Instagram’s Explore function lets users discover new profiles that reflect their interests. This means you can take certain steps to get onto this page and build a strong network. In this article, we show how to get on the Instagram Explore page and answer any questions you might have.
You have to work within Instagram’s unique algorithm in order to get high engagement for your account. This can often be quite difficult, as the platform doesn’t share many details about how it recommends posts. However, it’s still possible to follow certain tips in your content strategy to show up on the Explore page.
What Is the Instagram Explore Page?
Instagram works to keep you on its platform by only showing posts that match your previous activity. The Explore page is at the heart of this, serving as a tailored collection of public posts. Instagram mainly bases this process on the types of posts you engage with, but some of the factors are unclear.
On the Explore page, you’ll only see posts from accounts you don’t interact with. On top of this, the content it shows will be entirely fresh each time you click on (or refresh) it. This is because the page exists specifically to point out new accounts you might want to follow.
You can find the Instagram Explore page by clicking the magnifying glass graphic at the bottom of your feed. This will instantly bring up a mix of photos and reels that suit your interests. This should be the case, but there are times when the content doesn’t fit with what you want to see.
The Explore feature is essential for helping users find new accounts to follow. With this in mind, your content can reach a far wider audience if it gets onto the page. For business profiles, in particular, this could mean more sales and a bigger overall brand presence on the platform.
Tips for How To Get on the Instagram Explore Page
Once you know the answer to ‘What is the Instagram Explore page?’ you might want to get onto it. It may be difficult to figure out the exact ranking signals their algorithm uses, but it’s worth the effort. Try these tips to boost your chances of appearing on the Explore page.
1. Know Your Audience
Create profiles of your target audience to find the content they’re most likely to respond to. Your own Explore page can point you in the right direction. This will show the tone and content types that get the most engagement.
2. Change Your Formats
Instagram is about much more than simply sharing photos. It also includes reels, notes, stories, live videos, and carousel posts. Reels are very popular among younger audiences, though you must be careful as Instagram penalizes videos with a TikTok watermark.
3. Add the Right Hashtags
You can boost your post’s reach in the algorithm using hashtags. These are quite a big factor in Instagram’s discoverability, especially if you pair them with geotags. Look for relevant hashtags with low levels of competition but high engagement.
4. Post at the Right Time
The Explore page is always refreshing for each user. This means your posting times affect when a post appears for people. Posting at a good time also gives your content the engagement it will need for Instagram to consider promoting it.
5. Consider Using Ads
You can share your post as an Explore ad to get more eyes on it. This puts you in the scrollable feed alongside the other Explore-worthy pictures and videos for a one-time cost. However, only a high-quality post will get engagement.
The Factors Behind the Explore Page
Meta, the company behind Instagram, does share some details about its algorithms. There are some details the platform will always keep secret, however. This is to stop users from being able to easily manipulate the Explore function, which would defeat the page’s purpose. If everybody knew the full details, they might use this page to promote phishing links or spammy giveaways.
Instagram uses AI to figure out which posts to promote to your Explore feed. Your user data will be the main factor in its decisions. This mainly includes the posts you’ve previously liked, saved, shared, commented on, and even viewed for long periods of time. For example, if you only view most posts for a few seconds, the page prioritizes shorter reels.
You won’t see posts from accounts you already follow. The focus of the Explore page remains on connecting you with new content that’s similar to what you already enjoy. This may include posts that your network likes or engages with, even if they don’t fit you. This leads to questions such as, ‘Why is my Instagram Explore page full of models?’
As you can see, many of the factors that Instagram uses boil down to sharing high-quality posts that get engagement. Ultimately, knowing how to get on the Explore page on Instagram means learning how to create content that people enjoy. If accounts in your network are more likely to share or comment on certain posts, use these as inspiration.
