i gave my AI agents my instagram

hey friends,

my best video this year got 274,065 views.

so i posted the exact same video again. 96,697.

then twice more in october, with small tweaks. about 2,300 each.

(instagram.com/reel/DaYtkeQleK6).

same video. same 3 github repos. 99% fewer views.

(all 3 repos are in my repo radar [https://www.johann.fyi/repo-radar], with every other repo from my reels. free.)

so what happened? one number tells you.

in july, 47% of people swiped away in the first 3 seconds. in october, 61 to 63% did.

the video wasn't the problem. the opening was.

my guess? the people who'd love it already saw those first 2 seconds. so they scrolled.

that's the thing nobody tells you, right? a winner doesn't owe you a second run.

so i stopped reposting. now i re-cut.

here are the 4 steps. no AI needed. you can do this on your own posts today.

1. pick posts that beat your normal. i use anything over 3,000 views. you have more than you think.

2. find a new opening inside the same video. scrub through, find your second best line (the one that makes you go "oh") & put it in the first 2 seconds with new text on screen. never re-upload the same file.

3. re-check every fact. a lot changes in 3 months. one of mine said a plan cost $16. it's $18 now. prices, star counts, versions. fix it or cut it.

4. post it as a trial reel. on instagram (professional accounts), turn on "trial" when you share. it only shows to people who don't follow you.

then wait 72 hours & check the insights. my rules: under 55% skip & 1,000+ views, share it to your followers. 65% skip or worse, kill it & test a new opening. set your own numbers off your average.

step 4 is the one that really really changed it for me. strangers judge the video first. my followers only see what already worked.

my AI agents do most of the cutting now. but they follow these exact 4 steps & i still pick what goes out.

if you want to build this with me, i'm walking through the whole trial reel setup on this wednesday's live build in AI Operators

honestly, i don't know how this week goes. maybe it's a waste. maybe one of these is the next 274K. i'll tell you either way.

i appreciate you reading this.

reply & tell me: what's one old post of yours that did well & you never touched again? send the link. i'll tell you which opening i'd test first.

i want this newsletter to be the most useful thing in your inbox. i read & respond to every email.

i'm rooting for you & hope the best.

→ johann

ways to get involved

if you want to build this yourself alongside me, join AI Operators

if you want my team to build this alongside your team, book a free 30-minute live build with us at Cyndra

p.s. want me to look at your setup with you? 60 minutes, one on one, & you leave with a written plan. book a call

p.p.s. want to reach the builders on this list? reply to this email.

Johann Sathianathen

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