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Instagram is coming to connected TVs too
Instagram boss Adam Mosseri continues hisweekly story Q&A session. This time, he talks about TV, the place of subscribers, carousels, Stories, advertising and the famous “shadowban”. Very concrete answers about how the platform really works.
Instagram is coming to TV, but in beta version
Adam Mosseri has confirmed the launch of an initial version of Instagram on TV, available for the time being on Amazon Fire TV. For the time being, the format will remain vertical and short, even on wide screens.
Instagram knows that two changes will be necessary: better management of horizontal videos and consideration of longer formats.
But the priority remains the same as on mobile: short, vertical video, then iteration according to usage.
But no “TV vs mobile” stats yet for Reels
Today, the statistics can already tell you where the views are coming from (feed, Reels tab, profile) and whether viewers are following you or not. However, there is no data by type of device (TV, mobile, tablet). Mosseri acknowledges that this is a good idea and says he wants to pass it on to the teams.
The CEO’s other responses on Instagram:
The number of subscribers still counts
Contrary to popular belief, subscribers remain central. Even though recommendations are playing an increasingly important role, Mosseri makes it clear that you are much more likely to reach a subscriber than a non-subscriber. Instagram wants to preserve this link as a pillar of the experience.
“Carousels perform better than single images”.
On average, carousels work better than a single image post. Why do carousels work?
- they encourage swiping
- they generate more likes and comments
- Instagram can show the carousel to a user who hasn’t swiped
This is not an obligation, but it is a clear lever for commitment.
How does Instagram rank the order of Stories?
All the Stories displayed at the top of the feed come from followed accounts. The order depends on the probability of interest, calculated from signals such as: probability of clicking, replying or liking. Instagram predicts these behaviours and ranks Stories accordingly.
Is it possible to increase Story views without gaining subscribers?
It’s possible, but limited. Stories are only shown to subscribers, so the growth of the account automatically helps. The real lever is engagement: test different formats, analyse which Stories generate responses, likes and messages and reproduce the mechanisms that work.
Can you succeed by posting only Reels?
Yes, Mosseri makes it clear: Reels are currently the fastest way to grow, because they are so widely distributed via recommendations. But he encourages us to diversify, with stories to strengthen the relationship with subscribers and carousels to generate engagement.
Does shadowban really exist?
Mosseri is clear: Instagram does not deliberately hide your content without explanation. On the other hand: content that breaks the rules may be shown less and certain restrictions are linked to recommendations.
Hence the “Account status” tool, which allows you to see if something is limiting your reach and how to correct the problem.
