Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users. As a brand or business trying to reach your target audience, understanding how the Instagram algorithm works is crucial for success.
This comprehensive guide will explain everything you need to know about the Instagram algorithm, including:
- How the Instagram Algorithm Actually Works
- Key Signals the Instagram Algorithm Uses
- How to Optimize Your Feed for the Algorithm
- Maximizing Your Reach With Instagram Stories
- Getting Content Seen on the Explore Page
- Creating Reels That Get Viewed and Shared
Follow these tips and optimize your Instagram strategy to reach more of your followers and expand your audience this year.
How the Instagram Algorithm Actually Works
Many people think there is one singular Instagram algorithm that decides what content users see. But that isn’t exactly right.
Instead, there are actually multiple algorithms powering different parts of Instagram, like:
- Feed
- Stories
- Explore Page
- Reels
- Search
The main purpose all these algorithms share is to keep users on Instagram, interacting with content as much as possible.
They use “signals” to determine what content each user is most likely to engage with. Signals can include:
- The accounts you follow
- Types of posts you like and comment on
- How you interact with certain friends or creators
The goal is to fill your Feed, Stories, Reels, and Explore with content that keeps your attention.
Understanding how these algorithms work is key to reaching more of your target audience.
Key Signals the Instagram Algorithm Uses
While there are thousands of signals powering Instagram’s algorithms, some are more important than others.
Feed Algorithm Signals
For your Instagram Feed, some top signals include:
- Your Activity: What posts you like, share, comment on, and save
- Post Interactions: How many likes, shares, and comments a post gets quickly
- Posting Account: How often the account gets engagement from their followers
- Your History: How much you typically interact with the posting account
Most importantly, the algorithm looks at how long you spend viewing a post, liking, commenting, sharing, and visiting the profile.
Story Algorithm Signals
The algorithm for Stories considers:
- How often you view stories from an account
- How much you engage with their stories
- Your likelihood of replying, skipping, or closing a story
- Your “closeness” with the account posting stories
Closeness measures how likely you are to be real-world friends with the account. DMing and video chatting indicate higher closeness.
How to Optimize Your Feed for the Algorithm
Now that you know how the Feed algorithm works, here are some tips to optimize it:
- Post at Your Followers’ Most Active Times: Check your Instagram analytics to see when your audience is most active in the app and post just before those peak times.
- Focus on Velocity: Getting a lot of quick engagement when you first post helps Instagram know it’s quality content to promote.
- Prioritize Watch Time: Consider tactics to keep people viewing your posts longer, like using captions that encourage reading.
- Post Consistently: Having a history of posts your audience regularly engages with signals your content is worth reaching more people.
Maximizing Your Reach With Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are shown to users based on their engagement with the accounts posting them. Here are some ways to get your stories seen:
- Post stories 1-2 times per day to build a frequent viewing habit.
- Respond to all DMs and interact with followers to improve “closeness.”
- Use interactive elements like polls and questions to encourage engagement.
- Check story analytics to see what content resonates then create more of that.
- Remember stories don’t have to solely be promos. Provide a mix of fun and valuable content.
Getting Content Seen on the Explore Page
The Explore page works much like the main Feed, promoting content based on users’ activity and what gets engagement. To potentially reach new audiences here:
- Analyze top posts on Explore in your niche.
- Create your own versions of successful posts with your unique spin.
- Ensure your posts are high-quality and consistent. This content needs to be exceptional to gain traction.
Creating Reels That Get Viewed and Shared
For Reels, key factors include:
- How completely they are watched
- If users like and reshare them
- The quality of the video
- Use of original audio vs. borrowed audio
To create engaging Reels:
- Film steady, high-quality video
- Tailor content specifically for Reels
- Use trending audios and put your own spin on them
- Encourage reshares in your caption
Conclusion
Optimizing your Instagram presence for the platform’s algorithms takes effort but is worthwhile to expand your reach and grow your audience.
The keys are understanding what signals matter, when your audience is most active, posting consistent high-quality content, and leveraging all the different Instagram formats.