Instagram's Algorithm Changed in May and Killed My Reach by 60% (Here's How I Got It Back)

Then May happened. 💥

I hadn't changed anything. Same frequency. Similar content. Hashtags correct. But suddenly → Algorithm decided my content wasn't worth showing.

I wasn't alone. Across creator communities = Similar drops reported everywhere.

Something changed in Instagram's algorithm. Those of us who hadn't adapted? Paying the price. 💸

🔄 What Actually Changed in May

Instagram rolled out a massive algorithm update (May-June) that fundamentally shifted content distribution. Changes so significant → Creator platforms published emergency guides.

Think about what this means:

Post A: 500 likes, minimal saves → Worse performance
Post B: 200 likes, 50 saves → Better performance

The algorithm interprets saves + shares as signals that content has lasting value worth revisiting or sharing with friends. 🔖

This completely flips traditional engagement optimization.

For years: Get comments through engagement bait + captions encouraging replies.
Now: Create content people want to reference later. 📚

The second major change involved how the algorithm evaluates content quality. Instagram deployed more sophisticated AI that analyzes dozens of behavioral signals: how long people watch, whether they visit your profile, whether they scroll past quickly, comment quality rather than just comment quantity.

If your content doesn't hold attention or inspire meaningful interaction, the algorithm suppresses it more aggressively than before.

The third shift affected original content versus reposts. Instagram now significantly rewards original content (especially from smaller creators) and penalizes accounts that primarily repost others' work.

All of these changes theoretically benefit quality creators. In practice, they caused chaos for anyone whose strategy was optimized for the old algorithm.

Why My Content Stopped Working

I spent two weeks analyzing what went wrong. My older posts that performed well in March and April had similar engagement patterns: lots of comments, moderate likes, almost no saves.

My content strategy had optimized for comments. I asked questions in captions. I used engagement bait (tastefully, I thought). I encouraged discussion. All tactics that worked great under the old algorithm.

But my content wasn't particularly saveable. Lifestyle photos are nice to look at but don't provide lasting value worth referencing later. My captions were conversational but not educational or actionable.

Under the new algorithm, my content was essentially valueless. Pretty pictures that generated superficial engagement but didn't inspire saves, shares, or profile visits. Instagram's AI correctly determined that my posts didn't deserve wide distribution.

The algorithm wasn't broken. My content strategy was outdated.

What Actually Performs Now

I researched which posts were still getting good reach after the May update. A pattern emerged quickly.

Educational carousels were crushing it. Multi-slide posts teaching something specific, with clear value and actionable advice. People were saving these at high rates to reference later.

Transformations and before/afters were performing well. Visual storytelling that showed progression or results.

Quote graphics with genuinely useful advice were getting shared extensively.

Infographics presenting data or insights in digestible format were being saved and shared.

Video content (especially Reels) that taught skills, shared tips, or told stories with narrative structure was getting strong reach.

The common thread: all of these provide value beyond just being nice to look at. They're useful. People save or share content that improves their lives, teaches them something, or helps their friends.

My lifestyle photography, however aesthetically pleasing, provided none of that.

⚠️ The Production Problem

Understanding what works ≠ Being able to create it consistently.

Educational carousels, infographics, value-driven content = Substantially more work than lifestyle photography.

Doing this daily (or even 3-4x/week) = All my available time consumed. 😰

The uncomfortable choice:

Option A: Maintain frequency with content that doesn't work anymore
Option B: Reduce frequency to create better content (accept slower growth)

Neither was appealing. I needed volume AND value. With traditional workflows? Impossible. ❌

🤖 How AI Solved My Algorithm Problem

This is where AI content generation became critical to my strategy.

I started using AI in two ways:

First, for visual diversity. Instead of expensive photoshoots yielding limited images, I could generate lifestyle photography whenever needed. This freed up time and money I was spending on traditional shoots.

But more importantly, I used that reclaimed time to create educational content. The stuff that actually performs under the new algorithm.

I shifted my content mix from 90% lifestyle photos and 10% educational content to roughly 40% AI-generated lifestyle imagery, 60% educational carousels and infographics.

My production time stayed constant, but my output quality and variety improved dramatically.

The second way I used AI was for concept testing. Before spending hours creating a detailed educational carousel, I'd generate quick mockups to test whether the topic resonated. This prevented wasting time on content that wouldn't perform.

Within three weeks of making this shift, my metrics started recovering.

The Results After Adaptation

By mid-July, my average reach was back to 15,800 per post (still below March, but recovering). More importantly, my engagement rate climbed to 6.1%, higher than it had been before the algorithm change.

Follower growth accelerated to 500-700 weekly, actually better than my March numbers.

What changed? My content was optimized for the current algorithm instead of the previous one.

My saved-to-follower ratio improved from 0.8% to 4.3%. That's the metric Instagram cares about now. People were actively saving my educational content to reference later.

My share rate increased from essentially zero to 1.7%. People were sending my posts to friends because the content had utility beyond just being visually pleasant.

Profile visits per post doubled. When people found my educational content valuable, they checked my profile to see what else I offered.

All of these signals told Instagram's algorithm that my content deserved distribution. And the algorithm responded accordingly.

Platform Changes Are Inevitable

Here's the broader lesson: social media algorithms will always change. Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, all of them continuously adjust how content gets distributed.

You can't optimize for a static system because the system isn't static. The creators who succeed long-term are the ones who adapt quickly when rules change.

That requires flexibility in your content production workflow. If your entire strategy depends on expensive photoshoots booked months in advance, you can't pivot when the algorithm shifts. You're locked into content that might not work anymore.

AI-enhanced workflows provide the flexibility to adapt quickly. When I realized educational content was performing better, I could immediately shift production without waiting for budget or schedule availability.

That adaptability is increasingly valuable as algorithm changes become more frequent and more significant.

What To Do Right Now

If your reach dropped after May and hasn't recovered, here's what I'd recommend:

Audit your recent posts. Check saved rates and share rates, not just likes and comments. If those numbers are low, your content isn't providing enough value under the current algorithm.

Shift toward educational content. Carousels, infographics, tutorials, before/afters. Anything that provides utility beyond just being nice to scroll past.

Test different content types quickly. Don't spend weeks creating one perfect post. Test multiple approaches and see what your audience responds to.

Consider AI tools for production efficiency. You need volume AND value now. AI can help you achieve both without working 80-hour weeks.

Focus on original content. Reposting memes or other people's content is penalized more heavily now.

Pay attention to watch time. If you're creating video content, the first 3 seconds are critical for retention.

Most importantly, accept that what worked in March doesn't necessarily work in October. Adaptability matters more than any specific tactic.

The Bigger Picture

Algorithm changes feel frustrating when they tank your reach. But they're actually opportunities for creators willing to adapt quickly.

Most people are slow to change strategy. They keep doing what worked before, wondering why it's not working anymore. That creates windows where adaptive creators can gain ground.

The May algorithm update hurt my reach initially. But by responding quickly, I ended up in a better position than before because I was optimized for the current system while many competitors were still running outdated strategies.

This pattern will repeat. The algorithm will change again. Creators who can adapt quickly will thrive. Those who can't will struggle.

Having flexible, efficient production workflows makes adaptation possible. That's what AI tools provide: the ability to shift strategy without waiting for your production process to catch up.