The Benefits of Being on Instagram’s Explore Page
Creators will see plenty of benefits if they get onto the Explore page on Instagram. This enables them to reach a tailored audience of 2 billion active users. Here are just some of the benefits you can enjoy by appearing on the Explore page:
- A tailored audience: This is the main benefit of the Explore page. It connects you with accounts Instagram believes will like your content. The platform’s AI guarantees the right profiles see your posts, so long as you tailor them correctly.
- New followers: If the accounts who see your content enjoy it, they might then decide to follow you. Make sure your whole profile is to a high standard if you want to impress the people clicking through.
- More interactions: You’ll naturally get a much higher level of audience engagement on posts on the Explore page. This also helps you move up in your network, as popular posts will show you as a thought leader.
- Higher sales: Business accounts with Instagram Shopping can advertise their products in their posts. So, you can get new customers via Explore. End each of your posts with a good call-to-action, as this could inspire them to buy from your business.
- Positive feedback: Your Instagram Insights will show how much of your recent engagement is from the Explore page. If Instagram promotes your post in this way, it can show that your content is heading in the right direction.
Why Is My Instagram Explore Page Full of Models?
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell why Instagram recommends certain types of content or posts on your Explore page. However, there are only a few possible explanations for this. If your Explore page is full of models, for example, someone in your network might be liking those posts. This should be visible on the posts themselves if you check.
Alternatively, this might just be because influencer marketing is very popular. These posts often involve models promoting products on their personal pages in exchange for a fee. The content they share might still relate to your niche, just in a format you’re unfamiliar with. They may also be spambots using popular keywords to game the algorithm.
There is even the possibility that someone else with access to your account has been looking at this content. No matter the reason, you can control Instagram’s recommendations. Go onto one of the posts in question and click the three dots in the top right. From here, click Not Interested, and Instagram will suggest fewer of those posts.
You can also use your settings to manually change the suggestions. Visit your profile by clicking the person icon or profile picture on the bottom right of your feed. Press on the three horizontal lines above your following count and scroll down to Suggested Content. Here, you can reduce sensitive or political content and mute specific phrases.
How To Reset Explore Page on Instagram
You can refresh your Explore suggestions by pulling down on your phone’s screen while viewing the page. For PC, you can simply refresh the page instead. This replaces the entire gallery with new suggestions. Instagram might interpret the refresh as you not liking the last round of posts. However, the platform will still mostly use the same data to recommend new ones.
If these recommendations still don’t suit your interests, you can learn how to reset Explore page on Instagram. This involves entirely clearing your search history. Go to your profile settings and click Your Activity near the top of the page. Scroll down to Recent Searches and click on it to see your search history. Tap Clear All to remove this data from Instagram and start anew.
This method allows you to rebuild your Explore from the ground up. If you’re hoping to take your profile in a new direction, clearing your history makes sure your recommendations follow suit. In some cases, however, the app will still recommend posts using your account’s data. Creating a new account might be the only guarantee of a fresh Explore page with entirely new content.
How Big Is Instagram’s Explore Page?
It’s possible for users to scroll endlessly through Instagram’s Explore page. This is by design, as a stream of high-quality posts could engage them for quite a long time. However, users will likely stop scrolling when the content becomes less relevant to them. This is because Instagram puts the most relevant posts at the top of the page.
The Explore function loads around eight rows of photos each time, though reels take up more of this space. Scrolling down loads the next eight rows. Even if your posts only end up on the second or third ‘page’ of results, they can still get traction. Just getting onto Explore at all should help you get high engagement.
The initial set of posts will usually be from the past few days. Though posting times are a factor, this is just one of many that Instagram’s AI takes into account. Refreshing will also make it more likely that the platform calls upon older posts. With this in mind, the Explore page will never run out of posts.
By figuring out how to get on the Instagram Explore page, you’ll enjoy better engagement and a tailored audience. snsflow.com can help you even more by boosting your profile with paid organic followers that interact with your content.
Your account’s engagement is yet another factor that will help decide if your content gets onto the Explore page. This means a burst of activity on your profile will make a big difference. Learn how snsflow.com can bring your brand to new heights today.
