Instagram Algorithm 2024
Instagram feeds.
When organising Feeds, Instagram considers an extensive array of ranking factors, referred to as "signals," numbering in the thousands, according to Mosseri. Here's a breakdown of the key signals, listed in order of significance:
Activity: Instagram takes into account the user's engagement, encompassing liked, shared, saved, or commented-on posts.
Post Information: The platform evaluates a post's popularity, examining metrics such as the number of likes and the speed of engagement (likes, comments, shares, and saves). Additionally, it considers details about the content itself, including the posting time and any attached location.
Poster Information: Information about the individual who posted the content is analysed. This includes assessing signals that indicate how interesting the person might be to the user, such as the frequency of interactions with that person in recent weeks.
User's Interaction History: Instagram considers the user's past interactions with a specific poster. This involves determining whether the user has engaged with the poster previously and the nature of those interactions.
With this wealth of information, Instagram formulates "educated guesses" about the likelihood of a user interacting with a post, as explained by Mosseri. In the Feed, the platform closely scrutinizes five primary interactions: the probability of spending time on a post, commenting, liking, sharing, and tapping on the profile photo. The more probable and impactful an action is, the higher the post appears in the user's Feed.
Instagram stories.
Instagram Stories, comprising photos and videos that vanish 24 hours after posting, provide creators and businesses with an opportunity to feature prominently at the top of users' Feeds upon opening the app.
Upon posting a Story, your account profile picture promptly appears at the pinnacle of the app in what IG terms a 'Stories Tray.' Nevertheless, it might be notably challenging for brands to secure a spot in this section, as Instagram perceives it as an area primarily sought out by individuals looking for updates from their closest friends.
The following are the criteria the platform considers for the Instagram Stories algorithm to display the most pertinent content to users:
Viewing History: The frequency with which a user views a particular account's Stories influences the likelihood of those stories appearing first.
Engagement History: The algorithm takes into account the user's interaction history with an account's stories, encompassing reactions or responses.
Closeness: The overall relationship between the user and the story's author is evaluated, gauging the likelihood of them being friends or family.
Once again, these signals are utilized to "make a series of predictions about stories you'll find more relevant and valuable," as Mosseri states, including the likelihood of tapping into a story, responding to a story in DMs, or proceeding to the next story. This process determines the stories that will be elevated in prominence within your Stories Tray.
Instagram Explore page
This is the intriguing part for creators and brands that users haven't yet followed. The Explore feature, accessed by tapping the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the app, is specifically crafted to assist users in discovering new accounts – essentially, aiding new audiences in discovering your account.
Comprising a grid-style feed of photos and videos tailored to a user's likely interests based on past activity (liked, saved, shared, and commented-on posts), the Explore section serves as a dynamic avenue for content discovery.
Here are the factors influencing the Instagram Explore page algorithm:
Post Information: Similar to the Feed, Instagram assesses the popularity of a post. However, these signals hold more significance in Explore than in Feed or Stories, according to Mosseri.
User's Activity in Explore: The algorithm considers a user's engagement with posts in Explore, including likes, saves, shares, and comments. If a user has previously engaged with a specific post discovered through Explore, the algorithm prioritizes showing them similar content.
User's Interaction History with the Poster: While the post may be shared by someone unfamiliar, if the user has interacted with that person before, it signals to Instagram that they have a considerable interest in their content.
Information about the Person Who Posted: Instagram factors in the frequency of recent interactions users have had with a person across all their content. This helps in curating compelling content from a diverse range of individuals.
In essence, the Explore algorithm aims to present content that aligns with users' preferences, encouraging a broader and more diverse content discovery experience.
Instagram Reels
The functioning of the Instagram Reels algorithm closely mirrors that of the Explore page. The Reels feed, accessible by tapping the video icon at the bottom of the app, is crafted to facilitate users in discovering new brands and creators, with a primary emphasis on entertainment.
The key signals considered by Instagram in this context include:
User's Activity: This encompasses a user's engagement with Reels, such as liked, saved, reshared, commented-on, and recent interactions.
User's Interaction History with the Poster: Similar to Explore, even if the Reel was shared by someone unfamiliar, if a user has engaged with them previously, it signals to Instagram that the user has a substantial interest in their videos.
Information about the Reel: Signals related to the content within the video, including the audio track, visual elements, and overall popularity.
Information about the Person Who Posted the Reel: Popularity signals such as the number of followers and the level of engagement are considered. Mosseri notes that this is done to assist in discovering compelling content from a diverse range of people, providing everyone with an opportunity to find their audience.
In essence, the Reels algorithm aims to curate an engaging and entertaining feed for users, taking into account their preferences, interactions, and the inherent appeal of the content and its creator. This approach aims to offer a varied and inclusive content discovery experience for all users.
