Maya Robertson
In an effort to dispel persistent myths about Instagram’s content ranking, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has addressed a prevalent misconception: that the platform deliberately downranks sponsored content. In his latest video update, Mosseri reaffirms that tagging posts as sponsored does not negatively impact their reach on the platform.
Mosseri clarified the issue directly, explaining, “We don’t downrank posts that you mark as sponsored. It helps us understand Instagram to know what is sponsored, but it’s important for creators to mark things as sponsored without fear of downranking so that they can comply with local laws all around the world.” This statement aims to reassure brands and influencers that they can transparently tag partnerships without concerns about reduced visibility.
The idea that sponsored posts might be downranked by Instagram has been a common belief among creators, with many assuming that tagging content as “sponsored” would prompt Instagram’s algorithm to restrict its reach to encourage paid promotion. However, Mosseri suggested that any perceived decrease in engagement may be due to audience behavior, as some users are less likely to interact with posts they know are sponsored. Rather than algorithmic interference, this natural audience behavior may be the reason why some sponsored posts see less reach.
This clarification is part of Mosseri’s ongoing series aimed at addressing users’ questions and misconceptions. In recent updates, he’s also covered topics like the impact of platform watermarks on reach, noting that Reels featuring TikTok or YouTube logos could face reduced visibility, though original content with brand logos won’t be penalized.
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