Instagram’s 2025 Algorithm Shake-up: What Creators & Amazon Brands Must Do Now

Instagram quietly tweaked its algorithm in spring 2025 – and it’s impacting everyone from Amazon sellers and DTC brands to influencers. Reels and the Explore tab have changed, favoring original content and 3-second viewer retention over old vanity metrics like likes. Average reach is down, leaving creators wondering what happened. Don’t panic – adapt. Below we break down what changed, why your reach might have tanked, and how to pivot your strategy right now to regain momentum.

The Spring 2025 Algorithm Shake-Up (Quietly) Explained

Instagram didn’t blast this update from the rooftops, but creators felt the effects almost overnight. In essence, Instagram’s ranking system got an upgrade (or, depending who you ask, a mixed blessing). The key changes include:

1. Reels Go Full TikTok-Mode

Instagram now shows your Reels to non-followers as part of the initial test audience – not just your followers. In other words, the Explore/Reels algorithm might serve your content to a random sample of users to gauge interest. This is huge for discovery (hello, potential virality!), but it also means if your content doesn’t hook people immediately, even your followers might not see it.

2. Original Content is King: 

Instagram explicitly stated that reposting or unoriginal content will be penalized. If the algorithm finds two accounts posting the same thing, it will only recommend the original post. Accounts that primarily recycle others’ content (e.g. meme aggregator pages) can even be excluded from recommendations. Smaller creators finally get a fair shot, and big accounts can’t coast on stolen memes anymore.

3. New Signals > Old Signals: 

The platform is increasingly relying on AI to predict what content keeps users engaged. “Watch time” and early retention now carry more weight than likes when determining what pops up on Explore. Shares and saves are heavily weighted too – Instagram calls these “value-driven” engagements. In short, the algorithm cares less about how many people liked your post and more about how long they watched and whether they found it worth sharing.

These shifts were implemented with little fanfare, but their impact has been loud and clear in our analytics. As Meta’s transparency notes put it, Instagram’s AI is now picking 500 posts for each user and ranking them by predictions like “how likely you are to spend >10 seconds on this post”. If people tend to scroll past your content after 2 seconds, it’ll get buried – even if you have a big follower count. On the flip side, if a small brand’s Reel instantly captivates viewers, it can snowball to massive reach beyond its follower list.

Why “Originality” Became Top Priority

Instagram’s push for originality isn’t just lip service – it’s baked into the new algorithm rules. Why the crackdown on recycled content? Because for years, the IG feed (and especially Explore) was flooded with duplicate posts: viral TikToks with watermarks, the same trending dance re-posted by 100 influencers, etc. This often meant original creators got overshadowed, and users saw a lot of “meh, I’ve seen this already” content.

No more. Instagram confirmed that when their system detects identical content, “we will only recommend the original one.” Reposts might even come with a label crediting the original creator, and the copycats won’t get traction. They’ve also set limits like if an account reposts 10+ pieces in 30 days without adding anything new, it’s booted from the recommendation engine. This is a clear message: create, don’t just curate.

For Amazon sellers and DTC brands, this means you should avoid lazy reposts. If you were in the habit of sharing popular meme content or recycling influencer videos hoping to ride the trend, that strategy will backfire now. Instead, invest time in making your own videos, photos, and graphics. Show off your product or brand story in a fresh way. Original behind-the-scenes clips, customer testimonials, or creative UGC-style Reels will outperform a copied trend reel that 20 other pages also posted.

Real-world example: A major beauty DTC brand that used to repost viral makeup memes saw their Explore reach stagnate this spring. Meanwhile, a smaller competitor that posted an original “GRWM skincare routine” Reel (filmed casually in-house) saw their video picked up by the algorithm and hit 5× their normal reach. Instagram is rewarding the authentic creator, not the imitator.

Insight: Even Adam Mosseri (Instagram’s head) has been nudging creators towards originality. He shared a checklist for Reels: no watermarks, use original audio, keep it under 3 minutes, and ensure it’s original content. The goal is to stop TikTok re-posts from dominating. Take that to heart: ditch the TikTok watermarks and put your unique spin on every piece of content.

3-Second Retention: The New “Like”

Here’s a wild stat: according to Meta’s data, the average viewer decides whether to keep watching your video within just 1.7 seconds. Essentially, you have a blink to grab attention. No wonder Instagram’s algorithm now looks at 3-second retention as a critical signal. If people stick around for at least 3 seconds, it’s a good sign; if they bail before 3 seconds, that content gets demoted.

