How the Instagram Algorithm Really Works

It’s important to understand how the Instagram algorithm functions, so you can make sure your content stands the best possible chance of being seen and engaged with. As users engage with your content, your profile builds authority. Building profile authority is the best way to show Instagram that your content is well received, relevant, trusted and offers value. If your content does all of these things, your posts will show up more frequently on your audience’s feed. Developing a fundamental understanding of the Instagram algorithm is key for businesses to make the most out of each post, and every marketing dollar spent.

• Your Instagram feed isn’t only based on who you follow, it’s also based on the accounts and types of posts you’ve previously engaged with.
• The more the Instagram algorithm thinks you will “like” a certain type of post, the higher it will appear in your feed.
• According to Instagram, the most important engagements for feed ranking are likes, saves, re-shares, comments and views for videos.

• If you follow a lot of people, then Instagram has more options to choose from, so you probably won’t see all of the posts from every account.
• If the majority of your following is inactive and not engaging with you, they could be doing more harm than good for your account’s algorithmic ranking.
• That's why buying and attracting followers who don't engage with your content is always a bad idea!

Instagram is able to figure out who you care about the most, based on how you use and engage with the app. They do this by monitoring and evaluating:

• People whose content you like (possibly including stories and live videos)
• People you direct message
• People you search for
• People you know in real life
• People you tag in comments
  

• Not only does the algorithm pay attention to how much engagement your Instagram post gets, but it also looks at how long ago the photo was posted.
• Instagram’s algorithm cares about when you posted, because it always wants to serve you the latest, most interesting posts.
• This is why it is important to understand the optimal time to post based on your current and target audience.

• If you’re a frequent scroller, your feed will be more chronological, since Instagram tries to show you the best posts since your last visit.
• If you check the Instagram app less often, your feed will be sorted into what Instagram thinks you’ll like, instead of chronologically.

• If you spend enough time on Instagram, you can run out of new content to see from the accounts you follow. Once this happens, the algorithm will serve you suggested content from new accounts — based on your previous interactions.
• However, if you only spend a few minutes in the app each day, then you’re going to just get the day’s highlights from the algorithm.

Understanding how the algorithm works is essential to making the most out of your business' social media presence! If you have any questions about Instagram, its algorithm or how to thrive on social media, contact us today!