Instagram Targets Accounts Who Only Repost Other User’s Content in New Algorithm Change

Instagram announced in a blog post a series of algorithm changes that targets accounts who repost content as the new algorithm significantly impacts the reach of content aggregator accounts.

This comes as Instagram’s content recommendation has always favored established accounts with large follower counts, often pushing content aggregators to the forefront.

These accounts typically repost content created by others, often without significant modification, making it difficult for smaller, original creators to gain traction.

“Historically because of how we’ve ranked content, creators with large followings and aggregators of reposted content have gotten more reach in recommendations than smaller, original content creators. We think it’s important to correct this to give all creators a more equal chance of breaking through to new audiences,” the Instagram blog post said.

Instagram said that it is implementing four key changes to give all accounts an equal chance of discovery.

A new input will be added to the Instagram ranking, specifically designed to give smaller creators a more prominent place in recommendations. This means that even content from accounts with limited followings will have a chance to be seen by a wider audience, as long as it adheres to Instagram’s guidelines.

Moreover, Instagram will prioritize original content over reposts in recommendations. When the platform identifies identical pieces of content, it will only recommend the original one, effectively replacing the reposted version. Additionally, reposted content will now display a label linking back to the original creator, further promoting their work.

Instagram outlined this change in their blog post, stating, “When we find two or more identical pieces of content on Instagram, we will only recommend the original one. This means that the original content will directly replace the reposted content in recommendations.”

The social media giant will also remove content aggregators from recommendations. This means that these aggregators will no longer have the same level of reach they previously enjoyed, making it harder for them to gain exposure at the expense of original creators.

Instagram also addressed this in their blog, stating, “As part of our efforts to reward original content, we want to further discourage content aggregators by making them ineligible for recommendations across Instagram. In the coming months, accounts that repeatedly (10 or more times in the last 30 days) post content from other Instagram users that they didn’t create or enhance in a material way will not be shown in surfaces where we recommend content.”

“We think these changes will help Instagram be a place where all creators have an equal chance of breaking through and expect creators will experience the benefits of these changes in the coming months,” the blog post said. (GFB)