Many users find the Instagram algorithm a mystery. One day, your posts are booming with likes and comments; the next, they barely get visibility. You have probably experienced this or are currently bothered by it (which is why you are reading this article). I understand how it can feel.
Over the years of using Instagram to drive conversions for my business and clients’ businesses, I have learned that succeeding on Instagram heavily depends on understanding how the algorithm works and using that to your advantage.
If you have ever wondered why your Instagram content isn’t performing or how others’ posts consistently show up in Feed, Stories, and Explore, this guide answers all your questions. I will help you understand how the Instagram algorithm works and how you can use this information to your advantage to stay competitive.
I will explain:
- Everything you need to know about Instagram algorithm updates
- The latest changes
- How Instagram ranks content across Feed, Stories, Reels, and Explore
- What you must do to stay ahead of the game
- And many more.
Pro tip: Instagram algorithm changes often! I highly recommend bookmarking this page so you can always return for new updates.
Table of Contents
The First Thing to Know about the Instagram Algorithm
The Instagram algorithm isn’t a single system. It is a series of ranking systems that determine what users see on their Feed, Reels, Stories, and Explore tabs.
The algorithm predicts and pushes the kind of content you want to see to your news feed by understanding the people you follow and the content you like.
Instagram shows users the content they’re most likely to enjoy and interact with. For example, if you like and follow food-related accounts, the algorithm will recognize that you love food or are a chef and show more food-related content in your feed.
I enjoy this personalization level because it’s easy to curate what you want to see on your feed. This means that with the right strategy, you can easily reach your target audience with your content.
How Does the Instagram Algorithm Work?
Instagram uses machine learning to track behavior patterns on the platform. This includes the content you like, save, comment on, share, or skip.
Based on this engagement data, the algorithm prioritizes content from accounts you regularly engage with, ensuring you get shown content from them first. It also recommends posts similar to ones you have liked or interacted with.
The algorithm also pushes newer, original, and relevant content higher in your feed to gauge if you will like it.
Essentially, it is all about relevance, engagement history, and recency. The algorithm aims to enhance every user’s experience on the platform by showing them more of what they want to see.
Instagram has different algorithms for different interactions on its platform. There is a different algorithm for the main feed, explore page, reels, and stories, and each has separate factors that influence content visibility.
I will get into more details in a bit.
2025 Instagram Algorithm Updates
Instagram updates its algorithms regularly to ensure user satisfaction and engagement. The algorithm update for 2025 focuses on promoting original content while discouraging reposts and low-effort engagement tactics.
This means that users or creators who post original content and receive deeper engagement actions like saves and shares rather than just likes will receive more visibility on the platform. Those who only repost or aggregate others’ content will receive less visibility.
Here’s more about what is new on the Instagram algorithm update in 2025:
- Originality first: Creators who post unique content, especially videos with original sound, are favored. Reposting, even with additional information, may not get the same reach as the original content.
- Reels visibility boosted: Reels with strong retention and watch time are prioritized. This encourages users to create more engaging videos to increase visibility. Knowing your audience and the best time to post your reels is essential for visibility growth with reels.
- Engagement bait is punished: Overusing phrases like “like this post” or “tag three friends” can hurt your reach. I know this one is a beginners’ favorite, but I highly recommend you avoid it as much as you can. Instead, focus more on creating content that generates high-quality engagements like saves and shares, which Instagram now values over likes. If you must, here is an effective way to tag people in your posts and triple your engagement.
- AI-powered personalization: Instagram uses AI to predict what content users will engage with based on micro-behaviors. This means your content will be shown to users based on their past interactions and preferences on the platform. If they have engaged with your content or similar content from other creators, the Instagram algorithm is more likely to recommend your content to them.
- Interactive features matter: Polls, quizzes, and carousel saves help boost content rankings. This can be a content strategy for your Instagram Stories, posts, and Reels.
How the Algorithm Ranks Content: Feed vs. Stories vs. Reels vs. Explore
Here is how the Instagram algorithm works for the main feed, Stories, Reels, and the Explore Page in 2025:
How the Instagram Feed Algorithm Works
The Instagram feed or home is the main page where users see photos, videos, and carousels from people they follow. Instagram also occasionally shows posts from accounts they don’t follow but might be interested in.
Here are some of the several signals Instagram considers when organizing and ranking content in the feed.
- Interest Prediction: Instagram prioritizes interest when displaying content on a user’s feed. It looks at how likely you are to engage with a post based on your past behaviors. If you interact more with fashion-related posts, your Instagram feed will mostly consist of fashion content.
