Starting in June 2024, Instagram will introduce a significant update to its algorithm. According to Instagram’s statements, this change aims to give greater visibility to small creators and reward original content, enhancing the experience for both content creators and consumers.

Let’s get straight to the point.

How does the new Instagram algorithm work?

Old algorithm

The algorithm we’ve known until now worked as follows:

When a profile created content, it was first shown to some of its followers. If they interacted with the content, there was a chance (not a certainty) that it would later be shown to people who did not follow the account.

This mechanism effectively rewarded profiles with many followers at the expense of smaller ones. A creator’s or brand’s content was almost always shown to the same small group of followers, limiting their chance to be discovered by new people and thus grow.

New Instagram algorithm

The new Instagram algorithm, on the other hand, will immediately show each post to a group of people consisting of both followers and non-followers who might be interested in the content. If this group interacts positively with the post, it will then be shown to a broader audience, and so on.

In this way, even profiles with fewer followers will always have the opportunity to expand their audience and be discovered by new people.

Therefore, in the new Instagram algorithm, the focus shifts from the number of followers to the quality and originality of the published content. We will delve deeper into this topic at the end of the article.

Official Statements by Adam Mosseri

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, explained in detail the reason for this decision and how it will impact accounts.

These are his words: “What we’re trying to do now is give every piece of content on Instagram a chance to be seen by people who don’t follow you. So, if you’re a comedian, for example, and post a new reel, we first show it to your followers, see how well it does, and then maybe show it to people who don’t follow you yet. In that case, we want every reel to have a chance to be seen by people interested in stand-up comedy or funny content. In this way, we can help creators reach a broader audience of people who don’t follow their account. This is already in the ranking, but we’re trying to improve it over time. We hope the effects become more visible to your followers.“

How and where to activate it?

To activate these changes, no manual intervention is required from users. The algorithm update will be automatic and will be gradually implemented starting in June 2024.

How can you tell if it’s already active on your profile? For business and creator Instagram profiles, simply analyze the statistical data of individual published posts by observing how the content coverage is divided between “followers” and “non-followers.”

If you consistently notice a strong imbalance towards “non-followers” in your coverage, it is very likely active on your profile.

Pros and cons of the new Instagram algorithm

PROS

✅ Greater visibility for small creators: The new algorithm will show posts to a group of people consisting of both followers and non-followers, increasing opportunities for profiles with fewer followers to reach a broader audience and grow;

✅ Reward for originality: Instagram will give proper value to original content, encouraging creativity and authenticity. Having “few followers” will no longer be a source of frustration!

✅ Increased interactions: Consequently, content that deserves it will really have the chance to see interactions increase exponentially;

✅ Positive psychological effect: The mix of increased interactions, coverage, and followers will certainly have positive effects on the morale of those who currently feel underappreciated using Instagram.

CONS

❌ Reduced visibility towards your audience: The new system could reduce interaction within your circle of followers, as content will also be shown to people who do not follow the profile;

❌ Difficulty creating a solid community: Since content is primarily shown to people who do not follow you, brands and creators will have few opportunities to build a relationship with new followers. This will necessarily lead to weak and ephemeral relationships;

❌ Decrease in organic sales: Without the means to build a trusting relationship with people, there will be a negative impact on purchases made by followers organically. This will apply both to brands wanting to sell their products and to influencers and creators advertising others’ products;

❌ Increased spending on ads: The only way for brands to continue generating sales through Instagram as in the past will necessarily be to resort to Meta-sponsored posts.

Other algorithm updates

The new post ranking system is not the only novelty; Instagram has introduced other significant updates:

1. Reward for original content: Instagram will push only original content and add labels to reposts that refer to the original creator. If a profile frequently posts others’ content, it will be penalized, and its posts will not be among those recommended.
2. Removal of aggregators (repost profiles) from recommendations: Accounts that frequently repost other users’ content, without significant modifications, will not be shown among suggested content (e.g., explore section). These accounts can return to being recommended only 30 days after the last time they reposted content.

NJL’s comment

Here you can listen to our thoughts on the new Instagram algorithm.

With this algorithm update, Instagram ceases to be the social network we’ve always known, becoming increasingly similar to TikTok.

These new rules erase Instagram’s last real competitive advantage, which was the ability to create a community and interact with it. In fact, just like TikTok, Instagram’s ecosystem will be good for those working with the goal of gaining awareness, but not for those who want to achieve sales.

Even influencer marketing will lose its effectiveness for the same reason. If until yesterday investing $1,000 was expected to bring a positive economic return, tomorrow, spending the same amount, you’ll have to settle for the “views” and “likes” generated by the content. End.

The structure of the new Instagram algorithm could become a double-edged sword. Initially, users will feel gratified because, after years of stagnation, they will finally see their followers grow. Until they end up with a profile full of followers, but whose posts are shown to no one.

Just as it has already happened on TikTok.

Our conclusion is that maybe it was better to speak often to a few people, but good, rather than to many, but for just one post.

👉 P.S. We have created a section on our blog where you can find all the most important Instagram updates in one place, explained clearly and simply! You can find it here