In 2025, many creators are discovering that a high view count with poor retention isn’t helping them anymore – a video that people watch 90% of the way through (or re-watch) is far more likely to explode in reach than a video that people skim and like. Retention is the new currency. A marketing expert summed it up: “First 3-second retention has more weight than any other segment” of your video. Instagram is literally predicting “how likely you are to watch less than three seconds” of a Reel as a factor in whether to show it.

Why the shift? Because if a viewer stays past those first moments, they’re probably interested. Maybe they’ll even watch the whole thing, comment, or share it. A like, on the other hand, is a split-second tap – it doesn’t guarantee the user actually absorbed the content. As a result, content that immediately hooks the audience tends to perform better in the new algorithm. Think of flashy intros, quick cuts, big text that says “Wait for it…”, or anything that stops the scroll in the first 1–3 seconds.

For example, if you’re an influencer posting a Reel about a fitness product, leading with “🔥 3 Tips to Fix Your Squat (in 15 Seconds) 🔥” with an engaging visual will likely retain more viewers than a slow intro like “Hi guys, so I wanted to talk about my workout…”. The former gets to the point and promises value immediately – hooking the viewer. The latter… the viewer might already be scrolling away.

This focus on retention also means quality over quantity in engagement. Instagram is paying attention to how people interact beyond likes. Saves, shares, comments – those indicate deeper interest. In fact, engagement quality is being talked about like this: saves + shares > likes + comments as signals. One study found “comment-to-view ratio is weighted more heavily than like-to-view ratio” by the algorithm. So a smaller number of comments where people are genuinely discussing your post can beat a bunch of passive likes. It’s not about chasing double-taps anymore. It’s about creating content that makes people pause, watch, and react.

Reach Down by 18% – Is Instagram Dying or Just Changing?

If your recent posts have been underperforming, you’re not alone. Across the board, organic reach has slumped – by some estimates about 18% year-over-year as of early 2024, and engagement per post is down ~28%. Many niches (beauty, fashion, fitness, etc.) report that posts which used to hit X% of their followers are now only hitting X–18%. 😢

For example, an influencer in the travel niche might have routinely reached 25,000 of her 100k followers last year. Now, similar content might reach ~20,000 or fewer. One verified creator with over 100k followers shared that their reach “absolutely tanked” in March – they used to count on a minimum of ~20k reach per post, and suddenly were scraping 2k. Ouch. Another user in r/InstagramMarketing noted their Reels were only being shown to their own followers (0% new audience), whereas on TikTok the same video went viral. These kinds of stories have become common this spring.

So, what gives? A few factors are at play:

1. Algorithmic Tough Love: 

Instagram’s tweaks made organic reach harder for content that doesn’t meet the new engagement criteria. If your post isn’t getting saves or retention, the algorithm now kills its distribution faster than before. It feels like a punishment, but from Instagram’s perspective, they’re just streamlining what users see to keep them hooked on the app. Good content (by their new definition) still reaches far; mediocre content falls off a cliff faster.

2. More Competition: 

Instagram isn’t the scrappy photo app of 2015 – it’s a crowded marketplace in 2025. There’s more content than ever flooding feeds. More creators, more brands, more ads, more everything. A growing user base and content pool can dilute everyone’s slice of attention. Some reports note that fewer than 1 in 10 followers typically see a brand’s post now. It’s not necessarily that your content got worse – it’s that the bar for grabbing attention is higher when users have endless choices.

3. User Behavior Shifts: 

Audience habits are changing. Short-form video (Reels) is popular, but there’s also a bit of short-form fatigue for some users. People are curating their feeds, unfollowing accounts that don’t provide value, and spending more time on competing platforms (TikTok, YouTube Shorts, etc.). The result? Even your loyal followers might not catch every post unless it really stands out or they actively seek it.

For brands and creators, this reach decline means you can’t take your audience for granted. You have to earn each view with compelling content. It also means strategies that worked last year might need an update. The days of posting a pretty product photo with a generic caption and getting tons of likes are waning. Now, you might need a killer Reel or a carousel with real substance to get similar reach.

The good news: Instagram isn’t dead. Far from it – it’s still a huge platform, just evolving. In fact, Instagram claims it’s trying to give more people a chance to be seen, especially small creators. The trick is learning how to ride this new wave.

