In 2025, Instagram’s feed is overwhelmingly driven by video content and real-time engagement. Short Reels now dominate users’ streams, and the platform’s AI favors posts that rack up likes, comments, and shares immediately after publishing. In fact, studies indicate that over 70% of a Reel’s total engagement comes within the first hour of posting. Instagram’s ranking systems also prioritize recency – newer posts are shown first, and high early engagement signals (likes or saves) can push content to non-followers faster. Likewise, deeper interactions like saves carry extra weight – “saves signal huge interest and engagement” and can boost a post’s ranking in feeds. With these algorithmic changes, creating a big burst of likes at publish time can make the difference between a viral hit and obscurity.