I got three DMs in one week all about the same thing.
Everyone was asking about Jessie Jean, her YAP launch, and whether they needed to drop everything and pivot to talking head reels immediately. And honestly, I get it. When someone grows from zero to 300,000 followers in just a few months and launches an offer that brings in $1.2 million, it’s hard not to wonder if you’ve been doing everything wrong.
But here’s the thing… you probably haven’t. And copying her format alone is probably not the move.
Let me explain why.
Why Her Format Probably Won’t Work the Same Way for You
Jessie jean is genuinely great at talking head style reels. She says it herself. It feels easy for her, especially with a toddler at home. Jordan Dooley grows through carousels because carousels feel natural and easy for her as a mom of multiple kids.
They’re not winning because of the format. They’re winning because they each found something that feels effortless for them and then kept showing up and doing it consistently.
When a format feels hard, it shows. If talking to camera makes you stiff or nervous, your audience can feel that. And instead of building trust, it can actually work against you. Not because you’re bad at it, but because it doesn’t feel like you yet.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try new things. It just means the goal isn’t to copy the format. The goal is to find what actually fits you.
3 Fixes When You Feel the Pull to Overhaul Your Entire Strategy
Fix 1: Ask What Feels Easiest and Most Fun for You
This is the question that matters way more than “what’s going viral right now.”
Do you love talking to camera? Do more of that. Do you love writing and breaking things down step by step? Carousels might be your thing. Do you like sharing quick, in-the-moment thoughts? Single graphics or B-roll might be a better fit.
Start with what you actually enjoy creating, because you’re going to be so much more likely to show up consistently when it doesn’t feel like a chore.
And if you genuinely don’t know what you like yet, try a well-rounded approach. A little bit of everything gives you the data you need to figure it out.
Fix 2: Test Before You Abandon Anything
If something looks exciting and you want to try it, go for it. But give it a real test first.
I’m talking at least six posts before you decide if a format is working for you. One talking head reel that doesn’t take off doesn’t mean the format isn’t right for you. It means you haven’t given it enough time.
Talking head style content in particular takes a little longer to build traction because there’s no trending audio giving it a boost. Check back on it in three days instead of writing it off after the first 24 hours.
Give yourself enough data before you make any big decisions about your whole content strategy.
Fix 3: Look at Your Own Data, Not Hers
What’s working on her account is not a blueprint for yours.
Go into your own insights. Look at what’s getting the most saves, the most watch time, the most DMs. Your audience is already telling you what they want from you. That is the data that actually matters.
When you see someone crushing it with a specific format, it’s not a sign that you’re doing something wrong. It’s just one person who found what works for her.
The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
Here’s something worth sitting with for a second.
Someone right now is looking at your content and thinking, “I need to do more of that.”
You already have a format. You already have a voice. The goal isn’t to chase some magical strategy that seems to be working for everyone else. The goal is to find what works for you, works for your audience, and then get really good at it.
Chasing someone else’s strategy is exhausting. You know you’re doing it right when sitting down to create your own content feels energizing instead of overwhelming.
The creators who grow consistently are almost always the ones who stopped looking around and started going deeper into what was already working for them.
Your Action Challenge This Week
Go back through your last 20 posts and find the three that performed best by watch time, saves, and shares.
What format were they? What do they have in common?
That’s already telling you something about what your audience actually wants from you. Write it down and let that guide your next few posts instead of whatever trend crossed your feed this week.
If you want to take the guessing out of what to post and which formats to use every single week, that’s exactly what Plug and Post is. You get a mix of formats already planned, hooks that are working right now, and an AI tool that makes it specific to your niche and your audience. The link is below if you want to check it out.
Resources:
The Plug & Post Instagram Content Hub: Instagram content ideas, picked by me (an IG strategist) every week based on what’s working RIGHT NOW… so all you have to do is film and press post! – Join here!
100 IG stories that sell – $17
Say Hi on instagram! @nicoleialeggio
Try Manychat- 1 month free offer HERE
