Instagram Reveals Key Factors For Algorithm Performance for 2025

Instagram is offering fresh insights into its algorithm to help users boost their content performance in 2025. In a new video series led by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, the platform highlights the three most significant signals that influence how content is ranked and displayed to users.

Mosseri identified watch time, likes, and sends as the primary factors driving visibility. He emphasized that brands and creators should focus on these metrics to enhance their reach. “The top three signals that matter most for ranking are watch time, likes and sends,” Mosseri said, urging users to monitor insights like average watch time, likes per reach, and sends per reach.

For content aimed at engaging current followers, likes are key to expanding reach within a connected audience. However, for growing a following and reaching new users, sends are more crucial. When users forward a post to someone else, it signals to Instagram that the content is worth showing to a broader audience, particularly in the Explore tab and recommendations.

While comments were not mentioned as a primary signal in Mosseri’s breakdown, their impact may still be reflected in watch time. Longer engagement, such as leaving comments, likely contributes to the total time users spend on a post, indirectly boosting its visibility. With Instagram’s growing focus on video content, watch time is increasingly important for ranking, even for non-video posts like carousels.

While these are straightforward details of what must be a complex algorithm under the surface, this kind of clarity make sit easier to understand how advertisers can prioritise certain users. Likes are best for drawing in an existing fanbase or audience, sends are best to prioritise gaining new users and growing an audience, and watch time becomes invaluable for getting videos in front of more eyes quickly.