Head of INSTAGRAM reveals secrets to GROWING in 2025

Summary

In this insightful interview, Adam from Instagram shares the company's approach to content ranking and creator support. Instagram focuses on connecting creators with the right audience while emphasizing the importance of original content over aggregators. Adam advises TikTok creators on how to transition to Instagram by diversifying content and leveraging the platform's various features like stories, reels, and carousels. He also highlights exciting upcoming features, such as Partner Ads and the Creator Marketplace, which aim to empower smaller creators and improve monetization opportunities, ensuring a more equitable environment for content creators across the platform.

Takeaways

• 😀 Instagram aims to deliver content to the right people to ensure both viewers and creators are happy, which boosts engagement on the platform.
• 😀 Instagram is continuously improving its ranking algorithms to ensure better visibility for creators' content.
• 😀 Instagram's business model does not rely on suppressing reach to force people to buy ads. It's focused on delivering valuable content to users.
• 😀 While the supply of content (number of creators) has grown, the demand (time users spend on the platform) has leveled off in some regions.
• 😀 The focus is on rewarding original content creators rather than aggregators, who often benefit disproportionately compared to creators.
• 😀 TikTok creators are advised to diversify their presence across multiple platforms like Instagram to reduce the risk of relying on a single platform.
• 😀 Understanding Instagram’s various content formats (e.g., reels, stories, carousels) is essential for creators to effectively engage their audiences.
• 😀 Creators should align their content with specific goals (e.g., brand deals, cause promotion) to ensure it’s both compelling and effective.
• 😀 Instagram’s long-term potential lies in features like partner ads, which allow creators to collaborate with brands and benefit from measurable results.
• 😀 The introduction of partner ads aims to provide smaller creators with better compensation by offering more transparent ad performance and measurement.
• 😀 Instagram's diverse content options and evolving tools create unique opportunities for creators to develop deeper relationships with their followers.

Q & A

What is Instagram's main goal when it comes to ranking content?

Instagram's goal is to ensure that the right content is shown to the right people, maximizing both viewer satisfaction and creator success. This is done by continuously improving the ranking system to better serve relevant content to users.

Does Instagram suppress reach to encourage users to buy ads?

No, Instagram does not suppress reach as a strategy to push users to buy ads. Instead, the goal is to increase engagement and match users with content they're genuinely interested in. Suppressing reach wouldn't be a sustainable business model.

What has changed in the demand for content and the supply of content on Instagram?

The supply of content has increased significantly due to the growth in smartphone usage and internet access, but the demand for content has not grown at the same pace. The growth in the number of people creating content has outpaced the growth in people consuming content, especially in certain regions.

How does Instagram ensure creators are rewarded for their content?

Instagram is focused on recognizing and rewarding original content creators. This is being done by working towards better identifying and promoting the original creators rather than just aggregators who republish others' content.

What advice does Instagram offer to TikTok creators migrating to Instagram?

Instagram advises TikTok creators to diversify across multiple platforms. It's important for creators to clearly define their goals (like brand deals or sales) and produce content that aligns with those goals while also being compelling and true to themselves.

What are some key differences when joining Instagram for the first time?

When joining Instagram, it's important to understand that it's not only about short-form videos (Reels) but also about other features like Stories, Photos, and Carousels. Creators should experiment with all available formats to find what works best for them.

Why is Instagram's diversity of content formats considered a strength?

Instagram's diversity of content formats (Reels, Stories, Photos, Carousels) allows creators to experiment and find the most suitable medium for their goals and audience engagement, offering flexibility and multiple ways to connect with followers.

What is the 'Partner Ads' feature and how does it benefit creators?

The 'Partner Ads' feature allows creators to collaborate with brands and provide permission for their content to be used in ads within Instagram's advertising system. This feature helps quantify the effectiveness of creators' content and provides small creators with more opportunities to get fairly compensated.

How does the Partner Ads feature help small creators in particular?

Partner Ads is beneficial for small creators as it provides better measurement and transparency for brand partnerships. It allows advertisers to see the actual impact of a creator's content, shifting more advertising dollars towards smaller creators who may have previously been underpaid.

What is Instagram's broader vision for creator support and monetization?

Instagram aims to help creators monetize by connecting them with the right brands and fostering partnerships that are transparent and measurable. The platform is focusing on growing its Creator Marketplace, which matches creators with relevant brands and ensures creators are compensated fairly.