Metricooler, Phil the groundhog came out of his burrow, saw his shadow… and tradition says that means six more weeks of winter.
If you work in social media, you know that our day-to-day is the exact opposite of Bill Murray in Groundhog Day: no two days are ever the same.
Changes in the algorithm, the arrival of new metrics, trends that shake up your content calendar, and just when you thought your report was finally done… boom: now you also have to include Reels retention.
We don’t have Bill Murray’s advantage, but we can try to stay one step ahead.
P.S: My all-time favorite Bill Murray role will forever be his cameo in Zombieland
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THIS WEEK'S STORIES
A social network with no humans
Moltbook is the first social network where only artificial intelligence is allowed… and people can’t take part. Created by entrepreneur Matt Schlicht, the platform is similar in design to Reddit, but the only participants are AI bots, while humans can only watch from the outside to see what’s going on.
And what’s going on is this: there are already 1.6 million AI bots registered on Moltbook, creating content nonstop.
Spain announces plans to ban social media for under-16s
It joins France and Australia, which have already introduced these measures on social media use. The announcement also means that manipulating algorithms will be classified as a criminal offense.
To prevent underage access, each platform must implement effective age-verification systems.
X adds images to in-stream polls
Probably one of the most wanted features on X. The microblogging platform has announced that polls will now support images.
This is a major improvement for this format, which had become outdated compared to other platforms (like Instagram stories). With this new feature, you’ll want to choose your images carefully to grab people’s attention. Looks like X is going to be more visual than ever.
BEYOND THE SCROLL
Love at first sight with data
Metricooler, Valentine’s Day is coming up, which means we have a very special gift for you: new metrics.
New metrics to help you understand your Reels so you stop shooting in the dark and start using data to find people who truly match your content.
#1 Reel length shows the duration of each reel you’ve posted. Compare it with metrics such as Reel reach or retention to draw conclusions and figure out the ideal length for your video.
Out of ideas? Check out our short-form video gallery packed with ideas to inspire you.
#2 Reel retention shows how long viewers watch your content. Compare this metric with Reel length and average watch time to see if you are actually keeping your audience’s attention.
#3 View rate past the first three seconds. The key for understanding how strong your hooks are, and how well you grab people right away. If this percentage is low, you have a clear signal: the video isn’t catching attention, and people are dropping off fast. It also has a critical impact on the other metrics, lowering the retention percentage and the average watch time.
Engage your audience with this gallery of hooks that turn a “scroll” into a “I’m watching the whole thing”.
#4 Reposts tell you how many times users have reposted your video. Congrats if you hit a high number! It means that people relate to your content and share it with friends and family.
In other words, if you’re looking for awareness, this is your moment: optimize the CTA at the end of the video and the caption to encourage users to repost.
And that’s our way to celebrate a match: gifts in the form of data that tells you “hey, this reel is something else”.
To see these metrics on Instagram, just visit Metricool > Analytics > Instagram and Reels.
METRIWORLD
📲 The Instagram post that crushed it: The Grammy’s definitely gave us award winning meme moments 🤭👀
✂️ Hot from the blog: Instagram Reel Analytics: Retention & Skip Rate Explained
🎹 Boom bap: Top 10 trending TikTok songs this week
What’s new in Metricool
New month, new Metricool features. Here’s a quick rundown, but you’ll find all the details at the end:
➡️ Advanced TikTok analytics: detailed metrics from the first 15 days of your posts.
➡️ Bulk-copy posts across several brands: single post to multiple brands or multiple posts to multiple brands.
➡️ Schedule with AI in assisted mode: use AI and fill in every field without missing a thing.
Inside the Consumer Mind: Psychological Cues That Drive Action
In this free masterclass, we’ll break down the psychology behind why some brands stick, and how you can use the same cues to:
✅ Grab attention (and keep it)
✅ Build instant trust with your audience
✅ Create campaigns that feel personal and drive action
Inside the Consumer Mind: Psychological Cues That Drive Action
📅 February 19, 2026 · 12 PM EST / 5 PM GMT
If you run social media for a brand or business, this is the kind of insight that makes a difference.
You don’t need two mics to communicate
When creating your brand account, you have to find the right tone (which may or may not match your personality). Is it possible to mix both? Or is it better to separate them and have two microphones to communicate?
You end up wondering: does this fit my brand, or is it more for my personal account? Should I share it here, or keep it strictly as personal content? The truth is it’s all about finding the right balance.
You’ll learn how to do it in this free lesson. Balance your personal brand voice and your B2B voice without confusing the algorithm, your audience, or your client.
📌 Anthony Morell – Senior Digital Marketing Manager at MRC, Merchant Risk Council
📌 Anniston Ward – US PR and Education Manager at Metricool
📅 Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 12 pm EST
From content to conversion
You already have the best part of posting content: likes, comments, and saves, of course.
Are you turning all that into conversions, or is it going nowhere?
If your landing pages aren’t converting, it’s not a content problem. It’s a conversational gap.
And it’s time to fix it. Join our free Masterclass with Metricool and Manychat, where your content planning and direct messages automation team up to turn engagement into new customers.
With:
📌David Andriate – Growth Leader at Manychat
📌Alexandra Caceres – Growth & Digital Marketing Specialist at Metricool
📅 February 25th, 2026, at 12 pm EST 🇺🇸 / 5 pm GMT 🇬🇧
Choose the right Instagram format to grow
The past should be left in the past. Enough of posting a reel under the excuse of “why not?”.
Posting for the sake of posting no longer works. What does work is using Instagram formats, strategically, taking advantage of every opportunity the platform gives you, and not limiting your content’s reach.
In this video, you’ll learn how to use each format with a clear goal. From posting on autopilot to making better decisions.
CONTENT OPPORTUNITIES
Every week brings a few great moments you can tap into for timely content; as long as they align with your brand and strategy, of course.
And if you’re planning ahead, check out our Notion calendar packed with hundreds of relevant dates and real-life post examples to spark ideas.
February 9 - World Pizza Day
February 14 - Valentine’s Day
February 14 - YouTube Birthday
That's it for today, catch you next week!
David, from Metricool ✌
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