Reading time: 7 minutes

Date created: October 5, 2026

Content marketer

Stan Chernov

Instagram has changed the rules of the game. What worked a year ago doesn’t work now. One viral video no longer grows an account. Followers no longer guarantee Reels reach. And Direct shares matter more than ever.

In this article, I’ll show you exactly how the Reels algorithm works in 2026: no fluff, no outdated advice, only current mechanics confirmed by official statements from the Instagram team and by our own observations and tests.

For everyone looking to grow through Reels, I have some good news: over the past few months, Instagram has become much more transparent about how its algorithms work. Instagram head Adam Mosseri regularly breaks down the latest insights in his videos, while the official @creators account shares insider tips on how the ranking system actually works.

Here’s another piece of good news for anyone looking to grow their account through Reels: in 2026, it’s become much easier to do so. In the past, the algorithm tended to favor larger accounts, but now everyone has a more equal opportunity to reach new audiences.

In the past, a Reel’s viral potential depended on how actively your followers engaged with it, signaling to the algorithm to push it to a wider audience. Now, the system tests your content on people who don’t follow you right from the start.

How to Apply This to Your Account:
We’re seeing our clients with smaller accounts reach significantly more people and gain more followers. One recent example: we grew a real estate broker’s account from 6,000 to 16,000 followers in just six weeks.
This is the best time in the past five years to start growing your account through Reels. So if you’ve been thinking about creating Reels for a while, now’s the time to start!

After watching your Reel, people should feel a strong urge to share it with a friend, or even better, several friends. If your content doesn’t have that effect, another metric can help: saves.

How can you encourage viewers to take these actions?

At a recent conference, Instagram head Adam Mosseri was asked some of the most frequently asked questions about Reels. Here’s what he had to say:

Adam Mosseri: “Your content may get very little reach if your account is no longer eligible for recommendations. The first thing to check is your Account Status in Settings to make sure your profile has no restrictions or violations.”

Useful Reels — shares and saves
Funny, relatable Reels — shares
Timely news Reels — shares
Quizzes & interactive Reels — shares
Lists & checklists — saves

Adam Mosseri: “Posting frequency directly affects reach. The more often you post, the more people your content reaches, which means your audience grows faster.”

From my experience, you never know which format will take off for a particular expert, so you need to experiment as much as possible.
Here are some formats to try: talking-head videos, skits, quizzes, news, storytelling, and interactive content.
Of course, there are many more formats, but these are the basics worth testing first.

If you ask me what the most important factor behind a successful Reel is, the answer is simple: the script. A strong script should be built around the psychology of what makes people curious and keeps them interested.

It’s time to let go of the idea that there’s some magic Instagram setting that will make your Reels go viral. Or that using the right hashtags will guarantee your video takes off.
Instead, focus on the quality of the information you share. If your videos provide real value, offer unique insights from your experience, and are presented well, that’s what will help you reach a wider audience and establish yourself as an in-demand expert.

If your Reels start taking off, the key is to avoid a common mistake: don’t reinvent the wheel or waste time trying to come up with new, brilliant ideas for every video.

Figure out why those Reels performed so well and keep making similar content until it stops working.

If it was an interesting topic, explore it from a different angle. If the format made the Reel successful, great — make ten more in the same format.

Double down on what’s already working.

Adam Mosseri: “If you want to reach more new people, you need to follow these five rules:”

Instagram’s algorithms may change, but one thing stays the same: people want to watch interesting and useful videos. I’ve identified four fundamental principles to help you make Reels work for you:

In the past, an intriguing hook could be enough to help a Reel reach a large audience. Now, you need to put more effort into the entire video and your overall content strategy.

Instagram no longer evaluates Reels in isolation. The platform looks not only at whether someone watches your Reel to the end, but also at what they do next.

How the New Algorithm Works:
Reach decreases: Someone watches your Reel → closes the app.
Reach increases: Someone watches your Reel → visits your profile → starts watching more of your videos.

In the second case, the algorithm recognizes that your content was engaging enough to make the viewer want to learn more about you. This gives your account a significant advantage when it comes to reaching a wider audience.

In the past, one Reel could blow up and get millions of views, causing your other videos to gain traction as well. Now, that’s no longer enough. If your Reels cover unrelated topics, lack a consistent foundation, and don’t give people a clear reason to follow your account, new viewers will simply leave.

The Algorithm Tracks:

• How much time someone spends on your profile
• How many pieces of content they watch in one session
• Whether they follow you after watching several Reels

How to Apply This to Your Account:
Based on our experience, we’ve identified a few tactics that work particularly well for this aspect of the algorithm.
First, always include a call to action at the end of your Reel. If you don’t tell people what to do next, they probably won’t do anything.
Phrases like these work well: “Follow me for more practical tips on [your niche]” or “I’ve put together a list of the best spots in Dubai in my Highlights. Head over to my profile and check it out.”

By combining these calls to action with a comprehensive Reels growth strategy, we grew a psychology and parenting expert’s account from zero to 50,000 followers in just five months.