Looking to increase your Instagram reach? You’ve come to the right place. Instagram’s algorithm can feel like a mystery, but recent insights from Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri shed some light on what truly matters. In his latest Q&A session, Mosseri shared valuable tips on expanding your reach on the platform, highlighting a surprising factor that might just change your content strategy.
The power of shares: The new gold standard
According to Mosseri, the most critical metric for boosting your Instagram reach is not watch time, likes, or comments, but share rates. He explained, “More important than watch time or like and comment counts is send rates. Generally, I think the rate is more important than the count. So the number of sends per reach, the number of likes per reach, the number of comments per reach. But sends per reach correlate more, in my experience, with overall reach than anything else.”
This insight suggests that the key focus of the Instagram algorithm is the likelihood that people will share your post. Sharing indicates that the content is engaging and worth spreading to a wider audience, fulfilling Instagram’s goal of helping users discover content they want to connect with friends over.
Rethinking engagement: From likes to shares
Traditionally, social platforms prioritized likes and comments as indicators of engagement. However, with the shift towards video content and entertainment, watch time has become more significant. Despite this, Mosseri emphasizes that share rates are even more crucial.
This shift in focus makes sense. While people might watch numerous videos, they share far fewer. The content that gets shared is often the most compelling and resonant, making share rates a potent signal for the algorithm.
What really drives the algorithm?
Based on Mosseri’s comments, it appears that the Instagram algorithm now prioritizes metrics in the following order:
- Share rates
- Watch time
- Comment rates
- Like rates
With fewer people posting and commenting, Meta (Instagram’s parent company) needs to pivot to other forms of engagement to keep users active and entertained.
Strategies to drive more shares
So, how can you create content that people are eager to share? Here are a few strategies:
- Focus on entertainment: Craft content that is entertaining and resonates with your audience. Humor, surprising facts, and compelling storytelling are great ways to keep viewers engaged.
- Spark emotional responses: Content that evokes emotions, especially joy or inspiration, is more likely to be shared. Think about what makes you feel compelled to share something with friends.
- Offer something unexpected: Unique and surprising content often stands out and prompts people to share it. Be creative and think outside the box.
- Stay updated with trends: Keep an eye on trending topics and incorporate them into your content. This can make your posts more relevant and shareable. Like this one:
Share your favorite songs with friends using the Add Yours Music Sticker 🎶 pic.twitter.com/cicrTKPtW5
— Instagram (@instagram) May 14, 2024
Understanding and leveraging Instagram’s algorithm can significantly boost your reach. While watch time and other engagement metrics remain important, focusing on creating shareable content is key. By prioritizing entertainment, emotional connection, and unexpected elements, you can enhance your content’s shareability and, consequently, its reach.
Stay tuned to the latest updates and trends in social media by subscribing to the Social Media Today free daily newsletter. By keeping your finger on the pulse of social media dynamics, you can continue to refine your strategy and achieve greater success on Instagram.
Remember, the heart of social media is connection—creating content that people want to share is the best way to expand your reach and build a stronger online presence.
Featured image credit: Mediamodifier/Unsplash
