Instagram’s 5 SEO Major Updates in July 2025: What You Need to Know

July 19, 2025 Surya Comments Off

Table of Contents

Introduction

Instagram has rolled out a series of Instagram updates in July 2025 that significantly impact how content is shared, discovered, and engaged with. These changes reflect Instagram’s shift toward a more user-focused, value-driven platform where originality, personalization, and utility are prioritized over passive consumption.

Whether you are a creator, brand, or casual user, understanding these changes is essential for staying relevant and visible. Here is a detailed breakdown of the five biggest Instagram updates and how you can adapt.

Shares and Saves Are Now Key Engagement Metrics

Instagram’s algorithm is evolving. While likes and comments still matter, they no longer hold the top spot in driving content visibility. Instead, Instagram now gives greater weight to content that is shared or saved by users.

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This shift reflects a deeper intention: users are more likely to save or share content that is truly helpful, inspirational, or relevant. These signals indicate meaningful engagement, not just surface-level interaction.

What does this mean for creators and brands?

You should focus on producing content that people will want to come back to or pass along to others. Informational carousels, how-to guides, infographics, and emotionally resonant stories all tend to perform better under this model.

Strategies to improve share and save rates include:

Creating tip-based carousels or tutorials
Sharing relatable personal experiences
Posting inspirational quotes, stats, or case studies
Using CTA prompts like “save this for later” or “share with a friend who needs this”

Instagram’s internal data suggests that saves and shares lead to a greater reach across both feed and Explore, making these metrics essential for growth.

Quiet Posting Feature Gives You More Control

Instagram has introduced a new setting called “Post Quietly.” This allows you to publish content to your profile without it showing up in your followers’ feeds. The post still appears on your profile grid, but it will not be pushed into timelines.

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This feature is especially useful for content that serves a purpose on your profile but does not require wide broadcast. It gives users, particularly brands and creators, more control over their aesthetic or content flow without the fear of overposting or spamming followers.

Ideal use cases for Quiet Posts:

Visual content added purely for grid design consistency
Posts intended to be discovered via search or profile views
Low-pressure updates or product photos
Draft-style posts or experiments without algorithm pressure

Quiet posting is a subtle but powerful way to maintain your profile presence while managing visibility.

Reorder Your Profile Grid with Drag-and-Drop

One of the most requested features is finally live. Instagram now allows you to manually reorder your posts in your profile grid. This gives creators full control over the visual flow of their content.

Before this, users had to delete and re-upload posts just to move them around on the grid. Now, with the “Edit Grid” feature, you can drag and drop posts to your preferred layout instantly.

Source: metricool.com

Benefits of this feature:

Align your top posts with brand storytelling or seasonal campaigns
Showcase your best-performing or most aesthetic content up front
Group content by theme, format, or campaign
Refresh your grid without impacting engagement data

This is particularly valuable for influencers, coaches, portfolio-based profiles, and any user focused on first impressions.

Watch Reels at 2x Speed

Instagram has added a new playback option that lets users watch Reels at double speed. This feature mirrors similar functionality on YouTube and TikTok and reflects evolving user behavior.

Viewers want to consume more content in less time, especially if a video feels slow-paced or long-winded. This gives the audience more control while pushing creators to communicate faster and more efficiently.

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What this means for content creators:

Grab attention quickly. You now have just a few seconds to hook your viewer.
Keep text overlays, visuals, and audio optimized for clarity even when sped up.
Avoid long intros or build-ups unless absolutely necessary
Use tighter editing and clean transitions to retain viewer focus

The 2x speed feature doesn’t just help viewers, it trains creators to be more intentional with every second of content.

3:4 Is Now the Default Image Ratio for Posts

Instagram has quietly updated its default post ratio to 3:4. Previously, 4:5 was the go-to vertical size, especially for portrait images and most Reels thumbnails.

Now, using a 4:5 image may result in subtle cropping within the profile grid, particularly at the top and bottom edges. Instagram’s UI seems more visually aligned to 3:4 content, and creators should adjust accordingly.

What to do about it:

Design all new image posts using 3:4 aspect ratio for consistent grid layout
Update your Canva or photo editing templates to this new size
Avoid placing important text or objects near image borders
If using 4:5 content, preview it carefully to catch cropping issues

While this may seem like a minor update, grid harmony plays a major role in user retention, profile visits, and brand presentation especially for business accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do likes and comments still help with reach?

Yes, but they are now secondary. Shares and saves offer stronger signals of value and are prioritized in Instagram’s algorithm.

2. Will using Quiet Post limit visibility completely?

Quiet posts won’t appear in your followers’ feeds, but they are still visible on your profile and may surface via search or hashtags.

3. Can I rearrange carousel images inside a post?

No, the reorder feature only works at the grid level. Carousel media cannot be rearranged after posting.

4. Will 2x speed Reels affect watch time metrics?

Viewers control playback speed. Your analytics will reflect total views regardless of speed. Shorter, clearer content will typically perform better.

5. Does the new ratio affect Stories or Reels?

No, this change only applies to feed posts. Stories and Reels continue using 9:16 (vertical full screen).

6. Can I rearrange posts from years ago?

Yes, any past post can be moved in the grid using the “Edit Grid” feature.

7. Can I use Quiet Post for Reels or only images?

Currently, the Quiet Post toggle appears primarily for feed posts. Future updates may expand this.

8. Will changing the order of posts affect their engagement?

No. It won’t reset likes, comments, or timestamps. It only adjusts the order in which posts appear on your profile.

9. Should businesses adjust their content strategy?

Absolutely. Businesses should focus more on shareable guides, tutorials, and customer stories to improve save and share performance.

Final Thoughts

These Instagram updates reflect a growing focus on quality, intention, and creator control. From algorithm changes to design flexibility, every update pushes users to prioritize value and experience over quantity.

If you’re a creator or brand looking to grow in 2025, this is your moment to shift from broadcasting content to building experiences that resonate and circulate.

Create for people, not just platforms and the algorithm will follow.

Surya

SEO & Digital Marketing Expert