Instagram just launched a new “Best Practices” hub to guide creators on how to optimize their content. The feature is accessible through the professional dashboard and it’s designed to help creators improve their reach, engagement, and monetization strategies. 

The hub provides general advice such as posting consistently and tracking long-term follower growth, but it also includes platform-specific tips. 

For example, Instagram emphasizes short-form content by advising that Reels longer than 90 seconds won’t be promoted to new users, aligning with their focus on competing with TikTok.

The best practices hub offers insights across several categories:

1. Creation: This section covers how often to post, how to capture attention, and the importance of trending audio and hashtags.
   
   

2. Engagement: Creators are encouraged to focus on engaging with their audience by tracking metrics like how often their content is shared.
   
   

3. Reach: There’s a strong focus on boosting discoverability through Reels, with "views" now being the primary metric of success across all content formats, including photos and carousels.
   
   

4. Monetization: This area provides tips on how creators can monetize their content effectively, including leveraging Instagram’s built-in features.
   
   

5. Guidelines: Creators are also guided on adhering to community standards and avoiding practices like using content with watermarks, which can hurt visibility.

Check out the Instagram Best Practices Hub here. 

This tool aims to make Instagram more transparent in helping creators navigate its algorithms and policies while pushing them toward the platform's content priorities, like Reels.