Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and stopped on a post because it made you laugh out loud, then shared it with a friend? Are hashtags losing their magic touch in helping content increase its reach on Instagram? Have you sensed a growing gap between brands and their social media community?
Well, you aren’t alone. Instagram noticed some of those minor disconnects and updated the platform, while consumers and brands felt the impact of the algorithm change. Adam Mosseri, Chief of Instagram, said, “More important than watch time or like and comment counts is send rates, [and] generally, I think the rate is more important than the count. So, the number of sends per reach, the number of likes per reach, the number of comments per reach. But sends per reach correlate more, in my experience, with overall reach than anything else because we are looking to help people discover content they want to connect with friends over, and so sends is a great proxy for that sort of connection over creativity.”
This shift mirrors a broader trend in social media, where entertainment and shareability take precedence over more general engagement. Here are a few approaches to reassess your social strategies on Instagram in 2025 using these methods.
Creating Shareable Content
Instagram prioritizes shares per reach as a ranking factor. This means that to increase reach and engagement, brands must produce shareable content, which the algorithm considers to have higher value.
High-value content is relatable, entertaining, and emotional. Users seek content that makes them laugh and can be shared with close individuals. Therefore, focusing on creating thumb-stopping and entertaining content encourages them to share with friends.
When developing social content, ask yourself what value the content brings to people. Does this content evoke an emotion? Is it funny or informative? Would you share this post with your best friends or partner?
Building Communities with Broadcast Channels
In 2025, users want to feel heard and seen, and brands pushing out one-way communication will not be enough. Consumers seek content and ways to connect with brands beyond aspirational content. One way for brands to reach their followers is through broadcast channels.
So much engagement happens inside the DMs, so Instagram rolled out broadcast channels for brands this year. Brands that have ventured into broadcast channels are creating a space where users can feel like they are part of the brand’s close friends–getting the latest updates, behind-the-scenes giveaways, voice notes, exclusive first looks at products, and polls. Ultimately, they feel like they’re a part of a community. They’re insiders.
If you plan to utilize or test broadcast channels in 2025, remember to align with your brand’s tone of voice. Find your niche, focus on content ideas beyond giveaways, foster a connection with your audience, and create a two-way conversation.
SEO Tips for Instagram
Hashtags are becoming less impactful on Instagram, and instead, the focus has been on keywords. Keywords on Instagram act like SEO and help content appear in search results. Utilizing common words that a consumer might use when searching for products, services, or phrases helps content be seen and discovered by users. At least four keywords help with searchability and reach within that sentence. Optimizing your brand’s Instagram bio is another way to help increase discoverability; adding keywords to your name field can be just as valuable.
Before sharing content, consider the keywords and phrases your target audience typically uses when searching for relevant information. Pro tip: update your bio and name field with keywords to help improve your profile’s searchability.
At Amp, we’re constantly helping brands navigate the ever-evolving social media landscape through our full suite of social media services.
