What Instagram’s Boss ACTUALLY Said About Growing Your Profile in 2025

Curious about how to actually grow your Instagram following in 2025? Well, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri recently sat down with podcaster Brock Johnson to answer the most common creator questions, and I’ve sifted through the corporate-speak to give you the real insights.

No groundbreaking revelations here (sorry if you were hoping for a secret “go viral” button), but some genuinely useful clarifications about how the platform actually works in 2025.

The Feed Is Dead (For Regular Users)

Here’s the most telling admission from Mosseri:

“There are more photos and videos shared in DMs than in Stories every day, and way more photos and videos shared into Stories than into feed every day.”

Translation: Regular people barely post to their main feed anymore. It’s now primarily creator territory.

This explains why your feed is packed with recommended content from accounts you don’t follow – Instagram had to fill it with something once your actual friends stopped posting there. The main feed has essentially become a discovery platform (much like TikTok) while real connections happen in Stories and DMs.

I’ve been noticing this with my own clients – the ones focusing their energy on Stories engagement rather than perfect feed posts are seeing much stronger community building and conversion rates.

The Algorithm Isn’t Out to Get You

If you’ve experienced a sudden drop in reach, Mosseri suggests it’s probably not because Instagram changed its algorithm. Small tweaks happen daily, but major algorithm changes are rare.

Instead, he points to world events and calendar shifts: “If you see a huge swing, it probably isn’t that there was a huge change in how we rank content, it’s probably more that there was a huge change in the world.”

In other words: When your engagement tanks on a holiday weekend, it’s more likely that your audience is simply at the beach, not that Instagram suddenly hates you.

I experienced this myself during the spring bank holiday weekend – my engagement plummeted, then bounced right back on Tuesday. Sometimes the simple explanation is the right one.

Instagram vs. TikTok: The Fundamental Difference

Perhaps the most interesting part of the interview was Mosseri’s attempt to differentiate Instagram from TikTok:

“We’re not trying to optimise for time. TikTok optimises for time plus some other things. We are a place to be entertained, but we’re also a place to connect with your friends.”

He argues that if Instagram just showed longer and longer videos to keep you watching (like TikTok does), you’d miss updates from friends. So Instagram allegedly balances entertainment with connection.

Is this true? Partially. While Instagram would surely love TikTok’s addictiveness, friend connections do remain a more significant part of Instagram’s DNA. That said, with 50% of feed content now coming from accounts you don’t follow, the “connection” argument feels a bit disingenuous.

Myths Officially Busted

Mosseri also cleared up several persistent creator myths:

Myth: Being active in the app when you post boosts reach

Reality: There’s no direct correlation in Instagram’s system. However, if you’re engaging with others while your new post is live, that activity might drive people to your profile – but it’s not an algorithm boost.

Myth: Shadowbans are real

Reality: Instagram does penalise some content but generally notifies creators about restrictions. True “shadowbans” (secret penalties) only happen in extreme cases.

Myth: Hashtags are essential for growth

Reality: “Hashtags are no longer a primary way to increase your reach on Instagram. They don’t significantly increase your reach, contrary to popular belief.”

There you have it, straight from the boss’s mouth. I’ve been telling clients this for ages – stop wasting time on complex hashtag strategies and focus on creating content that actually resonates with real humans.

What This Actually Means For Your Brand

If you’re looking to grow on Instagram in 2025, here are the practical takeaways:

1. Focus on the feed for reach, Stories for connection. The feed is now your discovery tool, while Stories and DMs build deeper relationships.

2. Create standalone content. Since most feed viewers won’t know you, each post should make sense without context.

3. Don’t obsess over algorithm changes. Consistent, quality content matters more than gaming the system.

4. Stop relying on hashtags. They’re not the reach magnifiers they once were.

5. Balance entertainment and connection. Unlike TikTok, Instagram still values relationship building alongside pure entertainment.

What’s your experience with Instagram growth in 2025? Are you seeing these trends play out in your own metrics? Hit reply and let me know – I’m genuinely curious how this matches up with what you’re experiencing.