As you’ve probably heard, Instagram has been at it again, shaking up its algorithm and announcing all-new updates! But what do these changes actually mean for marketers? The short answer: probably not much, if you’re already executing a sound, authentic Instagram strategy.
Still, it’s important we understand these updates and what they could potentially mean for our strategies moving forward. So, let’s break down the key updates!
What are the new changes to Instagram?
First things first, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has announced four new changes to the platform and its ranking system:
- A new input to ranking that will give smaller creators more distribution
- Replacing reposts with original content in recommendations
- Adding labels to reposted content, linking to the original creator
- Removing content aggregators from recommendations
The main goal? Making Instagram’s never-ending recommendation feeds a much more balanced place by boosting original content from up-and-coming creators.
Why is Instagram making these changes?
For years now, creators have been calling out Instagram for favouring accounts with tons of followers in recommendations, making it nearly impossible for smaller accounts to be discovered organically.
Then there was the rise of meme pages and regram accounts that solely existed to repost other people’s viral content without giving any credit which, according to Instagram’s data, were being recommended and shown to viewers much more than original creators’ posts.
Adam Mosseri finally acknowledged this criticism, saying the platform wants to “give all creators an equal footing in terms of reach” with this ranking revamp, with a laser focus on rebalancing the Reels recommendation feed.
The latest Instagram updates: Breaking it all down
So what is changing, exactly? Here are the key points:
Boosting smaller creators
A new “input” is being added to Instagram’s ranking algorithm that will specifically give smaller creators way more distribution in places like the Reels recommendation feed. The idea is to help these accounts get in front of new audiences if their content resonates, rather than just having it come down to follower numbers.
Prioritising fresh content
Instagram says it will start replacing reposted/regrammed reels in recommendations with the original source video. So if you create something that gets reposted by another account, your original post would be the one that gets prioritised.
Labelling reposted content
For cases where reposted/regrammed reels do still appear, Instagram will add a new label linking back to the original creator. Account owners will apparently be able to opt-out of these citation labels initially, but who knows if that flexibility sticks around in the long run!
Removing content regram accounts
This is the big one: Instagram says it plans to eventually remove accounts that primarily exist just to reshare other creators’ content from recommendations entirely over time. So those meme pages and viral regram accounts may be in trouble in terms of reach.
What do these changes mean for marketers?
For brands and businesses using Instagram for marketing, these updates likely won’t require any major strategic overhauls. You’ll still want to focus on creating super engaging, original content that resonates with your audience.
But say you run an account that highlights user-generated content, or you collaborate with smaller influencers/creators on branded posts, then these updates could present some new opportunities. In theory, investing in those authentic creator feeds could get far more exposure through Instagram’s revamped ranking system.
It’s also just another reminder about the increasing importance social media platforms are placing on short-form video content. Prioritising Reels as part of your Instagram strategy will be key to showing up in those valuable recommendation feeds.
The bottom line
All in all, it looks like Instagram is clearly trying to evolve its recommendations from being an exposure machine for accounts with massive followings and reposted/regram content to a real launchpad that highlights more original, engaging videos and creators – regardless of follower count.
While the specific impacts are yet to be seen, it’s absolutely an important shift to keep tabs on as the Instagram algorithm continues to evolve.
As these updates roll out over the coming months, we’ll be keeping a close eye on what’s working (and what’s not!). But as always, the focus should remain on creating high-quality, audience-first content that captures attention and provides value.
And there you have it! What do you think – will you be giving these updates a ‘like’? And if you have any more questions about what these changes could mean for your business, you can reach out here or via our socials – we’re all ears!
