Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, has officially revealed how the platform will rank content in 2025, offering a clear roadmap for creators. In a new video series, he explained that the algorithm will now prioritize three main signals: watch time, likes, and sends. Understanding these key metrics is crucial for anyone looking to improve their visibility and engagement on the platform in the coming year.
The Three Core Signals Driving Instagram’s 2025 Algorithm
Adam Mosseri broke down the complex algorithm into three simple, yet powerful, ranking factors. These signals determine how your content is shown to both your followers and potential new audiences. For creators, this means performance analysis through Instagram Insights should now focus heavily on these specific metrics.
The new system is designed to reward content that genuinely captures and holds user attention. Instead of chasing vanity metrics, the focus shifts to how people interact with a post over time.
Here is a simple breakdown of the new key signals:
| Ranking Signal | What It Measures | Primary Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Watch Time | The total time a user spends on your post. | Overall Engagement |
| Likes | The number of users who tap the heart icon. | Follower Engagement |
| Sends | How often a post is shared with others via DMs. | Reaching New Audiences |
By monitoring the average watch time, likes per reach, and sends per reach, you can get a clear picture of what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t.
Likes for Followers, Sends for Growth: A New Strategy
One of the most interesting parts of Mosseri’s announcement is the distinction between how likes and sends are weighed. The algorithm now treats them differently depending on who is seeing your content. This clarification helps creators tailor their content for specific goals, whether it’s nurturing their current community or expanding their reach.
Likes are most important for engaging the people who already follow you. When your followers like your post, it signals to Instagram that the content is relevant to them, increasing its visibility within your follower network.
On the other hand, sends are your key to going viral and reaching new people. When a user shares your post, Instagram sees it as a strong indicator that the content has broad appeal. This makes the algorithm more likely to push it onto the Explore page or into the feeds of non-followers.
What kind of content works best for each goal?
- For Likes (Followers): Focus on relatable content, inside jokes, memes, and interactive elements in Stories like polls or sliders.
- For Sends (New Audiences): Create highly shareable content like quick tutorials, useful tips, entertaining videos, or posts about trending topics.
This division means you need a balanced content strategy. One post might be designed for your loyal followers, while the next is created with the specific intention of being shared widely.
Why Watch Time is Now the Most Important Metric
While likes and sends have specific roles, watch time is the foundational metric that impacts all content. The longer someone spends on your post, the more valuable Instagram considers it. This applies to every format, not just videos.
Carousel posts are a perfect example of this in action. They naturally increase watch time as users swipe through multiple slides. Similarly, writing a long, compelling caption can keep a user on your post for longer, boosting its performance. For videos and Reels, the first few seconds are critical to hook the viewer and convince them to stay.
Interestingly, comments were not mentioned as a direct ranking signal. Mosseri suggested that comments are now seen as a contributor to watch time, since typing a comment keeps a user on the post longer. This means that while comments are still great for community building, they no longer carry the direct algorithmic weight they once did.
What These Algorithm Changes Mean for Creators
This shift in ranking signals reveals Instagram’s broader strategy. By de-emphasizing direct comment influence and prioritizing positive interactions like sends, the platform appears to be moving away from content that sparks arguments or division. Instead, the focus is on content that is helpful, entertaining, and brings people together.
This is a clear signal for creators to prioritize quality and value over controversy. A single, highly-shared post can now have a much bigger impact on growth than a post with hundreds of argumentative comments.
To succeed on Instagram in 2025, creators should refine their strategy to align with these new priorities. A consistent flow of content that engages existing followers will build a strong base, while creating shareable posts will fuel audience growth. By focusing on watch time, likes, and sends, you can work with the algorithm, not against it, to ensure your content reaches the right people.
