Instagram updates its metrics; urges creators to prioritise reach

Instagram metrics are shifting, as IG encourages creators to prioritise reach over the traditional metrics of followers and likes.

For several months, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has been trying to convince creators to stop fixating on their follower count and focus on reach instead. Mosseri believes that reach is what truly matters to every creator.

Although this view may not be entirely agreed upon, Instagram has announced today that it’s overhauling its analytics to make 'Views' the central focus in every aspect.

According to its blog post, “We’re introducing “Views” as the primary metric across all formats including reels, live, photos, carousels, and stories. These changes ensure creators have the same metrics across Instagram to help them better understand how their content is performing regardless of format and develop better strategies to help achieve their goals.”

The platform is specifically updating:

• Reels Plays will now be labelled as “Views”
• “Views” will become the primary metric for photos, carousels, and stories
• In Insights, IG is adding a “Views” icon to replace “Plays” and other metrics, such as “Accounts reached,” “Accounts engaged,” “Interactions,” and “Watch time.”

As part of this change, the platform has mentioned that repeat views of content will be counted, similar to how plays and replays are counted for reels.

This means creators will not only be shifting their focus to views but also seeing an increase in them. Instagram likely hopes that this adjustment will make the transition smoother.

However, this means its algorithm has more control over content performance. To maximise reach, creators will need to appeal to the algorithm.