For as long as there have been tips on growing an Instagram account, the answer was boiled down to one word: likes. But in 2026, all of that is out-of-date. The head of Instagram himself, Adam Mosseri, has outlined the three key factors for ranking as watch time, likes per reach, and sends per reach. He made this announcement back in January 2025, and Instagram has repeated it several times since then. Likes are important, but they are now part of three rather than the headline.
What Are the Three Signals?
- Watch Time: How long viewers actually watch your video. In the case of Reels, watch time and completion play the biggest role.
- Sends per reach: This is how often viewers will send your post to their friend via DM out of the overall reach you have accumulated.
- Likes per reach: Like count divided by reach. It’s a ratio, not just the likes.
Mosseri himself admits the nuance of the situation – that likes weigh slightly heavier when your content is seen by your followers, while sends weigh slightly heavier when your content is seen by non-followers.
Why “Per Reach” Makes All the Difference
Since the signals are ratio-based, a larger figure does not necessarily mean that it will be better. The post that receives 50 likes out of 1,000 views sends a much stronger signal than the one that received 200 likes out of 10,000 views. What Instagram needs to know is how many viewers reacted to the content it shared.
Why the Views Number Is Not Sufficient
The view statistic only tells us that your post reached someone. The important factor here for the algorithm is what happened after the view – did the user keep watching, rewatch it or even forward the post? Views are just the beginning. Time spent on the post and forwards determine further reach.
How the Signals Differ by Surface
| Surface | What carries the most weight |
| Reels | Watch time, completion, sends per reach |
| Feed | Interaction history, likes per reach, saves |
| Stories | Replies and interaction with accounts you follow |
| Explore | Watch time and sends, since it reaches non-followers |
Instagram runs separate ranking systems for each surface, so one post can do well in one place and badly in another.
What It Means for Creators
- Hook quickly. What happens in the first few seconds will determine whether people continue watching.
- Write for the send. What would make one person send this video on to one other person?
- Monitor your insights. Focus on average watch time and sends, not just likes.
- Assess your posts using rates. Compare likes and sends against reach, not against how many other posts got likes.
Where an SMM Panel Fits (And Does Not Fit)
Some creators rely on a service such as SmmPanel.co to provide a start for a fresh post so that there is more data available for it to be assessed against. The website offers followers, likes, views, and engagement services, with drip-feed delivery of orders, order tracking, and a 365-day refill guarantee. These are claims made by the website, and therefore a test order of low value is best.
However, there are some boundaries. A tool may provide you with numbers, but it cannot deliver genuine engagement in terms of watch time, replay rate, and DM sends since this type of interaction comes from users who are interested in the content itself. A low ratio will be seen if a boost generates views which are never watched to the end. Try using boosts for generating any views in smaller volumes, and see it as a supplement to quality content.
FAQ
Are likes still valuable on Instagram?
Yes, likes per reach is one of the three main metrics. It is now less valuable when used separately, and slightly more valuable when combined with your existing following.
What is the “send” metric in Instagram?
The send metric is when your content gets shared through DM to your friend. The share rate per reach shows how many viewers did it.
Which metric is the most important for getting new followers?
Sends are a bit more valuable for new followers, while watch time is more important for Reels.
Is it possible to optimize these metrics with the help of an SMM panel?
No, it is impossible. A tool can generate initial likes and
