How the Instagram Algorithm Works in 2025 (+Tips to Get Seen)

71% of Instagram users report using the platform to discover new products and brands. That’s a massive population of potential buyers you can sell to…as long as those potential buyers can actually see you in their feeds. And for that to happen, you have to know how the Instagram algorithm works.

Or, should we say, you have to know how to work the Instagram algorithm?

In this article, we’ll break down how Instagram decides which content to show, when to show it, and who to show it to. We also have some tips to help your posts, Reels, and Stories appear in more feeds, allowing you to attract more of those eager buyers.

Contents

• What is the Instagram algorithm?
• How does the Instagram algorithm work?
• Top Instagram ranking factors
• Instagram ranking factors by platform feature
• 8 tips to use the Instagram algorithm to your advantage

What is the Instagram algorithm?

The Instagram algorithm is a set of instructions that decides when to display a particular piece of content to an individual user. It continuously reviews and assesses a user’s behavior with the goal of improving their experience on the platform.

Whether you’re searching or scrolling, the Instagram algorithm decides which content ends up on your screen.

In more practical terms, the Instagram algorithm acts like a personalized content curator, showing you what it thinks you’ll like most across your feed, Stories, Explore page, and Reels. It learns from how you interact with the content it shows you to predict which content and creators will keep you engaged and encourage you to spend more time on the app.

This is a really important concept for marketers to understand. The algorithm’s primary goal is to keep users engaged in the app. If your content serves that purpose, it’ll show it to more people more often. We’ll dig way into how to align your goals with the algorithm throughout this guide.

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How does the Instagram algorithm work?

In general terms, the Instagram algorithm uses a set of signals, or ranking factors, to prioritize the content it places at the top of a user’s feed.

But that’s not the whole story. There isn’t just one Instagram algorithm. It’s actually a collection of algorithms, processes, and classifiers that prioritize content. And increasingly, AI does the job more than algorithmic code.

Each part of the app, such as your main feed, Stories, Explore page, and Reels, has its own method for selecting your content and sometimes uses different signals to do so. As you expand the type of content you post on Instagram, it’ll help to know how each one works.

Top Instagram algorithm ranking factors

Things get real murky when you look under the hood of Instagram’s decision-making AI systems. For our purposes, the most important thing to remember is that it still relies on a set of ranking factors to inform its decisions. And that’s what we can use to nudge our content up to the top.

To that point, three ranking factors play the most significant roles in how Instagram prioritizes content.

Relationship between creator and viewer

If you’ve interacted with content from a creator, Instagram is more likely to place more of their content in your feed. As a marketer, that’s why it’s so important to get engagement on your content. The more likes, comments, and shares you get, the more often your posts will be visible.

User interest

This ranking factor is based on the type of content a user typically interacts with. If someone engages with content that’s similar to yours (or a creator that’s similar to you), the algorithm will show them your posts more often.

Into knitting? Expect to see content from new knitters on Instagram.

Relevancy

Instagram assigns a relevancy score to every piece of content. It’s based on factors like recency and connection to trending topics. Consistent publishing and staying up-to-date with trends will help your content succeed.

Adherence to guidelines

While not officially a ranking factor, content that violates Instagram’s Community Standards will be withheld from showing up on users’ feeds. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what Instagram considers unacceptable content.

Instagram ranking factors by platform feature

There are different rules and signals for each feature in the app. Notice, though, that they all fall into two buckets: How have other users treated this content so far? And how has this user behaved in the past?

2025 Instagram Feed algorithm

Instagram uses a dedicated AI called the Instagram Feed AI system to select, rank, and deliver content to your feed.

Here’s how the system works. When you log in, the system gathers 500 posts from accounts you follow. Then it uses a model to predict which you’ll “find most relevant and valuable.” And finally, the AI assigns a relevance score to each post and places them in order by that score (with a little nudge to make sure you’re seeing a variety of content).

