Tech, Digital Marketing, Social Media
How The Instagram Algorithm Works
Until 2016, Instagram was recognized for keeping its feed in chronological order. However, they discovered that users are missing 70% of the postings in their feed, including those from family and friends. Since then, there has been a slew of hypotheses concerning the algorithm, including several posts on Instagram recently claiming that it favors materials with the most saves. I will create a separate post about this theory, but spoiler alert: it doesn’t.
This is how the algorithm works (mix of explore, feed, and stories):
Preferences (Explore)
Instagram’s wish is for you to enjoy and “make the most of your time” on the platform, as users’ behavior changes are influenced by real-world events. According to the Head of Instagram himself, Instagram uses many many algorithms to try and predict what you might like at any given moment.
The graphic is based on my personal experience as a frequent Instagram user.
Have you ever noticed that when you search for anything on Instagram, your Explore feed fills up with the same results? Because the algorithm recognizes that you’ve been watching coffee-making and cooking videos on the platform at random. It changes all the time depending on what you’re interested in at any particular time. I mean, not that you all care, but my Explore page used to be filled with drama clips and behind the scenes after obsessing over Crash Landing On You and Elite on Netflix. #noshame
Interactions (Feed)
It also includes examining other criteria, including but not limited to, the content you are liking, commenting on, and your history of engagement with other users, in addition to searches. They employed predictions or educated guesses in diverse ways based on your actions, Mosseri stressed. You get to see more Feed posts from a certain user by:
- Spending a few seconds on the post
- Commenting on it
- Liking it
- Saving it
- Tapping the profile photo
Depending on how you react to the information you’re seeing, you’ll have a larger or lower probability of seeing them in your feed. Notice how you don’t see some of your old friends or exes’ grid posts anymore. That’s because overtime, Instagram adds and removes “signals” and forecasts in order to improve their ability to surface what you’re interested in. Again, it’s all based on your interest at the moment. And it constantly changes.
Timeliness (Feed, Stories)
While Instagram has evolved from the chronological list, timeliness still affects your ranking on Feed and Stories. This is why you should always post while your followers are online. Nevertheless, continues to push forth materials from persons with whom you interact and take actions on their posts. Interaction and preferences are still taken into account.
The platform also admitted that they didn’t give much attention to “reshared stories” or the ones you see from the feed that is posted on Stories, as most users “prefer” seeing original content. Until, as a result of global events and social unrest, users began to prefer resharing materials in order to educate and promote awareness.
Popularity (Explore)
Back to the interaction and how likely you are to take action over a certain post or niche, Instagram also identifies what content you might like through its popularity, while also bearing in mind interaction and preference.
Instagram presumes signals on a content’s popularity based on the information about the post, such as “how many and quickly other people are liking, commenting, sharing, and saving a post as these signals matter much more in Explore than they do in Feed or in Stories.” This is what I meant when I mentioned that the first hour of your post crucial, though it doesn’t entirely depend on it.
Key Takeaways:
- Always remember that these criteria work hand in hand. It means that you can’t disregard Interaction because you put Timeliness first by posting when your followers are online.
- Engagement is one way to “ditch” the algorithm because you are building genuine connections with your audience.
- Focus on your content. It’s up to your content whether or not your users would take action. How will you make them stay longer, click your profile like your post, and save it?
- Don’t ask them to save your post if it’s useless. There are certain times where a post with the most saves rank up on Explore page, but that’s because the content is valuable to so many users.
- The Algorithm is not out to get you. If you have a basic understanding of how the algorithm works and put in the work of engaging and creating enjoyable content, then you are up to something good.
Sources: Adam Mosseri and Instagram
Disclaimer: There are many other papers that describe how the Algorithm works, and this is just my interpretation. This article is intended for everyday Instagram users, marketing experts, business owners, and those who require basic, jargon-free, and spoon-fed information regarding the Algorithm.
