{"id":31909,"date":"2023-02-24T12:36:16","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T12:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/?p=31909"},"modified":"2023-04-26T00:18:14","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T00:18:14","slug":"instagram-algorithm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/","title":{"rendered":"What the Instagram algorithm means for your brand in 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In March 2016, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/technology\/archive\/2016\/03\/instagram-algorithmic-feed\/474039\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one of the biggest updates<\/a> in Instagram history went live. Abandoning its classic chronological format, the platform transitioned over to its current algorithmic feed that displays content in order of importance and relevance. Now, nearly seven years later, algorithms have become the norm on social media \u2014 and yet how they work still remains a mystery to most.<\/p>\n<p>For marketers, understanding the elusive algorithm that impacts their performance on Instagram can make all the difference to their success. To help, we\u2019re here to break down exactly how Instagram\u2019s algorithm works and what you can do to make it work <i>for you<\/i> and not against you. But first off, let\u2019s dive into what the Instagram algorithm is.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/embed\/8nTNSAyWSgfmpFZGkp\" width=\"480\" height=\"277\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>What is the Instagram algorithm?<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/blog\/announcements\/shedding-more-light-on-how-instagram-works\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to Instagram<\/a>, there\u2019s no single algorithm that controls what you see on the platform. What most of us refer to as \u201cthe algorithm\u201d is actually multiple algorithms, or a system of rules, classifiers, and processes that operate differently depending on where you are in the app, such as your Feed, the Explore page, Reels, or Search.<\/p>\n<p>What the algorithms do have in common is that they look at your in-app activity in order to rank and show posts that you\u2019re most likely to care about. Which actions matter most and how the contents are displayed, though, depends on what part of the app you\u2019re on.<\/p>\n<p>All of this ties back to Instagram\u2019s goal of personalizing your experience and showing you what you want to see. The algorithms are different because each part of the app serves different purposes. For instance, you may care a lot about your close friends\u2019 posts when you\u2019re on your Feed, but you\u2019re probably looking for something completely new in Explore.<\/p>\n<p>So, let\u2019s get into how the algorithm works for each part of Instagram.<\/p>\n<h2>How the Instagram Algorithm Ranks Feed Posts and Stories<\/h2>\n<p>The algorithm for Feed posts and Stories focuses on ranking the posts of those you follow based on how likely you are to interact. The five interactions that the platform looks most closely at are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Spending a few seconds to look at the post<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Commenting on it<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Liking it<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Resharing it<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Clicking on the profile photo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As Instagram explains, \u201cThe more likely you are to take an action, and the more heavily we weigh that action, the higher up you\u2019ll see the post.\u201d In other words, the order of posts that you see on Feed and Stories is a result of the algorithm predicting which posts you\u2019re most likely to interact with.<\/p>\n<p>So, how does the algorithm make those predictions? By studying what Instagram calls \u201csignals,\u201d or information about the post, who made the post, and your preferences. From most to least important, the signals that Instagram looks at for Feed posts and Stories are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about the post. <\/b>Is it a video, single post, carousel, etc.? When was it posted? How many interactions has it gotten?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about who posted. <\/b>How important is this person to you? Do you both follow each other? Do their posts tend to have lots of engagement?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your activity. <\/b>Do you tend to engage with video content or photos the most? What kind of content do you typically interact with?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your interaction history. <\/b>Do you interact with this person? How often do you like and comment on their posts?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s important to keep in mind that Instagram is always fine-tuning its signals and predictions over time. The platform has also admitted to taking other considerations into account on Feed and Stories, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Repeat posts.<\/b> Instagram avoids showing too many posts from the same account.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Community Guidelines violations.<\/b> Posts that violate <a href=\"https:\/\/help.instagram.com\/477434105621119\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the guidelines<\/a> are taken down and accounts that violate those guidelines may be recommended less or even suspended.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Misinformation.<\/b> Posts <a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/micro_site\/url\/?click_creative_path[0]=click_external-link&amp;click_from_context_menu=true&amp;country=US&amp;destination=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjournalismproject%2Fprograms%2Fthird-party-fact-checking&amp;event_type=click&amp;last_nav_impression_id=0uWwGSCfm89pvMxb7&amp;max_percent_page_viewed=45&amp;max_viewport_height_px=789&amp;max_viewport_width_px=1440&amp;orig_request_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fabout.instagram.com%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fshedding-more-light-on-how-instagram-works&amp;region=noam&amp;scrolled=true&amp;session_id=06bBMLMeyzhFUFVaQ&amp;site=instagram_about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flagged as misinformation<\/a> won\u2019t be taken down but they will be labeled as such and shown lower in Feed and Stories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How the Instagram Algorithm Ranks the Explore Page<\/h2>\n<p>While Feed and Stories mostly display content from people you follow, the Explore page is designed to help you discover new things. That\u2019s why the algorithm for Explore is focused on finding and showing relevant posts you may not have seen before.