Instagram's Chief, Adam Mosseri, recently shared insights on how to increase reach on the platform.

According to Mosseri, post share rates are now a significant factor in determining reach, even more critical than watch time or like and comment counts. The rate of sharing likes and comments per reach is more crucial than the total count. Mosseri suggests that a higher share rate correlates with a broader reach, indicating users connect with content they want to share with friends.

“More important than watch time or like and comment counts is send rates, [and] 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, because we are looking to help people discover content they want to connect with friends over, and so sends is a great proxy for that sort of connection over creativity.”

This focus on share rates shifts from the previous emphasis on likes, comments, and watch time. Social platforms have been transitioning towards prioritizing video content and entertainment, primarily through short-form clips. This change has led to a decrease in in-stream interaction and an increase in watch time.

However, Mosseri's statements suggest that Instagram's algorithm prioritizes share rates over watch time. The likelihood of a user sharing a clip is considered a stronger ranking signal than the duration of watching.

The probable order of algorithm drivers is now share rates, watch time, comment rates, and like rates.

To increase shares of your content, Mosseri advises focusing on entertainment and creating content that prompts users to share. This could include content that sparks an emotional response or offers something unexpected. These elements are seen as critical drivers for maximizing Instagram reach.

Image Credit: Lindsey Gamble