Instagram’s Update is Good News for Content Creators

We’ve got good news for content creators — and bad news for aggregators.

Instagram announced that the social media platform is updating its algorithm to reward original creators, extending their reach and better positioning them to break through to new audiences. Previously, when Instagram would serve recommended content to its users, it would rank content based primarily on how an account’s followers engaged with their content. So accounts with large followings — often aggregators of reposted content — dominated.

But those days appear to be over, signaling the importance of creating original content.

How is Instagram’s Algorithm Changing?

As outlined in their announcement, Instagram is introducing four changes to their platform:

• A new ranking input to provide more distribution for smaller creators
• Replacing reposted content with original content in recommendations
• Labels to be added to reposted content, linking to the original creator
• Removing content aggregators from recommendations entirely

What is the Impact of the Instagram Algorithm Updates?

These algorithm changes are part of an effort by Instagram to both empower content creators and discourage content aggregators.

It makes sense for Instagram to prioritize and reward content creators because original content is essential to sustaining and growing the platform’s place among the social media hierarchy. 

What is most noticeable about this shift in Instagram’s algorithm are the steps the platform is taking to actively limit the reach of content aggregators. Accounts that post content from other Instagram users 10 or more times in a 30-day period will be ineligible to appear in recommendations. Instagram will not restrict how the platform shows content from these accounts to the people who follow them, but it will limit their ability to reach new audiences.

In other words, there has never been a better time to be an original content creator on Instagram, especially if you’re a smaller brand looking to grow your following.

Your Original Content isn’t Going to Create Itself

How strong is your pipeline of original social content? And even with the new Instagram updates tilting the algorithm in your favor, you’d better have a sound strategy behind the development of your content. If not, you may reach your audience, but they’ll be unlikely to engage with you.

If we can help you build better original content for social, let’s chat.