We can’t help but wonder about the Instagram following list on our accounts. Have you ever looked at someone else’s following and wondered what it means? Why is that account at the top? Why am I near the bottom of someone’s following list? It all seems very mysterious, we know! How does the Instagram following list order work? 

The truth is that Instagram bases the following list order on a few different factors. So, there will actually be a reason why someone might be higher or lower on the list. From recent activity to mutual followers, Instagram has its own way of arranging things! Shall we find out more? Let’s go!

Where To Find a Following List 

Before we look at the reasons for the order of follower lists, let’s explore how to actually see it. Whether you want to see your list or someone else’s, it’s really quite easy to locate it. If you want to see your own following list, just head to your profile. You’ll see a list of options at the top that says “posts,” “followers,” and “following.” Just tap on “following” to open up your list. 

If you want to see someone else’s following list, just go to their profile and do the same. You’ll open up a list of people that they follow. It’ll be in a certain order, and that’s what we’re here to figure out today.

How To See Following List in Order of Latest To Earliest 

Are you wondering how to see the following list in order of latest to earliest? Let’s say you set your Instagram account up years ago. Do you remember who you followed first? The chances are, you probably don’t, but it’s always interesting to see. Or do you want to see the accounts you followed recently? 

The app shows you an order of followers list on Instagram, arranged in chronological order. Instagram actually gives you the option of this, but you can’t see it for other people. You can also use third-party tools to look at your new followers and see if anyone has unfollowed you. 

If you want an insight into the chronological order of your following list, the good news is, it’s super easy! Just go to “following” on your profile. You’ll see a lot of options, but we’re looking for the “Sort by” section. You’ll see two arrows next to each other, one pointing up and one pointing down. 

Tap on these arrows, and you’ll see:

• “Date followed: Latest”
• “Date followed: Earliest” 

Then, you’re able to see the list in chronological order. Whether it’s out of curiosity or you’re looking for a specific account, this is a great way to find out!

What Does “Followed” Mean on Instagram?

What does “followed” mean on Instagram? If someone follows you on Instagram, it means they can see your Stories and posts. If you have a private account, they’ll have to request to see this. Then, you can either accept or decline. A follower can see your account and interact with you. 

These accounts then appear in your “followers” list. If you decide to follow someone else, you’ll have the same access to their posts. If their account is public, you’re able to see their posts anyway. 

Following them just opens up the interactions and creates a stronger link. You might also see “Followed by” on Instagram. This will give you a list of other accounts you follow that also follow them.  

Instagram Following List Order: How Does the Algorithm Work?

Is the Instagram following list in order? As we mentioned before, there are actually a few different reasons why the following list looks as it does. To make matters a little bit more confusing, the following list might look different for everyone! 

However, once you know the potential reasons for it, it’s a bit easier to work out why. 

Here are some potential reasons for the Instagram order of followers:

1. Mutual Followers 

A lot of the time, people you have mutual followers with will appear at the top of a list. If you and another account share a number of followers, Instagram will show their account higher on your list. 

2. Mutual Interaction 

We all know that Instagram is all about mutual interactions. So, if you and a person regularly interact, they’ll appear higher on your list, and this will likely be the same on their list, too. From likes to saves, comments, and shares, Instagram will show you the people you interact with the most. 

Direct messages and tags can also influence this. It’s worth noting that these accounts might not rank the highest, but they’re definitely up there. 

3. Mutual Followings

Do you and a person follow a lot of the same people? If so, they’ll probably appear quite high on the list. Instagram, again, will see this as you have common interests. So their account will appear high up. This way, you can see if someone has interests similar to yours. 

For example, if you’re into cooking and you both follow food accounts, you likely have that hobby in common.

4. Location 

Sometimes, Instagram will put accounts close to your location higher on your following list. So, if you and another person live quite close, they’ll probably be quite high. Furthermore, if they’re close and you also interact a lot, chances are, they’ll be very high up on the list. 

5. Recent Followers 

If someone’s recently followed you, they’ll rank quite highly, too. They won’t make it above the people you regularly interact with or share followers and following accounts with. But they will be up there! 

If the accounts have a lot of posts and are quite active on the app, they’ll be even higher. If they have all of this going for them, they might even make it to the top. 

6. High Number of Followers and Following 

If accounts have high follower counts and follow many people, they’ll likely make it to the top. They might not be super high, but they’ll definitely be high enough to notice. They’ll appear at the top more than someone with a small amount of Instagram followers or a following list. 

7. Their Number of Posts 

Instagram is all about user-generated content, and this makes posting super important. If an account seems inactive, it’ll probably be lower on a list. However, if they’re constantly posting and have a lot of posts, they’ll rank highly. 

So, there you have it! These are some possible reasons for the order of an Instagram following list. With all of these factors combined, Instagram’s algorithm works to create an order for everyone’s accounts. That’s why different lists of followers might vary between users; it all comes down to interactions and activity on Instagram.

How Does Instagram Order Share List?

An Instagram share list is also known as your Close Friends list. This is a group of users that you select to see your Instagram Story. Rather than posting a Story for everyone, you can make sure only a select number of people see it. This list is in a certain order, too, leaving lots of people wondering how it’s determined. 

According to SocialPilot, 70% of users watch Instagram Stories daily. So, you might just want to keep some of your followers up to date with your life! Some people use Instagram Stories for engagement strategies and want to encourage interactions. Others just want to share their updates with a selected number of users.

How does Instagram order the share list? Here are some ways:

1. Interaction 

If you’re really interacting with an account by liking, commenting, and sharing, they’ll be high on the list. Instagram will assume that because of this, they’re a contender for your Close Friends story. 

2. Your Relationship With the Person 

If Instagram assumes that you and a certain account have a relationship, they’re likely to be high. For example, if you’re regularly directly messaging them or mutually interacting, they’ll probably be up there. 

3. Frequency of Interaction 

Sure, Instagram looks at interaction, but it also looks at how often you interact with someone. If you’ve sent someone a direct message once, they probably won’t rank that high. However, if you’re constantly interacting with a person’s posts or account, they’ll be high. Instagram will just see this as someone you’d want on your Close Friends Story! 

4. Profile Views 

If you and another user tend to look at each other’s profiles a lot, they’ll probably make the list. The actual amount of views isn’t known, but Instagram will see this as a mutual appreciation. 

5. Engagement With Stories 

If people regularly engage with Stories, they’ll probably rank highly. Instagram might suggest these accounts and put them high up. 

By considering these factors, Instagram will order your share list. In theory, the people that you interact with the most will be at the top. These are the accounts that Instagram views as your “close friends.”

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