<\/p>\n<p>To find posts that you may be interested in, the algorithm studies signals such as the posts you\u2019ve liked, saved, and commented on before. From there, it\u2019ll look at who else has interacted with those posts and find similar posts and accounts that those users have also engaged with. Those related posts are what the algorithm will show you on Explore.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-31923 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-700x699.png\" alt=\"The Instagram algorithm has curated this explore page for a user who clearly has an interest in food art and food photography\" width=\"700\" height=\"699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-350x350@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-1536x1534.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-100x100.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-1170x1169.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page.png 1712w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Instagram-algorithm-explore-page-700x699@2x.png 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Of course, the order that those posts are displayed isn\u2019t just random. Once Instagram has a collection of posts that it wants to recommend, the algorithm then ranks each post based on how interested it thinks you will be in it. It makes those predictions from studying, in order from most to least important, the following signals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about the post.<\/b> How many and how quickly are other people liking, commenting, sharing, and saving it? This matters more in Explore than in Feed or Stories.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Interaction history.<\/b> Most likely you\u2019re not too familiar with the Instagram account being recommended, but if you <i>have<\/i> interacted before, then it\u2019ll be ranked higher.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your activity.<\/b> What kind of posts have you interacted with in Explore in the past?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about who posted. <\/b>How interesting is this account in general? How often do people interact with this account?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally, Instagram has built-in rules for what it recommends. Called the <a href=\"https:\/\/help.instagram.com\/313829416281232\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Recommendation Guidelines<\/a>, these standards are in place to keep the platform from recommending low-quality, objectionable, sensitive, or inappropriate content. For instance, posts that include violence, tobacco use, etc. tend to not be recommended.<\/p>\n<h2>How the Instagram Algorithm Ranks Reels<\/h2>\n<p>As Instagram puts it, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/blog\/announcements\/shedding-more-light-on-how-instagram-works\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reels is designed to entertain you.<\/a>\u201d Similar to Explore, the Reels algorithm is all about finding and showing you video content that you will find interesting, regardless of whether you follow the Reels&#8217; creator or not.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"blog-inline-cta-image light\" >\n  <img src=\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/why-benchmark-woman-jumping.png>\n  <div class=\"cta-wrapper\"> <p>\n   Start analyzing your Instagram Reels with Rival IQ.  <\/p><a class=\"x-btn ss-light x-btn-global\" target=\"_blank\" href=\/signup\/ style=\"\">Get my free trial <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>To find entertaining Reels, Instagram regularly surveys users and asks whether they found a Reel entertaining or funny. The platform also states that it keeps an eye out for smaller creators, presumably keeping tabs on the entertainment potential of up-and-coming creators.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, though, Instagram\u2019s priority is to find Reels that you\u2019re most likely to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Watch all the way through<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Like<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Say was entertaining or funny when surveyed<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Go to the audio page (suggesting that you may be inspired to make your own Reel)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, what signals does the algorithm look at to predict whether a Reel will be engaging to you? In order of importance, they are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your activity.<\/b> Which Reels have you interacted with? What kind of content is most relevant to you?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your interaction history.<\/b> Is the Reel posted by someone you\u2019ve interacted with before?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about the Reel.<\/b> How popular is it? Based on the audio track and the actual content of the Reel, how relevant is it to you?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about who posted.<\/b> How popular is this account? Who is this account\u2019s typical audience?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How the Instagram Algorithm Ranks Search Results<\/h2>\n<p>Like most other parts of the app, Instagram tries to show your Search results in order of what they think is most relevant to you. The main difference here is the extra element of your input, or what you put into the search bar.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-31913 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-700x439.jpg\" alt=\"Typing \u201cspace,\u201d in the search bar shows you top, accounts, audio, hashtags, and places that match the search. \" width=\"700\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-350x219@2x.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-1024x642.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-1536x962.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-100x63.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-350x219.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-1170x733.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search.jpg 1676w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/C-Search-700x439@2x.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To predict what results will be most relevant to you, the algorithm looks at several signals. The most important signals it uses, in order of importance, are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your text in Search.<\/b> This is the most important signal for Search since Instagram looks for relevant results that match what you type.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your activity. <\/b>What accounts do you follow or interact with? What posts have you viewed and engaged with? The algorithm ranks accounts and hashtags you interact with higher than those you don\u2019t.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Information about the search results.