Here are some of the predictions the AI system makes and some of the signals that influence it:

• How likely are you to reshare a post?
  • How often you’ve shared that creator’s posts in the past.
  • How many times that post has already been shared.
  • How many times you’ve shared any post.
• How likely are you to click on the profile of the post’s author?
  • How many times you’ve viewed the creator’s profile and posts in the past.
  • How many times the creator’s profile has been clicked by followers.
  • How many times users in general have clicked on the creator’s profile.
• How likely are you to spend 10 seconds on the first post? 
  • How much time you’ve spent viewing the creator’s posts.
  • How many videos you’ve viewed.
  • How many times you’ve viewed the creator’s content.

For marketers, the key takeaway is that if your content is generating clicks, shares, and views, it’ll likely receive more exposure on Instagram. Check out the tips later on to see how you can give that process a boost.

2025 Instagram Reels algorithm

For Reels, the AI system behind ranking and displaying content is called Instagram Reels Chaining.

Just like with the Instagram Feed AI system, there is a similar list of predictions and influential signals for Reels. However, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, recently provided a more impactful and succinct explanation of ranking on Reels.

Source

In his Instagram post, Adam first explained the two types of rankings on Instagram:

• Connected reach: The accounts that follow you.
• Unconnected reach: The accounts that don’t follow you yet.

Then, he listed the three most important metrics creators should follow to improve their Reels rankings and why they’re important to Instagram.

• Average watch time: The average amount of time a Reel is watched by all users. It tells Instagram how much of a video a user is likely to watch.
• Likes per reach: The ratio of likes a real received compared to the number of unique accounts that have seen it. This tells Instagram whether future users are likely to enjoy a video.
• Sends per reach: The number of times a video has been shared via direct message, compared to the number of unique accounts that have seen the Reel. This helps predict whether a user will share a video with other accounts.

2025 Instagram Stories algorithm

The Instagram Stories AI system shares some crossover with the Feed AI system. Here are a few of the predictions and signals that are unique to how Stories are ranked:

• How likely are you to click on a Story that appears at the top of your page? 
  • How much time you spend viewing Stories.
  • How many Stories you’ve viewed from that account.
  • How often you view posts from the Story’s creator.
• How likely is it that you and the Story’s creator are closely connected?
  • How many times you’ve reacted to the creator’s Stories in the past.
  • Your stated relationship to the creator.
  • The number of messages you’ve exchanged with the creator.
  • Your connection to the creator on Facebook.
• How likely are you to click to reply to a Story after viewing it?
  • How much time you’ve spent viewing the creator’s Stories.
  • How many times you’ve interacted with the creator’s Stories.
  • How many Stories you have not seen.
• How likely are you to send a like?
  • How many of the creator’s posts you have clicked to like.
  • The first type of reaction you had to a post in the group.
  • The number of times you’ve viewed a Story by that creator.

2025 Instagram Explore Page algorithm

And finally, there’s the Instagram Explore Page AI system. Since the Explore Page is where users go to find content from accounts they don’t follow yet, understanding this algorithm is crucial for follower growth.

The Explore Page is where new viewers can spot your content.

Before content is scored and ranked for a user’s Explore Page experience, it undergoes an initial filtering process. Specifically, Instagram creates a list of 1,500 photos and videos for possible selection. Instagram’s AI then trims the list based on user behavior and features of the content. What ends up in the Explore grid is content that the user is most likely to engage with.

The Explore recommendation engine uses a very long list of predictions and ranking factors. Here are a few of the ones you should know about:

• How much time will you likely spend watching a Reel?
  • The total amount of time people have spent watching the Reel.
  • The authors of videos you’ve watched in the past.
• Are you likely to click “like” on a Reel?
  • The Reels you’ve clicked to like before.
  • The authors you tended to give likes to before.
• How likely are you to follow the author of a Reel?
  • Which authors you’ve followed in the past.
  • The number of followers the author received through the Reel.

🚨 Read this if you’re trying to get more attention online: The Definitive Guide to Lead Generation: 25 Ideas (+Tips & Examples)

8 tips to use the Instagram algorithm to your advantage

When it comes to the Instagram algorithm, knowing is half the battle. Doing is the other half. So let’s apply what we’ve learned to some Instagram strategies that’ll help your content reach more users’ screens.

1. Post at the right time

When you publish content on Instagram matters for two reasons.

First off, recency is an important ranking signal for the Instagram algorithm. So if you post around the times your audience is looking, yours will be the freshest content available.