What’s Working Now (And What Isn’t): Real Examples

Let’s cut to the chase – what types of posts are crushing it under the new algorithm, and which ones are flopping? Here’s a rundown, with examples:

1. ✅ Original Reels with Strong Hooks: 

These are gold right now. A DTC coffee brand we know shifted from static images to Reels showing quick, quirky skits about “morning life before coffee vs. after coffee.” The first 2 seconds show someone literally falling asleep at their desk (thumb-stopper!). That Reel not only got laughs but also got shared in DMs like crazy – a big boost, since Instagram now heavily rewards “send to a friend” activity. Result: their Reel views doubled compared to their previous artsy product shots. It illustrates a key point: start your videos with something that grabs attention in 1–3 seconds, whether it’s a bold visual, a surprise, or text that teases a story. Instagram explicitly advises creators to “engage your audience in the first three seconds” so they don’t scroll away.

2. ✅ Value-Packed Carousels and Infographics: 

Carousels are making a comeback, big time. Creators who post swipeable tips, mini-blogs, or before/after series are seeing great engagement. Why? Because people save them for later and share them. One Amazon seller, for instance, posted a 5-slide carousel on “5 hacks to organize your kitchen” featuring their product. It wasn’t a hard sell – it provided genuine useful tips (with the product subtly included). That post got saved by thousands of users (who doesn’t want a tidy kitchen?) and outperformed their previous meme reposts by a mile. Instagram’s new algorithm loves saves because it signals “this content is worth coming back to”. If your content makes users hit the bookmark icon, you’re doing it right in 2025.

3. 🚫 Generic Trend Reels: 

On the flip side, many creators report that doing the same old TikTok dance or lip-sync trend isn’t yielding magic like it used to. For example, an influencer who purely reposted trending lip-sync Reels (that thousands of others were doing) saw her average views drop significantly this spring. Instagram is “deprioritizing generic Reels” that everyone’s already seen. If you hop on a trend, you must add your unique flavor or niche twist to stand out. A straight copycat video is likely to be ignored by the algorithm now.

4. 🚫 Slow-Burn Videos or Overproduced Ads: 

Interestingly, some creators found that highly produced videos with long intros are underperforming compared to raw, quick ones. One creator shared that they spent hours on a fancy edited Reel (cinematic shots, logo animation intro, etc.) and it flopped – viewers dropped off early. Meanwhile, a competitor’s simpler, iPhone-shot video on the same topic with an immediate hook outperformed it 5-10× in views and engagement. The lesson: on IG in 2025, polished production matters less than grabbing attention and delivering value fast. In fact, overly polished content can feel like an ad, causing viewers to swipe past. Authentic, human, and fast-paced wins. If you have slick brand videos, consider cutting them down or adding a punchy opening so that the viewer is drawn in within seconds.

In summary, what’s working now is content that’s original, attention-grabbing, and share-worthy. What’s not working is anything lazy, copycat, or slow. If you’re noticing a pattern, it’s intentional: Instagram wants to keep people on the app by surfacing content that immediately intrigues and satisfies them. As creators or brands, we need to align our strategy with that reality.

How to Adapt: 5 Actionable Steps to Thrive Under the New Algorithm

Enough theory – let’s talk action. How can you, as an Amazon seller, DTC brand, or influencer, adapt to these changes and start seeing growth again? Here are five concrete steps to get you back on track:

1. Revamp Your Content Strategy Around Hooks & Originality

Take a hard look at your recent content. For each post or video, ask: Would this stop me from scrolling?* If not, redesign it. Plan every Reel or video with a strong hook in the first 2–3 seconds. This could be a surprising visual, a provocative question, or a bold statement in text. For example, instead of a usual intro, start with results: “Check this out – we removed 50% of wrinkles with this trick 👀.” Such an opening teases the value up front. Also, double down on original content creation. Set aside time for brainstorming unique post ideas that reflect your brand voice. If you’ve been relying on trending audios or formats, think about how to put an original spin on them. (And absolutely avoid using videos with TikTok watermarks – Instagram has openly said it downranks those.)

2. Optimize for “Save” and “Share” Worthiness

In 2025, a viewer saving or sharing your post is like them giving you an award. To earn that, create posts that people need to bookmark or pass along. If you’re a brand, consider infographics or step-by-step carousel posts (e.g. “How to choose the perfect coffee roast – 5 tips”). If you’re an influencer, maybe it’s a heartfelt mini-blog or a useful tutorial that followers will want to refer back to. For shareability, think of content that people would DM to a friend. Memes or relatable jokes can work if they’re fresh and relevant to your niche. Educational tidbits work too (“Wow, I didn’t know that, let me share it”). As Instagram’s head Mosseri noted, “when you’re creating content, think about something people would want to send to a friend… sends are one of the biggest signals we use” . Brainstorm ideas that fit that bill. For instance, an Amazon gadget seller might post “10 Life Hacks with [Product] that Make Home Life Easier” – highly sharable within family/friend groups who love home hacks.