<\/b> What results are popular? Which results have high clicks, likes, shares, or follows?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To keep Search safe, Instagram avoids showing accounts, posts, and hashtags that may be sensitive according to its Recommendations Guidelines. This could mean you have to scroll lower to see a particular account or type in the full username to find it. Anything that violates the Community Guidelines is removed from the platform and doesn\u2019t show up in search at all.<\/p>\n<h2>How Users Can Control What They See On Instagram<\/h2>\n<p>While the algorithm tries to recommend posts its users are most likely to enjoy, Instagram understands that it doesn\u2019t always get it right. That\u2019s why there are also <a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/blog\/tips-and-tricks\/control-your-instagram-feed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">several features<\/a> that users can leverage to directly influence the algorithm and improve their experience. These include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Favorites. <\/b>Users can add up to 50 accounts to Favorites. This signals to the algorithm that you want to see these accounts\u2019 posts higher up on your Feed and more often. There\u2019s also a dedicated feed of just Favorites that users can switch to.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>The \u201cNot Interested\u201d control. <\/b>If a recommended post doesn\u2019t resonate, users can tap the three-dot menu and select the \u201cNot Interested\u201d button. This not only immediately hides the post from the user\u2019s feed but also lets Instagram know to show fewer posts like it moving forward.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sensitive Content Control. <\/b>This feature lets users choose whether they want to see more or less sensitive content, as defined by its Recommendations Guidelines. It can be adjusted by going to Settings, Account, and then Sensitive content control.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Since 2022, Instagram has also allowed users to <a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/blog\/announcements\/favorites-and-following\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">switch to a Following feed<\/a>, which shows posts from the people they follow in chronological order. While this feature technically doesn\u2019t impact the algorithm, it was a significant development since it gave users back some control over what they see and how they see it on Instagram.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-31921 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-700x236.png\" alt=\"Pick from the choices the app provides so the Instagram algorithm understands your preferences better, and curates relevant content for you\" width=\"700\" height=\"236\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-350x118@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-300x101.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-1024x345.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-1536x517.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-100x34.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-350x118.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-1170x394.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-image-700x236@2x.png 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>2023 Updates Affecting the Instagram Algorithm<\/h2>\n<p>As with any social platform, Instagram is constantly trying to upgrade the user experience by adding new features. Here are <a href=\"https:\/\/about.instagram.com\/blog\/announcements\/new-ways-to-control-what-you-see-on-instagram\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the 2023 updates<\/a> related to the algorithm that you should know about it.<\/p>\n<h3>Mark \u2018Not Interested\u2019 on multiple posts in Explore<\/h3>\n<p>Users can now hide multiple posts in Explore that they\u2019re uninterested in, as opposed to one post at a time like before<b>. <\/b>Additionally, doing so will impact their recommendations in all parts of the apps, including Reels, Search, and more.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-31917 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-700x493.png\" alt=\"Posts on your explore page give you the options to like, view profile, send as a message, not interested, and report. \" width=\"700\" height=\"493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-350x247@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-300x211.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-1024x722.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-1536x1083.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-100x70.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-350x247.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-1170x825.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/E-Multiple-Not-Interested-700x493@2x.png 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Hidden Words apply to recommended posts<\/h3>\n<p>While users were already able to hide comments and DMs containing specific words, Instagram will now work to stop recommending content that contains a user\u2019s Hidden Words in the caption or hashtag. A user\u2019s list of unwanted words, phrases, or emojis can be accessed by going to Settings, Privacy, then Hidden Words.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-31918 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-700x382.png\" alt=\"Example post shown contains an image of an orange tree. Clicking on the ellipsis and picking the &quot;don't suggest posts with certain words&quot; opens a pop-up where the words fruit and orchard are input. The orange tree post is then hidden\" width=\"700\" height=\"382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-350x191@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-1024x559.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-1536x839.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-100x55.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-350x191.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-1170x639.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/F-Hidden-Words-700x382@2x.png 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>10 Tips to \u201cBeat\u201d the Instagram Algorithm<\/h2>\n<p>As you can probably tell, the algorithm plays a massive role in whether your Instagram posts are seen by your audience.<\/p>\n<p>Undoubtedly, the best thing brands can do to \u201cbeat\u201d the algorithm is to create interesting content that encourages their audience to pause, like, comment, save, share, or, even add their Instagram account to Favorites. Doing so will signal to the algorithm that your posts are worth recommending and boost your reach.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"blog-inline-cta-no-image\" style=\"\">\n  <p>\n   Ready to analyze your performance on Instagram?  <\/p><div class=\"cta-wrapper\"> <a target=\"_blank\" class=\"x-btn ss-light x-btn-global\" href=\"\/signup\" style=\"\">Try Rival IQ for free!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>There are also some hacks that brands can use to get on the algorithm\u2019s \u201cgood side.\u201d Here are 10 tips that we \u2014 and <a href=\"\/product\/social-media-competitive-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram itself<\/a> \u2014 recommend.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Appeal to a niche. <\/b>The algorithm is all about delivering personalized results to each user. Playing to your audience and their particular niche will help you much more than trying to appeal to the general public.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Post in popular formats, like carousels or Reels.<\/b> Instagram recommends posts that fit the kind of format that users seem to enjoy so keeping up with popular formats will help you be seen by more people.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use a fitting handle and profile name<\/b>. This makes it easier for your audience to find you on Search.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Include relevant keywords and locations in your bio<\/b>. This is important if you want to show up in Search when your audience looks up certain keywords and places.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Add relevant keywords and hashtags in the captions of your posts. <\/b>For a post to be found in Search, you should put keywords and hashtags in the caption (not comments).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Avoid back-to-back posts. <\/b>Remember that Instagram avoids showing too many posts from the same account in a row.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Don\u2019t spread misinformation. <\/b>Posts tagged as misinformation will be ranked lower and shown less throughout Instagram.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Follow <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/help.instagram.com\/477434105621119\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Community Guidelines<\/b><\/a><b>. <\/b>Violations will be removed and repeat offenders will have their content shown less or even suspended.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Keep <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/help.instagram.com\/313829416281232\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Recommendation Guidelines<\/b><\/a><b> in mind. <\/b>While posting sensitive content isn\u2019t a dealbreaker in the way a Community Guideline violation is, your posts <i>will<\/i> be recommended much less if they fall under what Instagram considers low-quality, objectionable, sensitive, or inappropriate.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Leverage analytics. <\/b>How can you know if you\u2019re successfully \u201chacking\u201d the algorithm if you don\u2019t measure your performance? You can figure out what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not with an analytics platform like Rival IQ, which offers a suite of metrics and research tools for <a href=\"\/product\/social-posts-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social post analysis<\/a>, <a href=\"\/product\/social-media-competitive-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">competitive analysis<\/a>, and more.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-31919 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-700x467.png\" alt=\"Rival IQ can help you find hashtags that generate the most engagement.\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-350x233@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-100x67.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-350x233.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics-1170x780.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/G-Hashtag-analytics.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>The Wrap Up<\/h2>\n<p>While Instagram&#8217;s ever-changing algorithm may seem like some big mystery, it&#8217;s nothing that brands can\u2019t handle. At the end of the day, the algorithm is there to get the most relevant content to its intended audience \u2014 something that brands can use to their advantage. So, create engaging content for your niche, incorporate the above tips into your social strategy, and then let the algorithm do its thing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In March 2016, one of the biggest updates in Instagram history went live. Abandoning its classic chronological format, the platform transitioned over to its current algorithmic feed that displays content in order of importance and relevance. Now, nearly seven years later, algorithms have become the norm on social media \u2014 &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88,"featured_media":31932,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,24],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.4 (Yoast SEO v22.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What the Instagram algorithm means for your brand in 2023<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A comprehensive guide on how the Instagram algorithm works, 2023 updates, and tips to beat the Instagram algorithm\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What the Instagram algorithm means for your brand in 2023\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A comprehensive guide on how the Instagram algorithm works, 2023 updates, and tips to beat the Instagram algorithm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rival IQ\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-02-24T12:36:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-04-26T00:18:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-social-share-image-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Therese Nguyen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/instagram-algorithm-social-share-image-2.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Therese Nguyen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/\",\"name\":\"What the Instagram algorithm means for your brand in 2023\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/iStock-1339399906.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-02-24T12:36:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-04-26T00:18:14+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/#\/schema\/person\/3c2bb44d1d97fa6497a6e5ea4920e6ec\"},\"description\":\"A comprehensive guide on how the Instagram algorithm works, 2023 updates, and tips to beat the Instagram algorithm\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/instagram-algorithm\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/iStock-1339399906.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/iStock-1339399906.jpg\",\"width\":1365,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"Digital contents concept. 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