Instagram is updating its account status feature to better inform corporate accounts and creators why some of their posts are being blocked as it aims to be more transparent with users.
These accounts will now know which of their posts are “eligible to be recommended” by the Instagram algorithm to non-followers in other sections of the platform. This includes places like the Explore page, Reels, and In-Feed recommendations. On the flip side, Instagram will also flag accounts for why their content is not recommended by explaining how, for example, it violates our Community Guidelines, According to the advertisement (Opens in a new tab). This information can also be found on the Instagram creators page (Opens in a new tab); It’s just more front and center than before.
Once notified, creators are given a chance to either edit or delete the offending post or appeal if they think Instagram was overzealous in reporting that content. The review team will take a close look at the said post before coming back with a new decision. If this sounds familiar, that’s because regular accounts have been able to resume flagged content since Account State launched back in October 2021.
For a future update, there are hints about expanding account status to other features like search functionality as well as educating creators on how to better reach non-followers.
It is not known when and where the account status update will be released. The implication is that new features are currently being rolled out. We asked Instagram if they could clarify the launch window and if they could tell us more about future account status additions. We’ll update this story if we hear back.
Algorithm clarification
In the ad, Instagram states that it understands how frustrating it is for accounts to understand why they don’t get the engagement they once did. That’s really the point of this update: to remove confusion. Social media algorithms are a recurring source of frustration for many content creators. How these algorithms work is a closely guarded secret. If you spend enough time on YouTube, for example, you’ll eventually run into a content creator complaining about it How difficult it is to understand What is recommended or not.
There have been moves from third parties in the past year to rectify this problem. Most notably when the European Union passed it Digital Service ActAnd the Which will force tech giants like Meta to reveal how their recommendation algorithms work. However, this law will not go into effect until 2024, so first-party tools will still be limited.
But there are third-party tools. Check out the recently updated TechRadar The best social media management tools of 2022. It’s a good way to post content at the right time so you can maintain high audience engagement.