3. Re-engage Your Core Audience (Boost Early Engagement)

Recall that the algorithm watches how your content performs right after posting. So, rally your troops! When you publish a new post, be present and active for the next hour at least. Reply to comments as they come in (which can encourage more comments). Immediately share the post to your Story with a teaser (“New post: I spill my morning routine secrets ☕👉 go check it out”). You can even DM it to a few close followers or brand ambassadors who might engage. The idea is to spike that initial engagement rate. Content that gathers steam quickly is more likely to be pushed out further. Also, encourage interaction in your caption or video itself: ask a question, invite opinions (“Tell me in the comments which outfit you like best, I’m genuinely curious!”). And don’t forget about Stories and Lives – while they have their own algorithm, being active in Stories can indirectly boost feed engagement because your brand stays top-of-mind (plus you can direct Story viewers to your new Reel/post).

4. Mix Formats – But Lean into Reels and Carousels

Diversify your content mix to keep things interesting, but pay extra attention to the formats Instagram is favoring. Right now, Reels are the discovery engine – they’re the #1 way to reach new eyeballs, so aim to post Reels consistently. If you’re not comfortable on camera, Reels don’t have to be you dancing – they can be product close-ups with text overlays, unboxing videos, voiceover demos, etc. Many Amazon sellers are seeing success with simple unboxing Reels or quick before/after demos. Meanwhile, carousel posts are great for delivering value and getting saves (data shows carousels earn the most saves on average.) Use them for storytelling or tips. Traditional single photos are fine occasionally, but they likely won’t reach as far unless they really strike a chord or go viral via shares. Also, use Instagram’s features to your advantage: try things like Collab posts (so you and a partner both share the post to your feeds) for extra reach, and don’t neglect using relevant hashtags and location tags – while not as critical as before, they can still help at the margins on Explore.

By implementing these steps, you’ll start creating content that aligns with Instagram’s new preferences. Many brands who pivoted early are already seeing their metrics climb back up. It’s all about working with the algorithm, not against it.

Your 2025 Instagram Comeback: Step-by-Step Checklist

To wrap up, here’s a handy checklist combining all the advice above. Follow these steps to optimize your product-link posts and restore your Instagram momentum:

1. Audit Your Content for Originality: 

Review your last 9–12 posts. Identify any reposts, stock content, or TikTok-duets you’ve shared. Plan to replace those with 100% original content. (Instagram penalizes heavy reposting, so you want a clean slate of original work.) Remove any watermarks from videos and always credit original creators if you do repost a quick meme in Stories.

2. Craft a Killer Hook for Every Video/Reel: 

Never again post a video that doesn’t captivate in the first 3 seconds. Brainstorm a hook before you hit record – it could be a shocking stat, a question, or an eye-catching scene. For example: begin your cooking demo Reel with the final dish reveal first, to entice viewers (“🍰 Ta-da! – Want to learn how to make this in 10 minutes? Keep watching!”). This drives up your 3-second retention metric immediately.

3. Prioritize Engagement over Eyeballs: 

Set goals for each post beyond just “get X likes.” Maybe it’s “get 50 saves” or “start 5 conversations in comments.” Create content that facilitates that goal. For instance, if you’re a fashion brand, instead of just posting a model shot, post a carousel titled “5 Ways to Style X” and ask “Which look is your favorite? Comment below!” This invites interaction. Remember, shares, saves, comments are the big three now  – earn those and the algorithm will reward you.

4. Stay Informed and Experiment: 

Instagram will keep evolving (they’re already teasing more AI-driven feeds and user control over what they see). Stay plugged into creator news – follow Instagram’s official @Creators account and industry blogs for hints of changes. When a new feature or change comes, embrace it early. Early adopters often get a boost (Instagram tends to reward those who use its latest features). And don’t be afraid to experiment. Try a new content series or a different video style – the platform is giving reach to content that stands out. If something flops, it’s okay; you’ll learn from it. If something hits, ride that wave!

Conclusion to Instagram’s 2025 Algorithm Shake-up

By following this checklist, you’ll position your brand or profile to not just survive but thrive under Instagram’s 2025 algorithm. It’s all about original content that grabs attention and provides value. Amazon sellers and DTC brands, this is your call to get creative with how you showcase products. Influencers, it’s time to bring your unique voice and keep those viewers glued to your content.

Instagram’s shake-up may have been quiet, but our response as creators must be loud and clear. Adapt to the new rules, and you’ll find your reach (and ROI) rising again. Now get out there and create something original that your audience can’t scroll past – the algorithm (and your followers) will thank you for it!