- Recency: To keep the feed fresh, Instagram pushes newer posts to users, especially those in their areas of interest. This ensures that you do not see the same content repeatedly.
- Relationship History: Posts from accounts a user frequently interacts with are given priority. Therefore, if your followers often like, comment, and share your posts, the algorithm ensures they never miss out on any posts from your account.
- Content Performance: If a specific post gets many likes, comments, and shares, Instagram considers it valuable and shares it with a larger audience.
- Information About the Creator: Instagram shares more posts from interesting creators. It looks at the volume of interactions an account has gotten in a short while and, if it is high, it deduces that many more users will find the account interesting.
How the Instagram Stories Algorithm Works
Businesses use Instagram Stories because of their strategic positioning at the top of the feed. They are a good way to catch the audience’s attention.
Unlike the feed, Stories are organized and ranked based on the following signals:
- View Consistency: Instagram considers how often a user views an account’s stories when placing them on the user’s Stories tray.
- Engagement History: When a user engages more with an account by reacting to its posts, sending and replying to DMs, and interacting with its polls, quizzes, and questions, Instagram shows them more of the account’s stories.
- Timeliness: Recent stories are shown first, but Instagram prioritizes stories a user will most likely engage with, even if they are not the most recent.
How the Instagram Reels Algorithm Works
Instagram Reels are powerful tools for discovering new audiences, as the social media platform often shows reels to both your Instagram followers and non-followers. Businesses leverage them in marketing because of their potential to go viral on the internet.
In 2025, the Instagram Reels algorithm favors:
- Watch Time: The Instagram algorithm favors reels that users watch to the end, rewatch, and even loop. This shows that the reels are entertaining or valuable, so Instagram pushes them to the feeds of other users with similar interests.
- Saves and Shares: The more people save and share a reel, the more the algorithm notices and considers it. The system recognizes saves and shares as signs of strong interest from the users, and pushes the content to more users.
- Engagement Velocity: Early interactions can make or break visibility in the first few hours. How quickly your content garners likes, comments, and shares in the first few hours after posting will determine whether Instagram will promote it to a broader audience.
- Relevance: Instagram shows your reels to users who’ve interacted with similar content types or hashtags.
How the Instagram Explore Algorithm Works
The Explore page is Instagram’s personalized content discovery hub, a goldmine for acquiring new followers and customers as a creator or brand. Finding your way to the Explore page might be all you need to enhance your account’s growth on Instagram significantly.
How can your content be featured on the Explore page?
Here are the signals the Instagram algorithm uses to organize and rank content on the Explore page:
- Content Performance: The algorithm considers how many people engage with your content and how quickly they do so before moving it to the Explore page. If your content performs well, the chances of getting featured on Explore increase.
- User’s Previous Explore Activity: The Instagram Explore algorithm displays content based on a user’s previous activities on the Explore page. This means users are more likely to see posts related to the ones they have interacted with.
- Topic and Hashtag Trends: Instagram surfaces content related to trending topics a user has shown interest in.
- Popularity Among Similar Users: When users engage with a post, the Instagram algorithm pushes such content to the feed of other users who share similar interests.
Actionable Tips to Win with the Instagram Algorithm in 2025
Making the most of the Instagram algorithm requires consistency, creativity, and smart use of Instagram tools. Here’s how you can boost your reach, engagement, and discoverability on Instagram:
1. Post Consistently
The algorithm rewards accounts that post regularly and at the right time. Posting consistently keeps users coming to your profile, influencing the algorithm to push you up the visibility ladder.
This is one of my favorite tips. I know it can be overwhelming to post regularly, but with the right tools, it can become seamless. After struggling with consistency for a long while, creating content manually, I figured out a way to make things easier and faster.
If video creation is also time-consuming and exhausting for you, I recommend using Fliki AI to batch-create your content.
Fliki AI is 2,500% faster than any other AI video generator. It has made my life much easier, helping me retain my Instagram followers and gain new ones.
Stay consistent and top-of-mind, and your followers will have no reason to go elsewhere for information easily accessible on your profile.
2. Prioritize Reels and Carousels
If you want to grow on Instagram in 2025, Reels and Carousels are two of the most powerful content formats for you. The algorithm favors them because they keep users engaged for an extended time.
Short-form video content has been the real deal since TikTok was launched, and Instagram responded well by introducing the Reel feature.
Reels reach a wider audience, beyond your followers, while carousels encourage users to spend more time swiping through your post. Both are signals that the algorithm loves.
