10 Key Instagram Insights: How Algorithms Work for Promotion

Secrets of Reach in Stories

How Instagram's algorithms work is not a secret or a lottery. The platform's head, Adam Mosseri, regularly shares information on how they function. Analyzing his latest statements helps to understand what really works for promotion right now.

One of the first insights concerns reach in Stories. It was previously believed that long and interesting storytelling received high reach. Over time, the trend shifted towards shorter formats, and then it turned out that even a single Story could get record-high views.

The reason for this algorithm behavior lies in monetization: it is profitable for Instagram to show ads after each creator's block of Stories. Consequently, the more accounts with a single Story that users see, the more ads can be shown to them. This was recently acknowledged as a technical issue that is being worked on.

Currently, the optimal number of Stories per day to maintain reach, according to official recommendations, is 3-4. Publishing more can lead to a decrease in impressions.

Two Approaches to Promoting Reels

Promoting videos in Reels requires different approaches depending on whether you want to target your followers or a new, cold audience. For this, there are two formats: regular Reels and 'trial Reels'.

Regular Reels are first shown to your current audience. The reaction of your followers determines whether the video will be promoted further. 'Trial Reels' are a tool that shows videos exclusively to a new audience, effectively acting as a form of free targeting.

The key metrics for these two formats are fundamentally different. For successful promotion, it's important to understand which metric to focus on in each case.

Thus, when creating a regular Reel, aim for it to be liked by your followers. And when working with 'trial Reels,' focus on content that will be shared.

Myth Busting: What Doesn't Actually Affect Reach

There are many myths surrounding Instagram's algorithms that complicate life for content creators. However, official clarifications help separate fact from fiction and focus on what is truly important for promotion.

Here are a few common misconceptions that have been debunked:

• Following other accounts. Who you follow and what content you watch does not affect the promotion of your own publications. The algorithm separates your role as a content consumer from your role as a creator.

• Shadowban. The concept of a 'shadowban' does not exist. There is only a direct ban for violating community guidelines. You can check your account status in the settings. If all indicators are green but your reach has dropped, the problem lies with the content itself, not a mythical block.

• Hashtags. Hashtags are no longer a significant tool for increasing reach. The algorithms have become smart enough to analyze video content based on speech, text, and visual elements. Hashtags can only be useful for internal navigation within your account.

Important Tools for Growth: Subtitles and Carousel Posts

There are simple yet extremely effective tools that directly impact engagement and reach. One of the most important tips is to always use subtitles in your videos.

Every year, the number of users who watch content without sound grows. The absence of subtitles can lead to a loss of up to 86-89% of potential views. Therefore, it is necessary to add text to all formats: Reels, Stories, and posts.

Another powerful tool is carousel posts. They are gaining popularity again and are highly recommended. A recent insight showed that adding music to carousel posts can increase their viral potential several times over.

Such posts can appear in the Reels feed, gaining additional views. Statistics confirm that users watch longer and interact better with posts that have musical accompaniment.

A Look into the Future: Automatic Content Translation

One of the recent recommendations is to use the feature for automatic content translation into other languages using artificial intelligence. When publishing, you can activate an option that will automatically translate subtitles into the language selected by the viewer.

This feature opens up the possibility of reaching an international audience. If you create entertaining or mass-market content that is not tied to a specific language or region and monetize it through views, this tool can significantly expand your reach.

However, for a local business or for selling goods and services in a specific language, this feature may be less useful, as foreign viewers are unlikely to become your customers. Nevertheless, as automatic translation technologies improve, its significance may increase for all types of accounts.