The Instagram algorithm determines the order of posts in each user’s feed. It is not chronological. Instead, it ranks posts based on signals like how often you interact with that account, how popular the post is, how recent it is, and how similar it is to content you have engaged with before.
For local businesses, this means posting consistently matters more than posting frequently. If you post once a week every week, Instagram learns that your followers engage with your content and keeps showing it. If you post five times one week and disappear for a month, the algorithm deprioritizes you.
The signals that help your posts rank higher: saves (the strongest signal), comments (especially longer ones), shares (via DM or story), and likes (the weakest signal). Content that generates saves and shares reaches more people than content that only gets likes.
Review posts perform well with the algorithm because people save them as recommendations to try later. See how to share Google reviews on Instagram.