Instagram is updating the account status feature to better inform business and creator accounts why some of their posts are being suppressed as it strives to be more transparent with users.
These accounts now know which of their posts are “eligible to be recommended” by Instagram’s algorithm to non-followers on other parts of the platform. This includes places like the Explore page, Reels, and In-Feed recommendations. On the other hand, Instagram will also let accounts know why their content is not recommended by, for example, explaining how it violates the Community Guidelines, according to the announcement (opens in new tab). This information can also be found at Instagram’s Creators Page (opens in new tab); it’s just more prominent than before.
And once notified, creators will have a chance to edit or remove or appeal the offending post if they think Instagram was a bit overzealous in flagging that content. The review team will carefully review said message before coming back with a new decision. If that sounds familiar, it’s because regular accounts have been able to object to flagged content since the launch of Account Status in October 2021.
For a future update, there are hints to expand account status to other features such as search and teach creators how to better reach non-followers.
It is unknown when the account status update will be released and where to. The implication is that the new features are currently rolling out. We asked Instagram if it could clarify the launch window and if it could tell us more about future additions to account status. We’ll update this story if we hear anything.
Clarify the algorithm
In the announcement, Instagram said it understands how frustrating it can be for accounts to understand why they’re not getting the engagement they once were. That’s really the purpose of this update: to clear up confusion. Social media algorithms are a frequent source of frustration for many content creators. How these algorithms work is a closely guarded secret. For example, if you spend enough time on YouTube, you’ll eventually come across a creator complaining about it how hard it is to understand what is recommended or suppressed.
Third-party steps have been taken over the past year to resolve this issue. The most notable was when the European Union Digital Services Act, which will force tech giants like Meta to reveal how their recommendation algorithms work. However, that law will not take effect until 2024, so first-party tools will remain limited.
But there are third-party tools. Check out Best Product’s recently updated best social media management tools of 2022. They are a good way to time content posting so you can maintain high audience engagement.