Second, you’ll have a better chance of getting some initial engagement on new content early if you post at the right time. Since Instagram likes to show us content that other users have liked and shared, that early bump could snowball into more views.

Here’s a guide that’ll help you figure out the best time to post on Instagram for your brand.

2. Post for engagement

Instagram mentions engagement in almost every discussion of how its algorithms and AI systems rank content. Getting more likes, shares, and comments should be a top priority for all the content you publish there.

Here are some ways you can boost the engagement on your Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels:

• Publish quizzes, questions, and polls that encourage a response.
• Post current topics people want to talk about.
• Review the analytics for various content types to determine which ones are most effective.
• Use carousel posts, as they tend to receive higher engagement on average.
• Run contests and giveaways for likes and shares.

Use giveaways like this to expand your following and quickly generate a high level of engagement.

3. Loop your Reels

Here’s a little hack to increase the time people spend watching your videos: loop them.

Looping a video means it automatically replays from the beginning without a pause. Many people who view it will let it roll a few times before moving on, effectively doubling or tripling your average view time.

To loop a Reel, make the end flow into the beginning so it seems to go on forever.

4. Be active in the comments

Another way to multiply those engagement numbers and catch the algorithm’s attention is by jumping into the conversations happening on your content.

When someone comments on your post, reply to them as quickly as possible. Ideally, they’ll respond to you, and you’ll get credit for more engagement.

You can really go big here and tag another account in your caption or comments. That’ll encourage them to respond and maybe even pull in some of their followers.

Answering questions is good for engagement, ranking, and sales.

5. Create content people want to share and save

Sharing is another strong signal to the Instagram algorithm that people like what you publish. Plan to create content that’s designed to be shared, and watch your impressions soar!

What type of content is shared the most? That’ll depend on your specific audience. But humor is a great place to start. Find some inside jokes that your followers will relate to, and they’ll hit the share button on it hard.

A little inside humor will get shared amongst your followers.

Don’t forget about content saves—they also tell the algorithm to get your posts in front of more people. Think about the type of information you save for later. Sure, it could also be funny posts. But how-to content, such as recipes and DIY videos, is also a good option, as people often need to refer back to it as they work on the task.

6. Use Instagram SEO

SEO isn’t just for Google. Instagram has a keyword search function, which means you can optimize your content and account to take advantage of it. And if you’re the top post for popular searches, you’ll get more views and engagement, which feeds into Instagram’s content ranking process.

Work your most important keywords into your profile bio.

Here’s how to do SEO on Instagram:

• Keyword research: Find broad and niche keywords your audience would search for to find content like yours.
• Optimize your profile: Include relevant keywords in your bio and, if possible, your username.
• Optimize your posts: Use more of those keywords in your captions, voiceover scripts, and hashtags.
• Optimize your images: Add even more keywords to your image alt texts.

7. Publish a variety of content

As we’ve seen, Instagram has a different ranking system for every content type on the app, and they all interconnect (likes to posts can boost your Reels, for example).

To get the entire ranking machine working in your favor, keep a steady flow of different types of content in your social media publishing calendar.

Tight on time? Try repurposing content. Pull a still image from a Reel and use it as a static post. Or post part of a longer feed video to your Stories. With a bit of creativity, you can increase how often you publish on Instagram without a lot more work.

8. Promote your Instagram account

While your Instagram account will help promote your business, you can flip the script and use your business to promote your account (and multiply your viewer and follower counts).

Here are several ways to get more eyes on your Instagram content:

• In email: Let your subscribers know there’s more great content available on your Instagram account
• On your website: Add links to your account and preview some of the content there.
• On other social networks: Have a big Facebook or TikTok audience? Ask them to follow you on Instagram, too.
• In-person: If you have a physical location or local customers, post scannable signs or cards that link to your account.

Make the Instagram algorithm work for you

Believe it or not, you and Instagram are on the same team. The app wants to keep people scrolling and watching longer. You want more people to spend more time with your brand. Work with the app, instead of trying to game it, and you’ll have a much smoother road to success.

The key to success is momentum. If you can increase your follower count, views, and engagements early on, you’ll be aligned with Instagram’s mission, and your next round of content will be ranked higher. Follow the eight tips we provided, measure the results, make adjustments, and repeat.