Ever posted a reel that got tons of views, likes, and comments, while another one seems to barely get noticed? It lies in Instagram’s complex algorithm, which determines which reels get shown to users. Here’s a breakdown of why some perform better than others.
How Instagram Ranks Explore Content
Explore is designed to help you discover new content beyond the people you already follow. Instagram ranks content in Explore based on a variety of signals, including your past interactions, what you’ve liked, saved, or commented on. It also looks at the people you follow and the content they engage with. For example, if you engage with content about food, Explore might recommend posts related to that topic, even if you’ve never followed the accounts posting them.
Key factors in ranking Explore content include:
- Post popularity: How much engagement the post is getting from other users.
- Interaction history: How frequently you’ve interacted with the person who posted the content.
- Your activity: Your past interactions with similar posts or content categories.
- Content creator’s activity: How popular the content creator is with other users.
How Instagram Ranks Reels
Reels is Instagram’s answer to short-form, entertaining content. Similar to Explore, the algorithm looks at various signals to determine which Reels to show you. The platform considers how likely you are to engage with the reel, such as watching it all the way through, liking it, or sharing it. Instagram also surveys users to determine whether a particular reel was entertaining or funny, adjusting its predictions based on that feedback.
Important ranking signals for Reels include:
- Your activity: Reels you’ve liked, commented on, or interacted with in the past.
- Your interaction history with the creator: Whether you’ve interacted with the person who posted the reel before.
- Reel content: Instagram analyzes the video, including the audio track and video quality, to determine what’s most relevant to you.
- Content creator popularity: How popular the creator is based on engagement levels with their posts.
How You Can Influence What You See
The way you use Instagram directly influences what you see in your Feed, Stories, Explore, and Reels sections. Here are a few ways you can take control:
- Pick your Close Friends: This lets you share Stories with a select group of people and prioritize them in your feed.
- Mute accounts: If you don’t want to see a particular account’s posts but still want to follow them, muting is a great option.
- Mark posts as “Not Interested”: When you see content that doesn’t resonate with you, marking it as “Not Interested” helps Instagram refine its recommendations for you.
- Engage with content you like: The more you interact with content, the more Instagram understands your preferences and tailors your experience accordingly.
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