According to a 2026 study, a share is the most powerful engagement signal. It not only boosts view quantity (one share equals ~400 views) but also view quality, as the content is being personally recommended to a user who is highly likely to be interested, engaged, and a potential follower.

In Instagram's early days, the non-curated "Explore" feed was a key growth lever. Creators discovered that driving high engagement in the first five minutes of a post could trigger a massive, exponential boost from the algorithm, turning 600 likes into 100,000 in hours.

Getting users to reply directly to your Instagram Stories is a powerful signal to the platform's algorithm. It identifies your content as interactive, leading Instagram to show it to more of your followers. Use this for promoting events, guides, or other offers to increase organic visibility.

Instagram's algorithm favors on-platform actions like DMs over off-platform link clicks. Asking users to reply to a Story to receive a link, rather than using a link sticker, signals high engagement to the algorithm, which can dramatically increase the story's overall views and reach.

Instead of adding a "register here" link to Instagram Stories, ask followers to reply. You can then DM them the link. This method significantly increases story views and engagement because Instagram's algorithm favors interactions like DMs over actions that take users off the platform, like link clicks.

Instead of a simple link, use Instagram Stories to ask followers to DM you a specific keyword to get access to something (like an event). This increases replies, which boosts your Story's visibility in the algorithm. You can then automate the follow-up with tools like ManyChat.

"Set it and forget it" is a death sentence for automated social media posts. To maximize reach and performance, treat the moment a scheduled post goes live as an event. Be present to interact with comments within the first hour to signal activity to the platform's algorithm, preventing the post from being "dead on arrival."

Instead of using link stickers, prompt viewers to reply to an Instagram Story with a specific word via DM. This direct engagement signals relevance to the algorithm, increasing story visibility, while also creating a direct, conversational path to conversion.

Social media algorithms value time spent more than passive engagement like "likes." To increase your visibility with target prospects, engage in back-and-forth conversations in their direct messages. This signals to the algorithm that your relationship is important, making it more likely your content will appear in their feed.