Mystery over: CEO reveals secrets behind Instagram algorithm

However, last Wednesday (31), Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri shared a text on the platform’s blog, in which he reveals details about the algorithms. The publication caught the attention of users, especially the most curious ones, who want to know how the platform works.

So, check out all the details surrounding the Instagram algorithm right now. Take the opportunity to learn how to use this to your advantage. Let’s go!

How does Instagram work, according to Adam Mosseri?

First of all, it is important to remember that it is not possible to explain how Instagram works in a simplified way. According to Mosseri, the platform uses a variety of algorithms, classifiers and processes.

Each of them has a specific purpose. This dynamic varies between the different sections of Instagram, such as Reels, Stories, Feed and Explore.

In the article, the CEO also explained how “shadowban” works, which is a form of punishment applied to certain users. People often refer to this practice when accounts or content are limited or hidden on the platform without a clear explanation.

According to the CEO, this restriction is not intentional and is not a way to force the purchase of ads, contrary to what many people think. When this happens, the user always has the option to access the “Account Status” section. There, the user will have more information about why the post did not have a greater reach.

Stories

One thing that stands out is the order of the stories. It’s common to notice that stories usually show the closest friends and family first, right? Well, that’s just one of the criteria used, but there are several others. In stories, you’ll always see content from the profiles you follow and also some ads.

Feed

The order of posts on your Instagram Feed is determined by a few factors. First, your interactions, such as likes, shares, saves, and comments on posts, are analyzed, which help the platform understand your interests.

Next, popularity indicators are considered, such as the number of likes and the frequency with which people interact, comment, share and save the post. Information about the author of the post also helps to assess the level of interest you have in the content of a particular user.

And finally, Instagram considers your past interactions with a specific person, such as comments on their posts, to understand your general interest in that user and their posts.

To explore

The most relevant interactions for ranking posts are likes, saves and shares, in that order. In addition, the popularity of the post matters a lot, making the content more likely to go viral. Another important point to observe is the activity of the post, that is: if you interact, you show that you like it.

If the content creator is unknown and you interact with them, Instagram will understand that you are interested in that content. Finally, if you have already seen a topic, it like or interacted in some other way, the platform understands that you like that topic and want to see more about it.

Reels

Finally, Instagram’s newest feature is Reels. This section is based on the short entertainment video format popularized by TikTok.

Here’s how it works: likes, saves, shares, and comments are taken into account to determine which videos are most relevant to you.

Reels videos can be created by unknown users. If you’ve interacted with these people, they may be interested in the topic covered in the post.

Finally, the content of the Reels, including the audio track and visual elements, as well as their popularity, are important factors in how videos are ranked and displayed.

So, did you enjoy learning a little more about how Instagram works?