Rising Creators Forum

Honestly, I’ve been fighting with the Instagram algorithm since late last year. One week I’m getting decent reach, then the next week it’s like my posts are invisible. I almost gave up, but around February I started trying small changes and, weirdly, things picked up again. Figured I’d share what worked for me in case anyone else’s reach has tanked lately.


1. Reels are still the big deal (but the vibe’s changed)
So yeah, Instagram Reels 2025 still run the platform, but it’s not all about using viral sounds anymore. I used to chase those trends, but half the time it just looked forced. Now, when I make Reels with my own voice or quiet background music, they do way better. Feels more real, I guess.

I also noticed if I reply to comments super quick (like within the first 10 minutes), Instagram pushes the post a bit more. This happened to me three times this month, I swear it’s a real thing.

2. Consistency beats daily posting
I burnt myself out trying to post every single day. Didn’t help much either. Then I switched to just 3 days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. That small change literally doubled my reach in two weeks. Instagram seems to care more about regular patterns than crazy posting schedules.


3. Carousels are lowkey gold again
Carousels went quiet for a bit, but now they’re working like crazy again. I made one about “5 Reels Ideas That Don’t Feel Cringe” and it got shared around 200 times. That one post brought me over 300 new followers. People love saving tips like that.


4. Engage before you post
This is one thing nobody really talks about. Before I post anything, I scroll through my feed and drop likes or quick comments on 10–15 posts in my niche. When I do that, my own post performs better. No idea why, but I’ve tested it enough times to be sure it’s not a coincidence.


5. Hashtags aren’t dead (just smarter now)
I know everyone says hashtags are over, but I still get traffic from them. The trick is going super niche. Instead of #travel, I use things like #solotravel2025 or #backpacktech. My reach on hashtags tripled once I stopped using the big generic ones.


6. Forget likes — watch your saves and shares
Likes don’t mean much now. It’s the saves and shares that make Instagram take your post seriously. Posts that people save for later like checklists or small guides, always get pushed more.


7. Stop writing “perfect” captions
Real talk, people are tired of perfect influencer-style posts. When I started writing honest captions, like talking about burnout or small fails, my engagement spiked. One post where I just ranted a bit about losing motivation hit 10k views. Feels like people just want honesty now.


8. Stories matter way more than I thought
Don’t sleep on Stories. I started using polls, questions, and “this or that” stickers every other day. Whenever I do that, my next Reel or post always performs better. Seems like Instagram boosts you a bit if you’re active across all features.

9. Best time to post (at least for me)
For my page, 6–9 PM works best. But that’s just what my followers seem to prefer. The algorithm still pays attention to when your audience is most active. It’s worth checking your analytics and testing a few different times.


10. Cross-post your stuff elsewhere

This one’s simple but important. I started sharing my Reels on Threads and TikTok, and some of those viewers ended up following me back on Instagram. You’d be surprised how much overlap there is. Don’t just stick to one platform.


Final thoughts
I think the main takeaway for me is that the.Instagram algorithm in 2025. isn’t just about trends or hashtags anymore. It’s about how “human” your account feels. Real captions, consistent posting, and actual engagement are what’s keeping my small page alive.

Honestly, I’m still learning, but I’ve finally stopped feeling like I’m shouting into the void. If you’re struggling with reach, maybe try some of these and see what sticks.

What’s been working for you guys lately? Have you noticed your Reels doing better or worse this year?

I feel this so much . I went through that same dead phase early this year. I’ve been focusing on carousels lately too, people save them like crazy. Also yeah, replying fast to comments actually works. My last post jumped from 1.2k to 3.5k views overnight when I did that.

This hit home. I stopped posting every day because I got burned out hard. Switching to 3–4 times a week helped a lot. Totally agree on hashtags. I still get solid reach from niche tags like #momblogtips2025. Feels good to know I’m not the only one testing all this .