Beyond Likes: How Vibe and Value Drive Instagram Saves and Shares

Likes are just one metric. We're also focusing on winning the brain (Value) and the heart (Vibe) to earn the Saves and Shares that build community.

in Strategy

We all know Instagram. We all doom scroll. But how and why we scroll is always in flux.

The “feed” has evolved beyond a chronological list of what our friends are up to. For the next generation of students, Instagram is both a primary search engine and key resource. We’ve explored this pattern before on YouTube, a platform that also serves as a key source for information to make decisions.

Now, we are approaching Instagram like a visual encyclopedia. It’s one of the first places students go to ask key questions: “What’s it really like to go here?” “Where are the best study spots?” “What makes Fort Collins a great place to live?”

Let’s transcend doom scrolling. Scrolling isn’t passive anymore. Treating Instagram as a resource means that we don’t just “like” things; we Save them for personal utility, or we Share them to reinforce our identities. So that’s the ‘why.’ Our whole playbook for earning those saves and shares is built on two simple pillars: Value and Vibe.

Pillar 1: Value (building the library)

Each pillar serves as content that earns the Save and Share. If we’re treating Instagram like a search engine, “Value” content is our answer to questions students might have. It is the utility-driven, “save-this-for-later” post.

“Value” Reels are information-rich videos, often in a list format, made for and by students. These Reels communicate key information to navigate campus life or build community. Think “Best Places to Eat with Friends,” or “Iconic Spots on Campus.”

For example, our recent “Five Eateries Owned and Run by CSU Rams” video taps into our CSU community connection and the universal draw of food. Similarly, our “7 Must-Try Hikes” video taps into Colorado’s hiking culture, and “10 Things to Do Between Classes” answers a question students are probably already asking.

These are all videos likely to be saved and shared, either as a personal FYI for later or as a way to connect with others who share the same community.

Pillar 2: Vibe (capturing the energy)

If “Value” is the brain, “Vibe” is the heart. “Vibe” is the “sense-of-place” content. It’s the textures, the aesthetics, and of course, the vibe. This is the sensory B-roll that captures the feeling of being on campus. This is what makes CSU, CSU. Some great examples include recent Reels that captured the sensory feeling of being on campus during the fall, as well as during Homecoming. Both of these videos captured the unique energy of CSU, helping build brand affinity.

This is the content that was made to be shared. It cultivates Ram pride and evokes nostalgic feelings among our alumni. Either way, it’s an avenue toward publicly sharing a piece of our identity. “Value” is saved and shared for its utility, while “Vibe” is saved and shared for its feeling.

The merge, the energy

There’s an honorable mention here when Vibe and Value merge: the “Energy of Community.” This is the content that’s so relatable that you can’t help but share it. It’s the man-on-the-street interviews, the feeling of graduating, the I Love CSU Day reactions, the “Ram Gram” features. This is the human side of our content. We are capturing the feeling of the collective. It’s perfectly relatable for students and deeply nostalgic for alumni.

Ultimately, this two-pronged strategy is how we build a feed that connects and informs. By balancing the practical (Value) with the emotional (Vibe), we’re creating a space that is engaging, searchable, and effective at showing the world what it means to be a Ram.