How to Get Instagram Recommended

Landing on Instagram’s recommended surfaces - like the Explore page or Reels feed - can feel like striking gold, bringing a rush of new followers and engagement overnight. But getting there is less about random luck and much more about a deliberate strategy. This guide breaks down the actionable steps you can take to signal to the Instagram algorithm that your content is worth recommending starting today.

Understanding How Instagram Recommendations Work

Before you can get recommended, you need to understand what that actually means. Instagram "recommends" content in several key places:

• The Explore Page: A personalized grid of photos, videos, and Reels from accounts you don't follow, tailored to your interests.
• The Reels Feed: The endless, scrollable feed dedicated to short-form video, primarily surfacing content from creators you haven't discovered yet.
• In-Feed Suggestions: Posts recommended directly in the main feed, mixed in with content from accounts you do follow.

In all cases, the goal is the same: Instagram wants to keep users on the app longer by showing them highly relevant content they'll love. Your job is to create content that serves a specific audience so well that the algorithm identifies it as a perfect match for that group. It's not about gaming the system, it's about making the algorithm's job easy.

Step 1: Build a Strong Foundation with an Optimized Profile

Your profile is the first data point the algorithm looks at to understand who you are and what you do. If your profile is confusing or generic, Instagram won’t know who to recommend your content to. A few adjustments can make a world of difference.

Switch to a Professional Account

If you haven’t already, switch your personal profile to a Creator or Business account. It’s free and takes 30 seconds. This move is essential because it unlocks Instagram Insights, the analytics engine that shows you precisely how your content is performing, including how many non-followers you’re reaching. Without data, you’re just guessing.

How to do it: Go to Settings and Privacy >, Account Type and Tools >, Switch to professional account.

Optimize Your Name and Bio with Niche Keywords

Your Instagram name field - not your @username - is fully searchable. Think of it as your profile's SEO title. Instead of just putting your name, include a keyword that describes what you do. This small tweak helps people (and the algorithm) find you.

• Instead of: Jane Smith
• Use: Jane Smith | Vegan Recipes

Do the same for your bio. Clearly state who you help and what you offer, using terms your ideal follower would search for. A clear, keyword-rich bio helps Instagram categorize your account and put you in the right "interest bucket" for recommendations.

Tell Instagram What Your Post Is About with Alt Text

Alternative (alt) text is a feature designed for visually impaired users, but it also serves as a direct way to tell the algorithm exactly what is in your photo or video. While Instagram's AI is good at image recognition, being explicit removes all guesswork.

Before publishing a post, go to Advanced Settings >, Write alt text and describe the image using your keywords.

• Average Alt Text: “Woman stretching on a yoga mat.”
• Optimized Alt Text: “Brunette woman in a high lunge yoga pose in a bright, modern studio, demonstrating a morning mobility routine.”

This level of detail helps Instagram better understand the context of your post, increasing the chances it will be shown to people interested in yoga, wellness, and mobility.

Step 2: Create "Recommendable" Content

Your content is the primary driver for getting recommended. Certain content formats and styles send stronger positive signals to the algorithm. A focus on Reels is essential, as this is where Instagram is pushing the most non-follower discovery.

Master the First 3 Seconds with a Powerful Hook

Attention spans are nonexistent. If you don't grab a viewer's interest in the first three seconds of a Reel, they're gone. A strong hook is not optional, it's a requirement. It should immediately answer the viewer's unspoken question: "What's in it for me?"

Here are some hook formulas that work:

• Ask a question: "Are you making this common kitchen mistake?"
• Make a bold statement: "This is the most underrated travel spot in Europe."
• Start in the middle of the action: Begin with a visually striking part of your process, then explain how you got there.
• Use text hooks: "3 Ways to Style a White T-Shirt" directly on screen.

Target Shares and Saves (the Algorithm's Favorite Signals)

Likes and comments are good, but shares and saves are engagement gold. Why? Because they signal that your content is so valuable someone wants to return to it later (a save) or endorse it to their own network (a share). The algorithm weighs these actions very heavily.

How do you get more of them? Ask for them. Make your Call to Action (CTA) specific to sharing or saving.

• "Save this workout for your next leg day."
• "Send this to a friend who needs a vacation."
• "Bookmark this recipe for easy weeknight dinners."

Content that is inherently useful - tutorials, checklists, hacks, tips, and step-by-step guides - is naturally more "saveable."

