Through an official publication on the Instagram blog, Adam Mosseri, current head of the platform, took the opportunity to reveal some of the best kept secrets of the social network. The article arrives under the name of Instagram Ranking Explainedand in it It is the executive himself who tells us how to reach a larger audienceaccording to the operation of the algorithm.
“We want to share more information about how ranking works on Instagram to help people maximize their experience and help creators understand how their content can appear,” Adam Mosseri comments in the post. However, he makes one thing very clear: there is no all-powerful algorithm that controls everything you see inside the app. In fact, there is more than one.
The executive also took the opportunity to address the shadowbanning, a practice in which the reach that some users’ posts can have is limited. Although Instagram claims not to participate in them, they do make it clear that certain content that is considered harmful will be hidden from the platform. However, each creator can see if he has committed any infringement of this style and even appeal the decision of the moderators.
How content classification works on Instagram
As if it were a country, each Instagram region is governed by its own local government. The feed, stories, explore tab, reels, and search all have their own versions of an algorithm, which adapts to how users use the app.
- your feed: It is the main screen that you see as soon as you open Instagram. The content you see in this section is determined by your past activities within the app, as well as your interactions with the people responsible for each post.
- The stories: On the other hand, this part takes into account your previous viewing history. Likewise, the relevance with which they appear has to do with your closeness to said people, and “the probability that they are related as friends or relatives,” says Mosseri.
- The explore tab: This is one of the main tools of Instagram to show new content to its users. The section’s algorithm bases its recommendations on posts you’ve saved in the past, as well as posts you’ve liked, shared, or commented on. Plus, they’re more likely to come from accounts you’ve never interacted with.
- the reels: Of course, this is the region to which Instagram has dedicated the most resources in recent months. The most important predictions that the algorithm is based on have to do with the probability that you will watch until the end, like and share the video you just watched. In addition, the possibility that you use or save the audio to create your own content is also taken into account.
How to take advantage of the Instagram algorithm to boost your account and reach more people
Taking into consideration everything revealed by Adam Mosseri in his publication, we have managed to write down some of the best tricks to boost the growth of your account on the platform. Of course, it is not a magic recipe that will add thousands of followers in a matter of hours. However, it could get your content to reach a much larger audience.
Reels, reels and more reels
This is the first of the recommendations, and one of the most relevant. Instagram is gradually becoming a platform focused on this type of format. If you want to ensure that your account reaches new people, this is the easiest way to achieve it. Also, make sure to use trendy songs and generate content that is shareable or imitable by other users.
Interact with your followers and followers
A vital part of reaching new audiences and boosting your content is interact with people who follow you. From direct messages, to comments, going through the question boxes in the stories. The more users participate in what you post, the better. Of course, the same is also true in the opposite case.
Choose the best hours to post
While Instagram content curation makes this recommendation less and less necessary, it’s still quite useful. Post at times when people are most likely to see you to increase the chances of reaching a larger audience.
Creativity and perseverance
Finally, the quality and authenticity of your content is just as important as the constancy when publishing. You don’t need to have a production team behind every video or photo. However, make sure that the quality is at a level that can compete with other creators. Also, be original and authentic, the personality in front of the camera will be the first thing the user will see, so make it count.