The Instagram Algorithm in 2025: Explained
Instagram has become one of the most preferred social media platforms by many business owners and marketers as a simple tool with many possibilities to connect with potential and current clients.
However, in 2025 we see the very big changes that have been made and will be made in the way we do and post content. This straightforward approach that we know has evolved into a more complex and powerful algorithm that delivers personalised and engaging content.
Our team created a full overview of the key Instagram algorithms, how they worked in the past, and the latest updates:
1.Instagram Feed algorithm:
Before: It ranked posts primarily based on engagement metrics: likes, comments and shares, as well as recency and relationships (how often users interacted with an account).
In 2025: It has become even more user-centric, focusing on deeper engagement metrics like meaningful comments and saves. It now heavily weighs content that matches a user’s stated preferences and browsing history, offering an even more personalised experience.
Hint: If you have ever wondered why the posts of your follow list do not appear in your feed, it’s because you did not engage with them that much. Instagram
2.Instagram Stories algorithm:
Before: Stories prioritised recency and relationships. Content from accounts a user interacted with most often (likes, DMs, reactions) would appear at the top of their Stories queue.
In 2025: While recency remains a factor, Stories now incorporate predictive AI to suggest content users are likely to view based on patterns like time spent viewing similar stories and frequent interactions. Additionally, public story comments have been introduced, creating more opportunities for engagement.
Hint: If you are a content creator, UGC or micro influencer, you might have noticed that your stories have lower views. Analyse your audience preferences and check Best Practices on Instagram to improve your performance.
3. Instagram Reels algorithm:
Before: It was focused on surface-level engagement metrics like views, shares, and likes to recommend entertaining and trending videos.
In 2025: Reels have evolved to prioritise content that holds attention longer (completion rate) and sparks interactions. Reels from both followers and non-followers are now ranked based on a mix of user preferences, trending topics and AI-curated recommendations.
Hint: If you are a content creator, UGC or micro influencer, you might have noticed that your reels lack views; or some of your reels have thousands and millions compared to others. The algorithm disbalances your number of views because you have triggered different interests. Analyse your mostly watched reel and check what made it successful.
4.Instagram Explore Pages algorithm:
Before: Explore relied on basic engagement metrics and trending content to recommend posts, often highlighting viral content without deeply considering individual user interests. It used location, trending sounds and topics to filter what to show.
In 2025: Explore now provides hyper-personalised recommendations using advanced AI. It considers not just engagement metrics but also nuanced patterns like the type of content a user saves, shares, or comments on most frequently. Explore pages are now tailored to specific themes based on user behavior.
Hint: Your content might be highly ranked in some people’s Explore and never show up to others. Your non-followers reach might be coming from Explore pages of people whose behaviour you might never be able to analyse. Converting non-followers to followers might be hard to achieve but you need to at least try and rely on the right aesthetic to attract the audience.
5.Instagram Ads algorithm:
Before: Ads relied on demographic and interest-based targeting, with performance heavily dependent on broad user data.
In 2025: While not covered in detail here, Instagram Ads now integrate directly with AI-driven personalisation to deliver ads seamlessly woven into user experiences, improving ROI for marketers.
The Instagram Ads algorithm has undergone a significant transformation leveraging AI-driven personalisation at an unprecedented level.
Instead of relying solely on demographic and interest-based targeting the algorithm integrates real-time behavioral data, predictive analytics, and contextual insights. This allows for hyper-targeted ad placements tailored to each user’s current interests, recent interactions, and even predicted future preferences. It’s all about predictions and signals that each of the users gives to the platform.
Ads are seamlessly integrated into the user experience, ensuring they appear more relevant and less intrusive. Additionally, Instagram has introduced tools for brands to test and optimise ad performance dynamically, using feedback loops provided by AI to refine targeting and messaging in real time.
Ads are now optimised for specific actions, such as purchases, sign-ups, or app downloads, using predictive modeling to identify the most likely converters. Enhanced transparency tools allow users to control ad preferences, improving trust while enabling brands to focus on genuinely interested audiences. Context-aware placements ensure ads align with the content users are consuming, such as product ads in shopping-related Reels or Stories.
Ever thought why is it so hard to grow on Instagram nowadays…
The above-mentioned ads’ key enhancements might not be working properly (at the moment) for some locations or businesses operating in specific niche which is difficult to be classified by the AI. Predictive modeling is learning from our profiles data and metrics to find the right audience for our ads. New accounts do not have history. They have a few followers, not enough reach and low budget to spend on ads. If that’s your case do not trust some well-known bad practices but consider:
- Changing your social media strategy;
- Rebranding/changing your aesthetics;
- Leaving Instagram and focus on other social media platforms;
- Hire an expert.
Struggling to adapt to these algorithm changes or unsure how to optimise your Instagram profile for 2025? We offer a free profile audit to identify opportunities for growth and tailor strategies that will maximise your results on Instagram. Request an audit: hello@thesourstudio.com