Use Trending Audio the Smart Way

Using trending audio on Reels can give you a significant boost in reach by placing your video in a feed specifically for that sound. You can identify trending audio by seeing an upward-facing arrow next to the audio's name.

However, don't just jump on a trend blindly. Ask yourself: "Does this trend align with my brand and provide value to my audience?" A lawyer using a silly dance trend might feel out of place, but they could use the same audio to act out a funny client interaction. Relevance is everything.

Always Prioritize High-Quality Visuals and Audio

This rule is simple: nobody wants to watch blurry, poorly-lit videos with scratchy audio. The algorithm knows this. Instagram actively prioritizes visually appealing, high-resolution original content. You don't need a professional Hollywood setup, but a few basics go a long way:

• Use good lighting: Film facing a window or use a simple ring light.
• Ensure clear audio: Use an external mic or film in a quiet space.
• Shoot in 9:16 vertical format: Fill the entire screen.
• Avoid visible watermarks: Instagram has confirmed it deprioritizes content that is visibly recycled from other apps (like TikTok).

Step 3: Reinforce Your Relevance with Consistency and Community

Getting recommended isn't a one-and-done deal. You build momentum by consistently showing up and solidifying your place within a niche.

Post Consistently to Build Momentum

Consistency signals to the algorithm that you’re a reliable and active creator. This doesn't mean you must post three times daily, but find a realistic schedule and stick to it. Whether it's three Reels a week or one post a day, a predictable cadence helps the algorithm "learn" your behavior and keeps your audience engaged. A regular posting schedule continuously gives the algorithm new content to test with different audiences.

Use a Smart Hashtag and Keyword Strategy

Instagram's search capabilities have evolved. It now scans your entire caption, not just your hashtags, for keywords. This means you should write your captions as if you're writing for a search engine. Include words and phrases that describe your content and niche naturally within the first couple of sentences.

For hashtags, aim for a mix of types to cover all your bases:

• Broad hashtags (1-2): High-traffic tags to describe the overall topic (e.g., #homedecor).
• Niche hashtags (3-5): More specific tags to narrow down your audience (e.g., #neutralhomedecor, #organicmodern).
• Community hashtags (2-3): Tags used by your ideal followers to be a part of a community (e.g., #myneutralhome, #apartmenttherapy).

Engage Meaningfully to Signal Your Niche

Social media is a two-way street. How you behave on the platform also tells the algorithm who you are. Engage not just with your followers, but also with other accounts in your space. Leaving thoughtful, genuine comments on posts from creators in your niche does two things:

1. It introduces you to their audience.
2. It reinforces to the algorithm which "community" your account belongs to.

Likewise, respond to comments and DMs on your own content promptly. Active engagement shows the algorithm that you are a positive contributor to the platform's ecosystem.

Step 4: Analyze and Double Down on What Works

Finally, stop guessing and start analyzing. Your Instagram Insights hold the key to faster growth.

Find Your Winners in Your Analytics

After posting consistently for a few weeks, dive into your Reels and post insights. Look for a few key metrics:

• Accounts Reached: Sort by this to see which posts reached the most people. Pay close attention to the split between "followers" and "non-followers." A high non-follower percentage means the algorithm successfully recommended it.
• Saves &, Shares: Look for the content that generated the most of these high-value interactions.

Create More of Your Winning Content

Identify your top 3-5 performing posts from the last 30 days. Don't just look at the posts themselves, analyze why they worked. Was it the hook? The format (e.g., a "talking head" video versus a montage)? The topic?

Your goal is to turn your successes into a repeatable system. If a Reel breaking down a common myth in your industry went viral, create a series out of it. If a tutorial got tons of saves, start a weekly "how-to" segment. Analyzing your successes and building on them is the fastest way to get more winning content into the recommendation engine.

Final Thoughts

Getting your content recommended on Instagram isn't about finding a secret hack, it's about consistently providing clear signals to the algorithm about who you are and who your content is for. By optimizing your profile, creating high-value, shareable content, and engaging with your community, you make it easy for Instagram to put your posts in front of the right people.

Maintaining that level of consistency can feel like a full-time job, especially when it comes to planning and scheduling, which can be a constant battle. At Postbase, we built a modern social media management tool designed for how people create today. We put a strong focus on essentials like a simple visual content calendar and reliable scheduling for Reels and other video formats, so you can spend less time fumbling with clunky software and more time doing what actually gets you discovered: creating great content.