Instagram Ranking Demystified: Understanding How Your Content Gets Seen

In order to provide a better understanding of how Instagram operates, we are addressing common misconceptions and aiming to assist users, particularly creators, in comprehending our platform. Today, we are updating you to shed more light on the ranking process across Instagram and introduce new features that enhance the overall user experience based on feedback from creators.

Ranking on Instagram To help users make the most of their Instagram experience and aid creators in understanding how their content surfaced, we are sharing more details about the ranking process.

Instagram does not rely on a single algorithm to determine what users see on the app. Instead, we employ various algorithms, classifiers, and processes, each serving its unique purpose. Our goal is to optimize users' time on the platform, and we believe that leveraging technology to personalize everyone's experience is the best approach.

Different parts of the app, such as Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels, and Search, utilise their own algorithms tailored to the specific ways users engage with them. For instance, users tend to seek out their closest friends in Stories, utilise Explore for discovering new content and creators, and find entertainment in Reels. Meta prioritises and ranks content differently in these different sections of the app. Additionally, Meta has introduced features and controls like Close Friends, Favourites, and Following to allow users to further customise their experience.

Each section of the Instagram app utilises its own algorithm, tailored to its specific purpose. Understanding Feed Ranking Feed serves as the personalised home base on Instagram, helping users catch up with friends, family, and their interests. This means that users' feeds consist of a combination of content from the accounts they follow, recommended content from accounts Meta thinks they'll enjoy, and advertisements. The content in the feed, including videos, photos, and carousels, is ranked through a series of steps.

Firstly, Meta determines the set of content to rank. This includes recent posts from accounts users follow and posts from accounts they don't follow but might find interesting. To assess users' interests, Meta considers various factors such as their follows, likes, and recent engagements. We aim to strike a balance between content from followed accounts and content from potentially interesting accounts users don't follow.

Next, Instagram analyses the information available about the posted content, the individuals who posted it, and users' preferences. We also take into account factors like content format, giving preference to photos if users have shown a preference for them. These factors, known as "signals," are numerous and include elements such as the post's popularity, posting time, the associated location, and more. The key signals, in order of importance, are:

User activity: Interactions such as likes, shares, saves, and comments provide insights into users' interests. Post Information: Popularity indicators like the number of likes, comments, shares, and saves, along with other details about the content itself (e.g. posting time and location). Poster information: Signals about the person who posted, including their recent interactions with users. History of interactions: The level of interest users have shown in posts from specific individuals, such as mutual comments. To rank the Feed, we consider factors like user activity, interactions with posts, post location tags, and the person who posted. Based on this information, Instagram makes predictions about users' likelihood of interacting with a post in various ways. The interactions we closely observe in Feed include spending time on a post, commenting on it, liking it, sharing it, and tapping on the profile photo. The higher the probability and weight assigned to an action, the higher the post will appear in the Feed. Over time, Instagram continuously refines its algorithms to adapt to users' changing preferences and behaviours.

It's important to note that Instagram does not favour users who use certain features, such as Stories, Reels, or other formats, over others. The ranking process is designed to consider a variety of factors and optimise the overall user experience.

Enhancing Transparency and Control, Meta understands that creators and users alike want more transparency and control over their Instagram experience. To address this, Meta has introduced new features and options:

Following Categories: We provide users with suggested accounts to follow based on their interests. Users can view the categories and choose to follow accounts within specific topics they find appealing.

Posts from Accounts You Follow: To prioritise content from accounts users follow, we have introduced a feature that allows users to see posts from those accounts first in their Feed.

Feed Filters: Users can now customise their Feed further by applying content filters. They can choose to see more or less of certain types of content, such as photos, videos, or shopping posts.

About This Account: Meta is working on a feature that will provide users with more context about accounts that reach a large audience. This will include information about the account's creation date, country of origin, and any previous username changes.

It’s likely these features will offer users more control and transparency while using Instagram.

So to conclude, Instagram employs a range of algorithms and processes to rank content across different sections of the app. The ranking process considers user activity, post information, poster information, and history of interactions to personalise the user experience. Instagram is committed to refining its algorithms based on user feedback and evolving preferences.

Additionally, Instagram continues to introduce features and options that provide users with more control and transparency over their experience on the platform. By offering customisation features and enhancing account information, Instagram aims to create a more engaging and user-friendly environment for everyone.

Please note that the information provided in this article is based on Instagram's official statements and may be subject to change as the platform evolves.