Insights from the CEO of Instagram
Creating is already hard enough; work with the platforms, not against them. The head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, recently did an interview where he answered a lot of the big questions about how the platform works and where it’s going.
Watch the full interview here:
Don’t have time to watch the whole thing? Here are our key insights from that interview:
Instagram’s Goals in 2025
According to their CEO, Instagram has three main goals for 2025.
- Reward Original Content
- Accelerate how Fast Trends Take Off
- Help Smaller Creators Breakout
They have a lot of changes and features planned for the coming months, and as the year progresses we’ll see how well they meet these goals.
Algorithm Tweaks Happen Daily
Instagram is constantly changing their algorithm, updating and tweaking it on a daily basis. Don’t overreact to any one post, but to look for the larger patterns. Examine how different types of posts are performing as a whole, and adjust your strategy according to the larger picture instead of trying to chase the latest algorithm change.
Reach Fluctuates with Real World Events
Social media does not exist in a vacuum. A sudden fluctuation in performance does not necessarily mean there was a big change to the algorithm. Pay attention to real world situations and trends when considering what and when to post. For example, during holidays, your content isn’t just competing for attention with other creators, but also with everyone who’s putting a generic holiday post on their feed.
DM Automation is allowed through official means
Instagram allows automated DMs through their official API. Just be sure to use a reputable partner so you don’t end up mistaken for a scam.
The Future of Instagram SEO
Instagram is working on having instagram content surface in search results for Google and other search engines. This is good news because it means more discoverability outside of Instagram. It also means that to take advantage of this you should name reels and posts intentionally, and create SEO minded descriptions and captions using relevant keywords. So avoid random joke descriptions on posts where visibility matters.
Comments will be Key for Discoverability
Instagram is working on adding a recommended search feature in the comments section based on the content of the post and its comments. Comments will be used to provide context that will help link your post to related posts and vice versa. This will make engineering comment engagement even more important. That starts with you prompting your audience to ask questions, start discussions, and getting in your comments section yourself to participate and drive engagement.
Shares are King
When it comes to important metrics, nothing beats shares. Shares are seen as more meaningful both to the people sending and receiving them and the algorithm. Memes and content that are relatable and/or educational are more likely to be shared. Think about what causes you to share a post with your friends and experiment with applying those ideas to your content.
Hashtags are Dead
Hashtags were once a driving force in discoverability on Instagram, but that is no longer the case. In recent years both the ability to follow hashtags, and the “Recent Posts” feature for hashtag searches have been removed. Instagram now mainly uses other means to categorize, and distribute content.
Misconceptions About Shadowbanning
Shadowbanning is perhaps the most controversial aspect of Instagram, and the most commonly used excuse for poor performance. Adam claims there is no true shadowbanning except in the most extreme edge cases. He doesn’t go into detail, but implies it’s rather nasty stuff.
He goes on to explain that Instagram wants users to know if their content is restricted and why, saying “If you know what the rules are, and if you know what the content is that we’re trying to reward, then you’re going to probably make more content like that. And that’s good for you, and for us.”
You can see what content of yours has been restricted or removed, along with the reason why in the ‘Account Status’ section of the settings tab. Read through the Instagram (Meta) community standards. Below is a screenshot of a warning on a post of ours that was removed and they clearly state what guideline they think was violated. They are transparent about what will get your posts taken down, and explicitly say they do not like certain firearm content. Creators in our space are already fighting an uphill battle, and need to be more informed on Instagram’s rules if we want our posts to be seen.
Don’t go AWOL
This one should be common sense. If you don’t post for a month your numbers when you come back are not going to be great. Instagram trains its algorithm on recent data, and when it doesn’t have that, it is going to struggle to promote your content. If you need to take a break from social media for a prolonged period of time try to schedule at least some minimal posting to retain your growth when you return.
Collaboration is Key
In the gun industry we often work with more restrictions than others. That’s why it is so important to collaborate with other creators and brands if you want to reach a wider audience. Don’t just rely on algorithm driven traffic for growth. Work together to build community.
