How Instagram Algorithm Works and What You Can Do to Maximize Your Reach

Did you know that reels have a reach rate average of 31%? 

Which is significantly higher than carousel posts (14.5%) and static images (13%). 

Now, you must be wondering how reels achieve such good results. The answer is short and straightforward: they fit the algorithm like pieces of a puzzle. 

Creators who have figured out how to post reels or short videos that suit the algorithm’s preferences do not disappear into the void. The best part is that you can do it with a little adjusting and knowledge of the algorithm. 

But first, let me show you what the Instagram algorithm is and how it works!

What is the Instagram Algorithm?

The Instagram algorithm can be explained simply. It’s a set of rules that decides the relevance of your reels or overall content. 

Instead of showing content chronologically, the algorithm shows users the content they will most likely interact with. 

How Does Instagram’s Algorithm Work?

Are you thinking about where your content would show up? 

Well, there are a bunch of factors that decide your content’s place and fate in the feed. 

1. Engagement: If your post gets likes, comments, shares, or saves, the algorithm assumes it’s interesting and will show it to more people. So, the more engagement you get, the more your reach.
2. Relationships: Instagram pays attention to who you appeal to with your content. If someone regularly engages with your content, they will likely see your future posts.
3. Timeliness: While Instagram doesn’t show posts strictly chronologically, newer content still gets a slight edge. Posting at the right time matters!
4. Time Spent: If users spend more time on your post, whether reading a long caption or watching a video, the algorithm notices and rewards content that gains attention.

How to Maximize Your Reach on Instagram?

Now that you know how the algorithm works, what about reach? You have to play nice and use the following parameters to enhance your reach on Instagram.

Post Consistently

If you post once in a blue moon, your reach will always be left in the dark of the night. It becomes challenging for the algorithm to figure out who to show your content to. 

• Stick to a regular video content posting schedule
• Preferably 2-3 times a week

The solution is to stick to a regular posting schedule, preferably 2 to 3 times a week like brands do, or look at successful creators’ posting schedules in your genre and follow their posting pattern. 

Engage with your Audience

Once your reels go live, engage with your viewers, like a few comments, reply to them, like other posts, and show activity in your DMs. 

Taking time to interact after posting helps the algorithm figure out your target audience and boosts your engagement with users with similar preferences. 

Use Relevant Hashtags

Hashtags are your content’s best friends, and hashtags help direct the content to users who prefer your content’s genre. 

The trick is using trending and niche-specific hashtags to reach a wider user range. 

Post When Your Audience is Active

You can have banger content, but if you post it outside of your audience’s active hours, it will dip. To avoid short reach, you can schedule your posts to suit the active hours. 

If your audience spans different time zones, find a sweet spot where the activity hours collide and post during that window to achieve maximum engagement. 

Try Instagram Stories and Live

Instagram has an arsenal of tools you can use to enhance your engagement. Aside from replying to comments and DMs and liking others’ content, you can go live and post stories. 

Lives and stories can tease the upcoming reels and allow you to interact with your audience in real time. 

Create Save-Worthy Content

Have you ever seen a creator say, “Save my posts”? 

They do that because Instagram tracks how many times the posts have been saved, showing that users plan to return to that post. 

So, make sure to add elements that make the viewers watch and increase the reel’s save-worthiness, such as trending audio. 

Encourage Interaction

Want high engagement? All you have to do is ask your followers. 

Run polls on stories and ask your followers’ opinions on what they want to see next. If the reel is live, encourage them to share, comment, and like it to boost engagement. 

Keep an Eye on Analytics

Done posting and impressing the algorithm? 

That's good. We can now move to analytics. Check the Instagram insights creators provide to see what your followers prefer the most.

The data gained from the analytics can help you edit your content strategy and give you information about what aligns with your followers’ preferences. 

A Short Guide on How to Check Instagram Analytics: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step-1. Switch to Professional Account

• Go to your profile.
• Tap Menu > Settings & Privacy > Account type and tools.
• Switch to a Business or Creator account.

Step-2. Open Insights

• Tap Menu (three lines) on your profile.
• Select Insights to view analytics.

Step-3. Review Overview

• Check metrics like reach, engagement, and follower stats under the Overview tab.

Step-4. Check Individual Post Insights

• Open a post, Story, or Reel.
• Tap View Insights below it for detailed metrics.

Step-5. Analyze Audience Info

• In Insights, go to the Audience tab to view details about your followers, including their active times.

Step-6. Use Data for Strategy

• Check engagement, play counts, and other metrics to strategize future posts based on your audience's reception.

Introducing Rizzle - The Ultimate AI Editing Tool

Rizzle is an AI-powered platform that can shorten the lengthy process of shorts creation into a mere 30 minutes. Just upload the video you want to make shorts off, and Rizzle will give you multiple results to work with. 

And don’t even worry about the authority. You can select the bits you want to add to the shorts. Some captions can be highlighted to focus on certain parts. Aside from short videos, you can create content for your podcast and faceless videos from a text prompt and even get custom thumbnails!

So, be it reels or podcasts, Rizzle has a complete arsenal of content that guarantees success on social media. Just upload your full-length podcast episode on Rizzle, and it will give you Highlights, Clips, Teasers, and Shorts within minutes! If you are not satisfied with the output, you can customize it further and enhance your content according to your taste!

Your shorts are ready to upload on both Instagram and YouTube and using Rizzle can increase your engagement by up to 3 times! So what are you waiting for? Try Rizzle today!

And That's A Wrap!

Ultimately, you must understand your audience’s preferences and Instagram algorithm according to current events. You can use stories, lives, and interactions to increase your engagement. 

In addition to the social side, monitoring your analytics to ensure your content aligns with your audience’s preferences is important. 

Analytics can give ideas for future content strategies and help boost engagement. 

Motivated to create successful shorts now? Consider using AI-powered tools like Rizzle!