If you weren’t already aware, the Instagram algorithm has changed, yet again. Which means that everything you have been doing so far to gain followers and reach needs to change accordingly.
In an effort to help you understand these new changes, we did some research by looking at what Instagram had to say about the algorithm change and exactly how it works.
How the updated Instagram algorithm works
Technically, Instagram doesn’t have just one algorithm that oversees what people do, but rather a variety of algorithms, classifiers, and processes, each with its own purpose.
In essence, these algorithms are a set of rules that determine which content gets seen and by whom.
The Feed, Explore, and Reels parts of Instagram each use their own algorithms, which tailor the experience according to how people use the app.
Users tend to look for their closest friends on Stories, but want to discover something entirely new on Explore. So Instagram ranks these behaviours differently and in different parts of the app, based on how people use them.
Why is this important? Because the Feed, Explore, and Reels algorithms all determine what users care about most. And they do this by combing through all available content on the app and applying a certain set of rules.
These rules help decide:
- Which posts reach the top of the newsfeed, and in what order
- Which posts get featured on the Explore tab
- In which order Stories, Live videos, Reels and IGTV videos are displayed, in the feed, and their respective tabs.
The reason for the change? Instagram says that before the algorithm first was implemented in 2016, people were missing out on up to 70% of posts.
How does the algorithm decide which posts to show a particular person at any given time?
It looks at the user’s past behaviour and evaluates each post to predict how relevant the post might be to that particular user. Then the most relevant content (according to past behaviour) gets shown first (at the top of the newsfeed).
Instagram algorithm ranking signals
The updated Instagram algorithm takes into consideration thousands of data points (also known as ranking signals) in order to determine which posts it should show to who.
These ranking signals fall under three major categories:
1. Relationship
The algorithm readily assumes that people who looked at your content in the past will naturally be interested in any new content that you post.
It also further evaluates the relationship by taking into consideration:
- Whether or not you follow each other
- If they searched for your account by name
- If you’ve messaged one another or left comments on each other’s posts
- If you’ve tagged each other in posts
- If they have saved any of your posts
As for Instagram Business accounts, the algorithm takes into account whether or not your followers consistently engage with your content, and if so, views them as a loyal audience.
Pro tip: Engaging with your followers goes a long way in increasing your organic reach.
2. Timeliness
Along with relevancy, the Instagram algorithm prioritises recency by showing posts that are published most recently first.
According to Instagram, all posts do eventually show up in the newsfeed but newer posts are often ranked higher compared to older ones.
Pro tip: One of the easiest ways to improve your reach, if you have an Instagram Business account, is to post whenever the bulk of your audience is online.
3. Interest
Instagram’s algorithm has been programmed to give people what they want, and occasionally show them something new.
For businesses, this means that your organic content needs to appeal to your target audience. Otherwise, the algorithm won’t show it to them.
There is no shortcut to developing a consistent brand voice and telling a “story” that matters to your audience. So post regularly to build up your following and keep your audience engaged.
How Instagram’s Feed and Stories are ranked
Instagram’s Feed and Stories are where people want to see content from their friends and family. So, in these sections, Instagram has prioritised all recent posts shared by people that users follow. With a few exceptions, like ads.
When creating the updated algorithm for the Feed and Stories, Instagram took all information about what was posted, the users who created those posts, and the follower’s preferences. Then included everything from what time a post was shared, to whether the user was using a phone or the web to browse, to how often they liked videos.
From there they made a set of predictions that included how likely users were to interact with a post in different ways.
In the Feed, they looked at how likely users were to spend a few seconds on a post, comment on it, like it, save it, and tap on the profile photo of the account that created or shared the post.
The more likely users were to take an action, the more heavily Instagram weighed those actions, and the higher up in the Feed users saw the post.
They also tried to avoid showing too many posts from the same person in a row. Stories that were “reshared” were, until recently, deeemd less valuable, because at the time, people were more interested in seeing original Stories.
But Instagram saw a trend of reshared posts among users, especially with regard to “big” moments. Which included everything from the World Cup to social unrest, and realised that people expected their reshared Stories to reach more people than they did, so they stopped deprioritsing them.
How Instagram Explore is ranked
Explore is designed to help users discover new things. Made up of recommendations of photos and videos. It’s very different from Instagram’s Feed and Stories, where the vast majority of what users see is from accounts they follow.
When it came to Explore’s algorithm, the first step was to define a set of posts to rank. In other words, to find photos and videos users might be interested in by looking at signals like, what posts the user liked, saved, and commented on in the past.
Once the algorithm finds a group of photos and videos that users might be interested in, they order them by how interested they think users are in each one, much like how they are ranked in the Feed and Stories.
The most important actions predicted for the algorithm for Explore include likes, saves, and shares.
How Instagram Reels is ranked
Reels is designed to entertain. Much like Explore, the majority of what users see is from accounts they don’t follow.
As a result, Instagram sources reels that they think users might like and then orders them based on how interesting they think they are.
With Reels, Instagram is specifically focused on what might entertain the user. Even going so far as to survey people and ask whether they find a particular reel entertaining or funny.
They then learn from the feedback to get better at entertaining people, with a focus on smaller creators.
The most important predictions the algorithm makes with Reels is how likely users are to watch a reel all the way through, like it, say it was entertaining or funny, or head on over to the audio page after watching to make their own reel using the same audio.
Audience behaviour
Something else worth noting is that Instagram’s algorithm, and how it affects your organic reach, has more to do with your audience’s behaviour than yours.
This is because it takes into account:
Frequency of use
Users who open up the app twelve times a day are more likely to see your posts versus users who only check Instagram once a day.
Oppositely, users who don’t open the Instagram app as often inevitably incur a backlog of content and end up having to rely more on the algorithm to select what they see.
Following
Users who follow a larger number of accounts, i.e, 1000 accounts as opposed to 100, are less likely to see every post displayed in their feed.
Session time
The more users spend time on Instagram, the more likely they are to see every post in their feed.
What does audience behaviour mean for brands?
In all honesty, not much really. Except maybe that the ideal Instagram follower is someone who doesn’t follow very many accounts and takes the time to read their entire feed several times a day.
Make your posts engaging
Engagement is majorly important for the updated algorithm. So it’s important that you make your posts, above all, engaging.
Creating engagement can be as simple as slapping a sticker onto your Stories.
There are loads of stickers to choose from but question stickers, emoji sliders, and polls are the most effective for asking your followers to join the conversation.
Similarly, on posts, directly asking questions or encouraging interactions with a caption is a great way to get the conversation going.
Comments are the best way to signal engagement to the updated algorithm, so prompt your audience to have their say whenever you can.
Need help with creating stellar Instagram content for your brand? Contact us today to see how we can assist.
