven Ad Campaigns

Social platforms now offer advanced targeting options that go way beyond just followers. Many allow you to target ads based on user interests. These targeted ads often yield higher engagement and conversions because they reach the right people. 

🔥Take action: Choose one of your best performing reels and create a small test ad campaign with interest-based targeting on platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Even a small ad budget can go a long way if you focus on reaching users who are already interested in what you offer. 

The Future of Content Discovery

The shift from follower-based reach to interest-driven algorithms opens new doors for content creators and destination marketers. It means we don’t need to worry as much about follower counts.

Now, it’s more about engagement and relevance, not just vanity metrics.

The landscape has become more dynamic, and creators must be agile, constantly adapting their content to reflect trending topics and user preferences, just to stay relevant.

By consistently delivering value that aligns with the interests of your target audience, you can increase the likelihood that your content continues to reach the right people.

So, embrace the shift ― create content around your destination’s unique experiences, and let the interest graph bring it to the right audience.

That’s all for this one. Thanks for reading.

What are your thoughts on the current state of social media?

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TLDR: The creator landscape is evolving ― interest is the new currency.