Let’s get one thing straight: there’s no single Instagram algorithm.

There are multiple algoritms, and they each do their own thing depending on whether you’re scrolling the Feed, tapping through Stories, watching Reels, or deep-diving into the Explore page.

Understanding how they all work isn’t just nice to know—it’s essential if you want to grow your audience.

The best strategy is one that takes all of them into account so you can show up where it matters most.

Instagram Feed Algorithm

The Feed is all about what Instagram thinks you want to see from the accounts you follow. It decides what gets top billing based on:

• What You Do on Instagram – The posts you like, save, share, and comment on all help train the algorithm on your interests.
  
  
• Post Details – Things like when it was posted, how many people have engaged with it, and if there’s a location tag.
  
  
• Your Relationship with the Creator – If you engage with someone often, their posts are more likely to show up first.
  
  

The goal here is that Instagram wants to predict what will keep users scrolling. If a post is getting solid engagement, it’s more likely to be pushed higher in people’s Feeds.

Instagram Stories Algorithm

Stories are built for quick, casual updates, and the algorithm here works a little differently. It prioritizes:

• Who You Watch the Most – If you always tap on someone’s Stories, Instagram makes sure you don’t miss them.
  
  
• How You Engage – If you send reactions, reply to polls, or DM a creator after seeing their Story, the algorithm knows you’re invested.
  
  
• Your Relationship with the Creator – Friends, family, and close connections get top priority over brands or influencers you barely interact with.
  
  

Basically, the more your followers engage with your Stories, the more likely they are to keep seeing them at the front of their queue.

Instagram Reels Algorithm

Reels are Instagram’s answer to TikTok, and the algorithm is designed to push entertaining, engaging, and highly shareable content. It looks at:

• Your Activity – The Reels you’ve liked, saved, reshared, and commented on help Instagram serve up similar content.
  
  
• Your History with the Creator – Even small past interactions can make Instagram more likely to show you their Reels.
  
  
• The Reel Itself – Things like trending audio, engaging visuals, and the number of likes/shares all play a role.
  
  
• Creator Popularity – If a creator consistently gets high engagement, Instagram will push their content to more people.
  
  

If Instagram predicts that a Reel is binge-worthy—meaning you’ll rewatch, share, or even use the audio—it’ll get promoted to a much wider audience.

Instagram Explore Page Algorithm

The Explore page is where Instagram throws you into the deep end of content it thinks you’ll love. The ranking here is based on:

• Post Popularity – How fast a post racks up likes, comments, and shares makes a big difference.
  
  
• Your Activity in Explore – If you interact with a certain type of post, Instagram will show you more of the same.
  
  
• Your Interaction History – Even if you’ve only liked a creator’s post once, that’s enough for Instagram to start pushing their content to you again.
  
  
• Creator Engagement Levels – If a creator’s content is consistently engaging, their posts are more likely to land in Explore.
  
  

This is where a lot of discovery happens, so getting your content onto Explore can seriously boost your reach.

How to Build a Smart Instagram Strategy in 2025

Now that you know how the algorithms work, here’s how to use them to your advantage:

✅ Mix Up Your Content – Don’t just post in one format. Use Reels, Stories, carousels, and standard posts to reach different audience segments.

✅ Encourage Engagement – Ask questions, use interactive stickers, reply to comments—give people a reason to interact with your content.

✅ Stay Consistent – Posting regularly helps keep your audience engaged and signals to the algorithm that your content is worth showing.

✅ Use Instagram Insights – Check analytics to see what’s working, then double down on the content that gets the most love.

✅ Keep Up with Updates – Instagram’s algorithms and features are constantly evolving, so stay in the loop and tweak your strategy when needed.

If you create content that people actually want to engage with, Instagram will make sure they see more of it. Play the game right, and you’ll keep growing your reach.