Aim to post at least 2–3 reels weekly and mix in carousels that tell a story or educate. This way, you keep your followers entertained and engaged.
Once you master how to make your Instagram Reels stand out, you will earn the trust of the algorithm.
3. Create Original Content, Not Reposts
The 2025 Instagram algorithm deprioritizes recycled content, especially if it lacks originality or adds no value.
Reposting trending videos without editing or commentary will not help you grow. Instead of reposting, use your own photos or videos, or add context to deliver more value. Even if you join trends, maintain a unique voice and branding.
Joining trends is a fantastic way to take advantage of trending topics to promote your business or personal account. Although keeping up with trends was challenging for me at the beginning, I discovered a working system that has been super effective.
I use tools like Tube Buddy to keep track of what’s trending and then use Fliki AI or Gamma AI to create original content that aligns with those trends.
4. Use Interactive Features in Stories
Stories may disappear in 24 hours, but the impact they have on the algorithm can last longer. To drive engagement, add polls, emoji sliders, quizzes, or questions to your stories.
The more people tap, respond to, or interact, the more likely your future content will be pushed to them. These small interactions build stronger audience signals, which improve your story rankings.
Pro Tip: You can view your competitors’ Instagram stories anonymously to keep up with their Instagram business strategy without them knowing you viewed their stories.
5. Repurpose Smartly
Make the most of your content by repurposing it effectively. Here is another area where Fliki AI has been most helpful. I use Fliki AI to repurpose blog posts, podcasts, or even tweets into short videos.
The tool turns text into engaging video content with voiceovers and visuals, perfect for reels or stories.
Repurposing saves time, gives content multiple algorithm-boosting opportunities, and helps you stay consistent across all your social media handles.
6. Cross-Post Across Platforms
Instagram isn’t the only short-form video platform. To extend your reach, share your Reels on YouTube Shorts and TikTok.
You can use TubeBuddy to optimize your YouTube titles, tags, and performance tracking, refining your cross-platform strategy. More views elsewhere can also funnel traffic back to your Instagram profile.
Common Mistakes That Trigger Algorithm Penalties
Many creators and businesses make avoidable mistakes that affect their Instagram visibility and get them penalized by the algorithm. Here are some top mistakes and how you can avoid them when building your Instagram followership.
1. Buying Followers
It looks like a quick win, but purchasing followers is one of the fastest ways to tank your account’s performance. Buying followers on Instagram negatively impacts engagement rates, giving you fewer impressions and potentially flagging your account for inauthentic behavior.
These followers are often bots or inactive accounts that do not engage with your content, and the Instagram algorithm can detect this.
Real growth yields meaningful results that positively impact your business. Take the time to grow your account organically and attract real users interested in what you do or sell.
2. Overusing Irrelevant or Spammy Hashtags
Many Instagram creators still think hashtags are all they need to boost their accounts’ visibility. This is not true. The Instagram algorithm now looks beyond hashtags when evaluating content.
Using trending hashtags just because they’re popular, without relevance to your content, can backfire. Instagram considers this a spammy practice and may limit the reach of your post. Worse, repeatedly doing this can trigger a shadowban, where your posts no longer appear in hashtag searches.
It is essential only to use hashtags that are related to your content and target audience.
3. Engagement Baiting
Phrases like “Comment YES if you agree” or “Tag 3 friends or else…” might have worked years ago, but in 2025, the algorithm recognizes this as low-quality engagement.
The Instagram algorithm prioritizes genuine interactions, such as comments that spark conversation, shares, saves, and profile visits. Engagement baiting is considered manipulative, and overuse can affect your content’s visibility.
4. Reposting Without Permission or Value
While reposting content from others can be part of your strategy, doing so without credit or adding your voice might backfire.
Instagram algorithm values originality. Duplicate or recycled content is unlikely to perform well, especially if it appears elsewhere on the platform or across multiple accounts.
If you must repost, ensure you offer something new, not just recycling the original content.
Leverage the Algorithm, Don’t Fight It
The Instagram algorithm rewards creators and businesses that understand how it works, especially those who know that the goal is to ensure users get the content they want and when they want it. To maximize your Instagram account’s visibility and business growth, you need to follow the algorithm’s rules and avoid common penalties.
Tools such as Fliki AI and TubeBuddy can be strategic in achieving these.
I hope this Instagram algorithm update guide helps you achieve success with Instagram. If you have any questions on the topic or want to know more about how to use Fliki AI or TubeBuddy to make your work easier, drop a comment or reach out to me.