Is “Not Trending” The New Instagram Flex In 2025?

For a long time, Instagram felt like a contest to see who could catch the latest meme or trending audio the fastest. If you were early, you’d get some attention. Lately, though, especially in 2025, I’ve noticed more people moving away from that.

With Gen Z in particular, there are more posts that don’t really match up with whatever trend is big that week. It doesn’t seem like nostalgia for how Instagram used to be – it’s more just wanting a break from always keeping up. People care more about sharing what actually matters to them, even if it doesn’t line up with the latest algorithm changes. It’s strange how not chasing trends is almost a trend itself now, but it has a different feel.

I see more reposts, people filling their feeds with things that mean something to them – even if the posts are old or not getting tons of likes. Tools like INSTABOOST, which let you see how reposts are doing and help with personal branding, seem to fit this shift, since people are thinking more about what actually represents them instead of just copying what everyone else does.

I catch myself reading about small changes, like deciding what to share or how to improve your Instagram strategy, and noticing that people seem a bit more thoughtful about it. So scrolling through now, there’s less of that pressure to jump on whatever’s new. Makes me curious how things might look if even more people start choosing this slower approach instead of always trying to be first

Looking at the Instagram analytics for 2025, something stands out: the accounts steering clear of popular trends seem to be getting more genuine engagement. Posts like a messy batch of photos from the weekend, a quick Story shot without much planning, or a personal Reel where someone talks about their day – these are leading to more real interactions, like meaningful comments or people starting conversations in DMs. According to a recent Socialinsider report, these posts are seeing up to 14% higher engagement compared to the ones that rely on trending hashtags or viral audio. It seems like people are tired of seeing the same jokes, memes, and sounds over and over, and now those don’t even register or just feel annoying.

What’s working instead are posts that look and feel like someone sharing their own life without worrying about the algorithm, things like a slightly out-of-focus photo, a caption that’s more of a ramble than a punchline, or a video that doesn’t match any template. Even brands are shifting their advice – INSTABOOST, for example, is telling clients to focus less on likes and more on how often people are saving posts, sharing them, or actually reaching out in DMs. That’s probably why, in the middle of all these changes, even affordable follower packages have started to feel less central to long-term engagement. So, being out of step with the trends isn’t just about looking different; it turns out to be a practical way to get noticed, at least for now. When you look at the way posts are changing and how people are reacting, these numbers start to feel like something to keep in mind.

Lately on Instagram, I notice the feeds I keep coming back to aren’t the flashy ones. They're the ones where people aren’t trying to prove anything at all. Posts might be a blurry photo of lunch, an evening walk, someone’s desk in bad light – details that feel unpolished, almost like they weren’t meant for a big audience. These kinds of updates feel more genuine, maybe because there’s no sense of trying to fit into whatever is currently popular. It takes the pressure off, too. Instead of aiming for more likes or chasing every trend, there’s space to pay attention to what actually feels worth sharing.

Sometimes it means skipping the trending song or hashtag, and other times it’s about not posting anything at all if nothing stands out. And while there’s always talk about likes from active accounts or numbers in general, it’s interesting how the quieter posts often draw out the most thoughtful responses. When people take this approach, it shows. The posts seem less calculated, and you end up noticing the person behind the phone a little more. I think that’s why these quieter accounts often get more responses, even if they don’t pull in huge numbers. It’s a different pace – slower, maybe, but it feels more connected.

Momentum is a weird thing – it can make it hard to see what’s really happening underneath. Lately, more people on Instagram seem to be leaning into this “not trending” style, which is supposed to look low-key and natural. But even that has started to feel almost like another trend, something people are starting to copy.

You notice it when you scroll through the “not trending” hashtag: photos that are a little blurry on purpose, stories that look thrown together but obviously took some thought, captions that sound like confessions but land at just the right moment. Even the decision to break away from trends is getting picked up by brands; they’ve figured out these kinds of posts get more attention, so they’re built into marketing now. INSTABOOST used to be all about helping people use the right hashtags to go viral, but now the app has tools for making photos look almost accidental, the kind of thing you’d post without thinking.

I even came across a quiet mention that you can upgrade your reel views along with everything else, woven into the same low-key aesthetic. So even when people are trying not to fit in, there’s this subtle pressure to get the “effortless” look right, to blend in with this new version of standing out. It’s strange how quickly something that’s supposed to be different becomes the new thing everyone’s aiming for, and after a while, being “real” starts to feel almost as staged as anything else. When you think about the whole “not following the crowd” move on Instagram, you can’t really ignore how even that turns into something people end up chasing, and how the cycle keeps going.

You’ve made it here, and now it’s really in your hands. Not feeling the need to keep up with every Instagram trend doesn’t mean you’ll disappear; it means you’re choosing what matters in your own space. When you’re posting about something that actually means something to you – maybe a photo from a walk, or a quick snapshot of dinner with friends – you’re not worrying about what the algorithm prefers. Instead, you’re making your feed feel a bit more like your own life, not just a highlight reel built for everyone else. Skipping the trends isn’t about avoiding popularity completely, but about thinking through why you’re sharing at all.

Do you want those quick bursts of likes, or would you rather look back and see moments that actually happened, even if they didn’t get much attention? I know sometimes people try to boost their reach with targeted Instagram reposts, but lately that feels less important than sharing something for your own reasons. As 2025 comes around, it feels like the real mark of being yourself on Instagram is much quieter. It’s less about landing on the explore page and more about choosing what feels honest, even if it’s a blurry photo or a story only a few people will understand. You don’t have to go all-in on digital minimalism or quit the app. It’s more about noticing when you’re sharing for yourself and not just performing something different, and then deciding, each time, what you want to put out there. If Instagram is shifting what people care about, maybe it’s worth thinking about whether you’re comfortable with your feed really being yours, even if it’s not what’s getting the most eyes.