The Instagram algorithm keeps changing, which can be hard to track. Additionally, the five different sections of Instagram consider different factors. What works for the Instagram feed does not work for the reels or stories. Therefore, brands must understand what it takes to rank for the different parts of Instagram. This article will dive into the Instagram algorithm and its impact while providing actionable tips for maximizing your reach.

How The Instagram Algorithm Works

The Instagram algorithm refers to a set of rules that determine what shows up on the user feed and in which order. It considers the type of content and user behavior to decide what to show to the right people. The goal is to ensure that each user gets the best experience and that Instagram offers value to each platform user. You can learn more about the factors that Instagram considers in our article about the social media algorithm.

Key Instagram Ranking Factors

While the actual factor will depend on the section of the algorithm, here are the key factors the Instagram algorithm considers:

• How the user relates to the creator. The Instagram algorithm will consider whether users follow one another, message one another, or leave comments for one another. If they repeatedly interact with one another, you may easily be shown their new content.
• Community engagement. Instagram will increase your post’s reach if the target audience engages through comments and DMs.
• Interest. The IG algorithm also considers the type of content a user interacts with. If they interact with a certain content format or type, they will keep showing them more of such content.
• Relevancy.  When a creator posts content, Instagram will consider where it is.

Key Policies to the Instagram Algorithm

As of 2025, the Instagram algorithm’s policies have several rules affecting content visibility. These rules are:

Not Recommending Certain Content

The Instagram algorithm will often restrict the reach of certain kinds of content. For instance, it restricts the content it shows to teens in the Explore and Search bar. Such channels aim to ensure a safe working environment for teenagers. Other types of content that Instagram controls include:

• Content containing violence.
• Suicide or self-harm content.
• Eating disorder content.
• Sexually explicit or nudity content.
• Restricted items content.

Less Focus on Reels

When Instagram reels were introduced as a competitor to TikTok videos, Instagram gave them a lot of prominence. However, in 2024, Instagram CEO, Adam Moseri, suggested in a live session that Instagram would give less prominence to reels. Instead, the platform would give more weight to the regular posts and Stories, so you need to understand the best posting time on Instagram. The change resulted from users complaining that their feeds were saturated with reels.

Ranking of Reels

Instagram made some changes to the way it ranked reels. These were:

• Reel replays count toward the total view count. In the past, Instagram only counted the number of first-time reel plays. However, today, every time a user views a reel, it is usually added to the total number of views. This can result in creators seeing a higher number of views.
• Lower ranking for reels with words. While there have been speculations for a long time, Moserrie has finally confirmed it in an Instagram story. If a reel has word marks, it will be ranked low. Therefore, you must avoid reposting TikTok videos with the TikTok logo or with watermarks from video editing platforms.

Tips For Maximizing Your Reach With Instagram’s Algorithm

Now that you understand how the Instagram algorithm works, you need to understand how to take advantage of it to maximize the reach of your posts. Here are tips you need to follow to do that:

Create Original Content

According to Mosseri, the IG algorithm will prefer original content over copied, reshared, or reposted content. Therefore, make sure to be creative and brainstorm all your new posts. If you have audio for your reels, make sure they are original. When adding captions, ensure they are informative and distinctive, and make sure your ideas are unique.

Follow the Community Guidelines

The easiest way of getting your content penalized by search engines is by not following the community guidelines. If your content goes against the community guidelines on Instagram’s Feed, Stories, or Reel, Instagram will highly limit its reach. Some of the community guidelines that may lead to the penalizing of your content include:

• Content containing misinformation.
• Potentially upsetting content.
• Content with low-resolution media.

If your content is getting shadow-banned, it could be as a result of one of the above reasons.

Use the Right Hashtags

On Instagram, hashtags help categorize your posts, and the algorithm understands what your posts are about. When you use the right hashtags, Instagram can put your content in front of the right audience. If your content is shown to people interested in that kind of content, they are likely to engage with it, leading to an even higher ranking.

Use Location Tags

Location tags work the same way as hashtags but help to ensure that people in your location are among the first to view your videos as long the video or content is in their interest area. Additionally, if they bear users searching for content published in a certain area and see it tagged a location, they are likely to interact with it.

Be Consistent in Posting

Nothing beats consistency regardless of your social media posting goal, whether engagement, reach, or increasing your followers. Social media experts suggest posting three to five times on Instagram. You should consider having a social media calendar to plan your posting schedule.

Use the Right Reel Format

According to Instagram, the format of a reel matters when ranking reels. The preferred posting format is the vertical format, and videos using this format are likely to be ranked higher. This is understandable, as reels are made to be watched on the phone.

Use Trending Sound

Unlike other types of content, Instagram reels are often shown to users who don’t follow an account. Therefore, if you are trying to expand your user base, reels are the right content to enable you. One of the features that you can hardly go wrong with when creating reels is to use trending music on Instagram.

Instagram usually prioritizes reels using trending sounds. Even if the content isn’t very interesting, a trending song can help make the reel stick in the user's mind. Therefore, take advantage of this to grow the reach of your reel.

Conclusion

If you want to maximize the reach of your content, you need to understand the Instagram algorithm. Once you do, you can focus on creating content that matches the algorithm's needs and increases its visibility. Using the above tips, you can make your content go viral by meeting the algorithm’s needs. You can read our guide on resetting your Instagram algorithm on any platform.