Recommendation Guidelines for Explore and Reels
Instagram is committed to reducing the likelihood of recommending potentially offensive content to users. In pursuit of this goal, the platform has established comprehensive Recommendation Guidelines.
Posts that contravene these guidelines may not necessarily violate the Community Guidelines but will not be featured on the Explore page.
Examples of content that goes against Instagram's Recommendation Guidelines include depictions or discussions of self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, or violence; sexually explicit or suggestive material; and promotion of the use of certain regulated products, such as tobacco.
These guidelines aim to maintain a positive and safe user experience by ensuring that the content recommended on the Explore page aligns with Instagram's standards and values. Content creators and users are encouraged to adhere to these guidelines for a more inclusive and responsible online community.
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Algorithm FAQs
Are photos or videos preferred by Instagram’s algorithms?
No. Instagram doesn’t assign extra exposure to either videos or photos. However, if the data indicates that a particular user tends to engage more with videos than photos, that user may see more video content in their feed. Notably, studies like HubSpot’s 2023 Instagram Engagement Report suggest that people generally exhibit a higher likelihood of engaging with video content. The report states that video posts received three times more engagement than single images and significantly more than carousels.
Does posting too frequently impact ranking?
Instagram accounts are not penalised for posting content frequently. However, as noted by Christina d’Avignon, a product designer for Instagram feed, efforts are made to ensure feed diversity. This may result in the occasional interruption of consecutive posts.
Are business and personal accounts treated differently by the algorithm?
Contrary to any perceived advantage, Instagram does not give additional feed presence to personal or business accounts. Switching between the two account types does not influence reach.
Will posting Stories or Live videos affect ranking?
Creating Instagram Stories or live broadcasting does not directly impact how your content ranks within the feed. However, diversifying your content, as explored further below, increases the likelihood of your content appearing in various sections of the app. Experimenting with a range of content formats contributes to broader visibility across the platform.
How to make Instagram work for you.
1.?????? Embrace the latest features.
Driving the adoption of new features is important for Instagram, so it makes newer features more prominent in the app. It’s important to note that this does not mean that the Instagram algorithms automatically favour any specific post type. It does, however, give new features a prime location, such as putting Instagram Stories at the very top of the screen or moving the Instagram Reels icon to the centre of your menu bar.
2.?????? Vary your post types.
Using a variety of post types — single image, carousel posts, Reels, Stories, and Lives — is key to successfully navigating the Instagram algorithms.
Sharing your content in different forms helps you reach a wider range of people. Plus, it’s a great way to repurpose your content. Not everyone watches a video, so you can turn your video content into a carousel post. Or you can appeal to Instagram Stories lovers by re-sharing Feed posts in your Stories.
3.?????? Post at the best times for you.
There's no one-size-fits-all best time to post on Instagram. To figure out which times are the best for you, check out your Instagram Insights (found by navigating to your profile, tapping the hamburger menu on the top right, then ‘Insights’, then ‘Total Followers’) to see your audience’s most active times.
4.?????? Create a hashtag strategy
Because users can search for and even follow hashtags, adding them to each post increases your chances of reaching a wider audience. Plus, studies show that posts with hashtags receive higher engagement than those without.
Branded hashtags —are a great way to keep your company on people’s minds. Branded hashtags not only help with brand awareness, but they also make it easy for you to find customer-produced content.
5.?????? ?Focus on authentic engagement
Instagram’s algorithms reward engagement.
So, instead of wasting energy on Instagram algorithm hacks that only give you short-term results, focus on the connections you build with your audience.
Make sure you reply to direct messages and comments on your posts. The more you interact with your fans, the better. But it’s easy to miss new comments among the likes, follows, and mention notifications on Instagram. Don’t be afraid to use emojis, either!
Another simple way to encourage engagement is to use interactive stickers, such as polls, questions, and sliding scale rankings, on your Instagram Stories. And don’t forget about user-generated content. People love seeing their own photos or videos shared on brand pages.
6.?????? Use analytics to see what's working
One of the best ways to understand what your audience enjoys seeing and is interested in is to dig into your Instagram analytics data.
Using Instagram Insights you can check out which of your posts have had the most interactions. You can also sort posts by most comments, likes and saves too if you'd like to dig into more specific engagement metrics.
Once you have a list of your most engaging Instagram posts you can start to identify what commonalities they might have. For example:
·?????? What types of posts are they?
·?????? What's the style of the creative?
·?????? How is the caption structured?
With this data, you can begin to reverse engineer what your audience is most likely to engage with and build a strategy to help get the most out of Instagram's algorithm.
Additional steps that you can include in your Instagram strategy:
Decoding Instagram Algorithm: Key Engagements That Matter
Your Instagram success hinges on engagements, but what exactly does the algorithm prioritise? Let's break it down!
Understanding the algorithm's priorities is key for your 2024 Instagram strategy. Ensure you create opportunities for likes, comments, shares, saves, story replies, video views, and direct messages!