How does Instagram Algorithm Work?

Discover how does Instagram algorithm work, get the inside the Instagram algorithm for 2021 on how it really works and where to shift your strategy

From SEO to social media, algorithms are often what determine who sees the content you publish and who doesn’t.

As these algorithms change, yesterday’s marketing tactics might become less effective tomorrow. That’s why your strategy on each platform needs to constantly evolve too.

On Instagram in particular, simply posting on a regular basis with the right hashtags won’t necessarily guarantee that your new content always reaches its intended audience.

Instead, you’ll need to consider how you can work with the new Instagram algorithm updates to shake up your approach to Instagram marketing.

How does the Instagram Algorithm Work?

* How the algorithm works for Instagram feed
* How the algorithm works for Instagram Story
* How the algorithm works for Instagram Reels and IGTV

How the Instagram Algorithm Works for the Feed?

The new Instagram algorithm dictates the order of the posts that users see when they’re scrolling through their feed.

Based on specific signals, it prioritizes the best posts, pushing the most relevant ones toward the top and giving them the most visibility, while other content ends up being placed further down.

While it’s important to note that the new algorithm is subject to change, these three main ranking factors can still help inform your Instagram strategy:

1) Relationship with the User: If a certain user has interacted with a lot of your past Instagram content, they’ll be more likely to see your future content. This makes continual, repeat engagement on your posts important for building a loyal audience.

2) Interest the User has Conveyed: This signal is based on whether the user interacts with similar posts and accounts when they explore Instagram. Users who also engage with similar content are more likely to see your own posts.

3) Relevancy of the Post: When you publish a post on Instagram, the algorithm gives it a relevancy score, which impacts who it shows in the feed.

There were also other, more general considerations that Instagram shared, which you should make note of:

4) If users follow a lot of accounts, you’ve got more competition for the top spot in their feed.

5) If users either don’t spend a long time on Instagram or don’t open the app that often, you decrease the odds of having your content seen if you aren’t in one of the very top slots.

6) Business accounts on Instagram are not immediately at a disadvantage in terms of organic reach compared to personal accounts.

Read more here.