How to Get on Instagram Explore Page

Getting your content on the Instagram Explore page can feel like a guessing game, but it's a completely achievable goal with the right strategy. This page is your ticket to reaching a huge audience of new, engaged users who are likely to love what you do. We're going to break down exactly how the Explore page works and share practical steps you can take to get your posts featured.

First Things First: What is the Instagram Explore Page?

The Instagram Explore page is a discovery engine filled with photos, videos, Reels, and Stories, all personalized for each user. Unlike your regular feed, which shows posts from accounts you follow, the Explore page is a collection of content from accounts you don’t follow but that Instagram’s algorithm thinks you’ll find interesting.

Every user's Explore page is unique. It’s tailored based on their activity - the accounts they follow, the posts they like and save, and the type of content they spend time watching. For creators and businesses, this is a massive opportunity. Landing here means getting your content in front of a warm audience that has already shown interest in your niche. It’s one of the most effective ways to grow your account organically with highly relevant followers.

How the Explore Page Algorithm Actually Works

Instagram's algorithm isn't magic, it’s a system looking for signals to determine what content to show. For the Explore page, it primarily weighs three things:

• User Activity: The algorithm monitors what each user likes, comments on, shares, and saves. If someone constantly engages with content about sustainable fashion, their Explore page will be filled with posts from sustainable fashion brands, creators, and advocates. The algorithm is looking for established patterns of interest.
• Information About the Post: This is where you have control. The algorithm analyzes your content's format (Reel vs. photo), the words in your caption, the hashtags you use, and any location tags. It uses this data to categorize your post and understand what it's about so it can show it to the right people.
• Your Relationship with the User: While the goal is to show content from new accounts, the algorithm may prioritize content from an account a user has interacted with before, even if they don't follow them. It also looks at the interaction history of your account in general - if people who see your content tend to engage with it, that’s a positive signal.

The simplest way to think about it is this: the algorithm wants to match great content with the people who will find it most interesting. Your job is to create fantastic content and give the algorithm all the right clues so it knows who to show it to.

Actionable Strategies to Get Your Content on the Explore Page

Knowing how the algorithm works is great, but putting that knowledge into practice is what gets results. Here are concrete strategies you can use starting today.

1. Truly Understand Your Niche and Audience

You can't get on the Explore page if you're creating content for everybody. The algorithm needs to know who your ideal audience is so it can find them. To do this, you need to define your niche and stick to it.

• Identify Your Ideal Follower: Who are they? What are their interests, pain points, and passions? Are they new parents looking for sleep tips, home chefs trying to perfect their sourdough, or small business owners navigating marketing? Get specific.
• Create Content for Them: Everything you post should provide value - whether that’s education, inspiration, or entertainment - to that very specific person. Consistency teaches the algorithm exactly what your account is about. If you post about a vegan recipe one day, a workout the next, and your dog the day after, the algorithm gets confused and doesn't know who to show your content to.

2. Go All-In on Video, Especially Reels

Look at your own Explore page right now. It's almost entirely video, and a huge chunk of that is Reels. Instagram is heavily prioritizing short-form video, so if you want to reach new audiences, this is the format to master.

Tips for Creating Explore-Worthy Reels:

• Hook Them in 3 Seconds: Start your video with a bold statement, a surprising visual, or a question. The first few seconds determine whether someone keeps scrolling or sticks around.
• Use Trending Audio and Features: Tap into trending sounds and effects. The algorithm often gives a boost to content using popular audio formats because users are already engaging with them. You can find trending audio by scrolling through your Reels feed and looking for the upward arrow icon next to the sound name.
• Tell a Quick, Satisfying Story: Your Reel should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Whether it’s a problem/solution format, a quick tutorial, a before/after transformation, or just a funny skit, make it feel complete.
• Keep it Visually Interesting: Use quick cuts, dynamic camera angles, and on-screen text to hold attention. High-quality video is a must, no one wants to watch a blurry, poorly lit clip.

3. Optimize Every Single Post for Discovery

Don't just hit publish and hope for the best. Taking a few extra minutes to optimize your content gives the algorithm clear signals about what your post is about, which is a big part of getting discovered.

• Write Captions that Encourage Engagement: Your caption shouldn’t be an afterthought. Tell a story, share a useful tip, or ask a question. The goal is to get people to spend time on your post and, ideally, interact. End your caption with a clear call-to-action (CTA) like "Share this with a friend who needs to hear it!" or "What's your favorite tip? Let me know below!" Saves, shares, and comments are powerful signals for the algorithm.
• Use a Strategic Mix of Hashtags: Throwing 30 huge hashtags like #love or #tuesday on your post won't get you anywhere. Instead, use a mix of 10-15 highly relevant hashtags. Think of it like a funnel:
  • Broad Hashtags (1-2): These are higher volume tags related to your industry (e.g., #SocialMediaMarketing).
  • Niche Hashtags (5-7): These get more specific and have a more dedicated audience (e.g., #InstagramGrowthTips, #ContentCreationStrategy).
  • Community Hashtags (3-5): These are tags that your ideal followers are actively using and searching for (e.g., #FemaleEntrepreneurCommunity).
• Tag Brands, Collaborators, and Locations: If your post features a product, tag the brand. If you're working with another creator, feature them with the collaboration tool. If you're at a specific location, tag it. Each tag creates another pathway for people to discover your content.

4. Spark Engagement Right After You Post

The first hour after your post goes live is critical. A big burst of engagement tells Instagram, "Hey, people really like this!" which can encourage the algorithm to push it out more widely, including to the Explore page.

Get into the habit of staying on the app for 15-30 minutes after you post. As comments come in, reply to them right away. This does two things: it doubles your comment count (your reply counts as another comment) and shows the algorithm that you’re building a conversation and community around your content. Share your new post to your Stories to direct your existing followers to engage with it immediately.

5. Analyze What's Already Working

Your own analytics are a goldmine of information. Stop guessing and start looking at the data directly in your Instagram Insights.

1. Navigate to a specific post and tap View Insights.
2. Under the Reach section, you'll see a breakdown of your impressions. Look for a line item called From Explore.

If you see a significant number there, congratulations! You’ve already made it to the Explore page. Now, study that post. What format was it (Reel, Carousel)? What was the topic? What hook did you use in the caption or the first few seconds of the video? What hashtags did you pick? The goal is to identify patterns in your successful content so you can intentionally replicate those wins.

6. Post When Your Audience Is Most Active

To get that initial surge of engagement, you need to post when your followers are actually online and scrolling. Luckily, Instagram makes this easy to find.

Go to your Professional Dashboard &rarr, Account Insights &rarr, Total Followers. Scroll to the bottom to find the Most Active Times section. This will show you exactly which days and hours your audience is most likely to be online. Use this as a starting point, and schedule your content to go live during these peak windows.

Final Thoughts

Getting your content on the Instagram Explore page boils down to consistently creating high-value content for a specific audience and optimizing it so the algorithm knows who to show it to. Focus on building a community around your niche, lean into engaging formats like Reels, and use your analytics to repeat your successes.

We know that managing content, especially video for Reels and other platforms, can feel chaotic. That’s why we built Postbase from the ground up to handle the content formats that matter today. It allows you to plan your content strategy on a visual calendar and schedule posts reliably, helping you stay consistent without the stress. It streamlines the whole process so you can focus more on creating awesome things and less on juggling apps.