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Instagram’s Algorithm Changes: Lowers Video Quality for Less Popular Content

By Mark McDonnell

Instagram is Lowering Video Quality for Unpopular Videos

Instagram controls the quality of the content based on the popularity it holds, the least popular video will have a lesser quality compared to a highly watched video. The new measure aims to provide significant value to the deserving content. 

The Meta-owned social media platform, Instagram is one of the most used apps by people across the world. Instagram has made several updates to enhance the quality of the content delivered to the users. In a recent video, Meta executive, Adam Mosseri says that the quality of content depends on the number of viewers it has, if a video that has been popular for a long time and is not watched by many recently, the quality is reduced.  The higher the audience, the greater the quality delivered.

Generally, the platform tries to serve the best quality of content, however, if something is not watched for a long time because the vast majority of viewers are in the beginning, the video quality will be lessened and is used to show users the highest quality content we can showcase

Adam Mosseri

Though Meta has already informed users about scaling video qualities based on popularity, the recent Thread video revealing Mosseri’s strategy is gaining criticism. However, the Meta has cleared that the change is happening not on an individual level but aggregately, thus no impact can occur on individual viewer engagement. He also added that watching a video is not based on the quality of the video but on the content it delivers.

According to many users, the new change suppresses the upcoming content creators since popular creators get unethical privileges. In 2021, the company referred to the challenges of keeping up with the number of videos uploaded, implementing the new strategy allows to incorporate more videos to the platform. 

A video’s popularity is estimated using different factors including the number of views within a prescribed time limit, the number of shares, and the amount of interaction it receives as soon as posted. The videos are ranked based on this, and the video will be prioritized in the user’s feed, giving an extended chance to increase the views. This results in an increasing follower count and thereby more visibility to their content.

Instagram also introduced matrices that can be used by video creators to analyze their performance, allowing them to make necessary improvements if required. Video creators are given incentives according to the reach of their videos and with a monetized video system more incentives will reach the deserved. Including polls and ‘Q and A’ sessions in videos increases user interaction and helps to improve the overall user experience. 

This approach manages the video uploads and also helps to compete with other leading social platforms like TikiTok and YouTube which are continuously making changes to remain at the front foot of the industry. In the coming days, we can analyze how the new changes will foster the user experience and quality of content. 

See More: How Instagram Conceals Your Political Posts: Don’t Say “Vote”

Mark McDonnell

Mark McDonnell is a seasoned technology writer with over 10 years of experience covering a wide range of tech topics, including tech trends, network security, cloud computing, CRM systems, and more. With a strong background in IT and a passion for staying ahead of industry developments, Mark delivers in-depth, well-researched articles that provide valuable insights for businesses and tech enthusiasts alike. His work has been featured in leading tech publications, and he continuously works to stay at the forefront of innovation, ensuring readers receive the most accurate and actionable information. Mark holds a degree in Computer Science and multiple certifications in cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure, and he is committed to producing content that reflects the highest standards of expertise and trustworthiness.

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