Why Is Adam Mosseri Asking Creators To Stop Obsessing Over Reach?
Instagram creators often judge a post’s success based on one thing – reach. But according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri, that mindset may be misleading.
Mosseri recently shared new guidance for creators explaining that engagement rates are far more important than raw reach numbers when trying to understand how content is actually performing on Instagram.
The statement comes at a time when creators constantly track views, recommendations, and follower growth to understand the algorithm. However, Mosseri clarified that reach alone does not explain why some posts perform better than others.
Instead, he says creators should focus on how people interact with their content after seeing it.
What Does Instagram Mean By Engagement Rate?
According to Mosseri, engagement rate measures how many people took action after seeing a post.
These actions include:
- Likes
- Shares
- Saves
- Comments
- Other forms of interaction
In simple terms, engagement rate helps creators understand whether viewers actually cared about the content instead of just scrolling past it.
Mosseri explained that this metric is often a stronger indicator of content quality because it directly influences how Instagram decides to distribute posts further across the platform.
This means a post with lower reach but stronger engagement may actually perform better algorithmically than a post with massive reach but weak interaction.
What Is The Difference Between Connected And Unconnected Reach?
Mosseri also encouraged creators to study where their reach is coming from.
Instagram insights now separate reach into two categories:
- Connected reach – people who already follow you
- Unconnected reach – people who discovered your content through recommendations
The second category is especially important for creators trying to grow beyond their existing audience.
If unconnected reach is high, it usually means Instagram’s recommendation system is pushing the content to new viewers through Explore, Reels, or suggested posts.
This breakdown can help creators understand whether their content is mainly serving existing followers or attracting entirely new audiences.
Are Insights Available On Edited Reels Too?
Mosseri additionally clarified that Instagram insights are also available for edited content, not just original uploads.
This is particularly relevant for Reels creators who frequently trim, re-edit, or repost videos before publishing them.
The clarification reassures creators that engagement tracking still works properly even after edits are made to content.
Why Does This Matters For Creators?
Mosseri’s comments reflect a broader shift in how platforms now evaluate creator performance.
Instead of rewarding only viral reach numbers, platforms increasingly prioritize meaningful interactions and audience retention. For creators, this means understanding audience behavior may become more valuable than chasing view counts alone.
The guidance also gives creators a clearer way to diagnose why certain posts succeed while others underperform, especially in an era where Instagram recommendations heavily influence visibility.