The Instagram algorithm can feel like a moving target. Just when you think you’ve figured out what works, something changes — and suddenly your reach is cut in half or your best-performing content isn’t performing the way it used to. But here’s the truth: the algorithm isn’t out to get you. It’s designed to show people what they’ll love most, and if you know how it works, you can actually use it to your advantage. At Packsia, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about how Instagram ranks content in 2025, plus the strategies that actually move the needle.

What Is the Instagram Algorithm?

Let’s clear one thing up: there isn’t just one Instagram algorithm. Instead, there are several — each designed for different surfaces like the Feed, Reels, Stories, and Explore.

At its core, the algorithm’s job is simple: keep people scrolling. By showing you what’s most relevant and engaging, Instagram personalizes your feed so you’ll spend more time in the app.

For creators, that means one thing: if you want to grow, you need to understand what the algorithm rewards and adjust your strategy to meet it.

How Does the Instagram Algorithm Work in 2025?

Instagram’s different algorithms all look at a variety of “signals” to rank content. These include:

• Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and saves.
• Content type: Video, static posts, carousels, Stories, or Lives.
• Recency: How fresh the content is.
• Relationship: How often you interact with a specific account.

The big takeaway? The algorithm prioritizes content that people actually interact with — and in 2025, that usually means video.

Feed Posts

Once upon a time, the Instagram feed was a simple chronological stream of what your friends were doing, but today it’s a highly curated mix of followed accounts, suggested posts, and Reels that Instagram believes will keep you on the app longer.

Ranking factors include:

• Your activity: The accounts and topics you regularly engage with.
• Post performance: If something is getting high engagement quickly, it has a better chance of appearing in more feeds.
• Account history: If you always like a creator’s posts, you’ll see more of their content.

The more engagement you drive, the more your posts will surface. That’s why eye-catching visuals and strong calls-to-action in captions are essential.

Reels

Reels have evolved into Instagram’s ultimate growth engine, and the algorithm gives them an enormous boost because they’re sticky, entertaining, and built to keep users watching for much longer than static posts ever could.

Instagram prioritizes Reels that:

• Grab attention within the first few seconds.
• Use trending sounds, text, or effects.
• Encourage replays, shares, and saves.

If there’s one format to lean into right now, it’s video. Reels are still the fastest way to expand your reach and grow your community.

Stories

Stories may disappear after 24 hours, but the algorithm sees them as one of the most powerful ways to build personal connections, which is why it ranks them based on your closest relationships and daily interactions.

The Story algorithm is influenced by:

• Viewing history: Who’s Stories you’ve tapped on most.
• Engagement history: Who you DM or react to.
• Closeness: Who Instagram thinks is your inner circle (close friends, family, besties).

Stories are the perfect place for casual, everyday content. Use stickers like polls, sliders, and questions to drive interactions that strengthen your ranking.

Explore

The Explore page is Instagram’s discovery hub, and its algorithm is built to surface entirely new content that feels fresh, surprising, and highly personalized based on your history of likes, saves, and shares.

Signals include:

• Post popularity: How quickly a post is picking up interactions.
• Your past activity: The types of posts you’ve engaged with before.
• Poster reputation: How much engagement the account has received recently.

To land on Explore, think niche hashtags, strong captions, and content that’s built for shareability.

Resetting the Algorithm

The Instagram algorithm can’t be fully reset, but you can nudge it in new directions over time by showing the platform what you want to see and hiding what you don’t.

Ways to refresh your feed include:

• Clearing your search history.
• Marking posts as “Not Interested.”
• Interacting with new accounts.

For brands, this means consistency is key. The more you post, experiment, and engage, the more signals you send about what your content is and who it’s for.

7 Tips to Beat the Algorithm in 2025

Want to work with the algorithm instead of against it? Here are our top strategies:

1. Optimize for Search – Use keywords in captions, profiles, and even Reels subtitles.
2. Use Interactive Stickers – Polls, sliders, and questions drive quick engagement.
3. Write Strong Captions – Questions and prompts invite comments and tags.
4. Be Strategic with Hashtags – A handful of relevant hashtags beats dozens of vague ones.
5. Focus on Views – Treat visibility as the most important success metric, especially for video.
6. Cross-Promote – Use Collabs and partnerships to tap into new audiences.
7. Track Performance Over Time – Don’t just measure weekly wins; look at long-term patterns.

Getting Ahead of the Algorithm

At Packsia, we’ve seen it firsthand: those who adapt to the algorithm thrive. The formula is simple: lean into video, stay consistent, and always think engagement-first.

The algorithm isn’t your enemy. It’s an opportunity to meet your audience where they already are. If you’re creating Reels, Stories, and carousels that spark interaction, the algorithm will do its part to amplify your reach.