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Instagram Video Blurry? Company Heads Admit Quality is Degraded if Views are Low
If you’ve ever uploaded a video to Instagram only to find that it looks grainy or blurry—especially compared to what you originally uploaded—you’re not alone. Many users have noticed that the video quality on Instagram seems to degrade after posting, especially when videos have low engagement or views. While Instagram has long been a platform focused on visuals, it’s not uncommon for videos to look a little worse after uploading. In recent months, however, company executives have finally admitted that Instagram intentionally degrades video quality if it doesn’t get enough views. This has sparked debate across social media, especially among content creators, influencers, and everyday users who rely on Instagram’s platform to share high-quality content.
So, what’s behind this blurry video phenomenon? Why does Instagram do it, and is there any way to improve the video quality on the platform? In this article, we’ll break down the reasons why Instagram might degrade video quality and share tips on how to avoid this problem to get the best possible results when posting your videos.
The Admission: Instagram’s Video Quality Algorithm
Instagram, like many other social media platforms, uses algorithms to prioritize and manage the delivery of content. These algorithms are designed to deliver content to users based on factors like relevance, engagement, and content type. A few months ago, Instagram’s head of product, Adam Mosseri, and other company executives made public comments regarding how Instagram handles video quality.
According to Mosseri, Instagram is intentionally degrading video quality when the content doesn’t meet certain engagement thresholds. This means that if a video doesn’t get many likes, comments, shares, or views in the early stages after it’s posted, the platform might lower its resolution and quality. The decision, it seems, is tied to Instagram’s overarching goals of optimizing user experience, reducing server load, and promoting content that gets more interaction.
Why Does Instagram Degrade Video Quality?
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Instagram’s decision to reduce video quality is based on several reasons, both technical and strategic. Let’s break down these reasons:
- Prioritizing Popular Content:
Instagram’s algorithm is designed to promote content that is engaging and relevant to users. Videos that quickly gain traction (i.e., those that get lots of views, likes, and shares) are deemed more popular and, therefore, are prioritized for high-quality delivery. Content that doesn’t perform well in terms of engagement, however, gets relegated to lower quality, as the platform doesn’t see it as a priority for broader distribution. - Reducing Server Load and Bandwidth:
High-resolution videos take up significant amounts of data to store and distribute. If Instagram were to serve high-resolution content to every video, regardless of engagement, it would result in much higher server costs and bandwidth usage. By degrading the quality of videos that don’t attract much attention, Instagram reduces the overall load on its servers and optimizes resources. This helps the platform to function more smoothly and efficiently, especially when millions of users are uploading content daily. - Data Usage Considerations:
Instagram wants to balance user experience with the practical considerations of data usage. Not every user has access to fast internet connections, and some might be browsing Instagram on mobile networks with limited data. Lowering the quality of low-engagement content helps Instagram conserve bandwidth, ensuring that the platform remains accessible to all users, regardless of their data plan or network speed. - Encouraging Content to Perform:
Instagram is a business, and like any company, it wants users to create content that keeps people engaged on the platform. By degrading the quality of videos that don’t perform well, Instagram nudges creators to produce content that is more likely to catch users’ attention. The idea is that the algorithm incentivizes creators to make better, more engaging content to increase their chances of getting higher-quality video treatment.
How Does Instagram Decide Which Videos Get Degraded?
Instagram’s decision to degrade video quality is determined by a combination of factors, many of which are tied to engagement. Here’s how Instagram’s algorithm likely decides which videos should receive lower quality:
- Early Engagement:
Within the first few hours after posting a video, Instagram’s algorithm closely monitors how well the content performs. If a video receives significant engagement (i.e., views, comments, likes, or shares), it is more likely to retain higher resolution. If the engagement is low, the platform may downgrade the video’s quality. - View Count:
The more views a video gets, the more likely it is to remain in high resolution. Low-view videos, on the other hand, might see their quality reduced to save resources. - Interactivity:
The level of interaction on the video also matters. For example, videos that are shared with others or commented on frequently may be prioritized for higher quality. In contrast, videos with minimal interaction (e.g., likes but no comments or shares) may face degradation. - User Behavior:
Instagram also looks at how users interact with the content itself. If a video is likely to appeal to a user’s past preferences (based on their likes, follows, and views), Instagram might continue to serve it in high quality, even if it doesn’t perform well in the first few hours. - Video Length:
Longer videos may also suffer more from quality degradation if engagement is low. Since they take up more data to load, Instagram may reduce their resolution to make them easier to serve.
How to Avoid Blurry Videos on Instagram
If you’re a content creator or someone who just wants to ensure that your videos look great on Instagram, here are some tips to help avoid blurry videos, even if your post has low engagement:
1. Optimize Your Video Before Uploading
Make sure your video is already in the best possible quality before you upload it. Instagram has specific recommendations for video resolution, file type, and file size: