If there’s one thing you can count on in the world of social media, it’s algorithm updates! Whether they’re just to keep us on our toes or actually helpful to users is up to you to decide.
In April, Instagram announced a ranking algorithm update designed to help original content creators. Keep reading to find out what it is and if you’ll need to adjust your social media strategy as a result.
What Is the Instagram Ranking Algorithm Update?
So, let’s get right into it. What is this update? Instagram chief Adam Mosseri posted a video to his account announcing they’ve “added new ways to tag and improve ranking.” This includes product tags, enhanced tags, and ranking for original content. All of this is in an effort to make sure creators “get all the credit they deserve.”
Per Mosseri, the reasoning behind this update is that accounts that post original content should get more exposure and reach than aggregator sites that simply reshare content—whether it be directly from Instagram or from other social media platforms like TikTok.
Your Questions Answered
How does Instagram know for sure if content is original or not? According to Mosseri, there’s no way for Instagram to know 100% if content is original or not, but there are some indicators it uses to make a very educated guess. Instagram looks at factors like who’s in a video and if the video has been seen before to determine originality. But Mosseri admits it’ll be hard to know who the original creator is if someone is replicating your posts.
Will content edited outside of Instagram and then uploaded take a hit? No. Mosseri says, “…if you made it, it’s original. It’s okay if you edited it outside of Instagram and then bring it in via the gallery.” One thing to keep in mind is that videos that are watermarked or contain a logo will still be downranked. This is an algorithm rule Instagram implemented in 2021 in an effort to penalize content created in Tiktok and uploaded through Reels.
Who is this update focused toward? Aggregator sites, content farms, and reposters make up a large number of Instagram accounts. Mosseri says they’re the main focus of this update. Instagram can use posting history to determine if an account falls into one of those categories. These accounts are marked by sharing a lot of content from other accounts, and it’s likely they’ll see a decline in reach.
Still Confused About What This Update Means?
We know that keeping track of all the rules for each social media platform can be a lot. We’ve got a team of experts who can help take your business’s social media strategy to the next level. Start a conversation today!
