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Right now, videos are an unavoidable part of every successful marketing strategy, and there’s no exception for those who run their business on Instagram. Also, for Instagram, the engagement rate is always more important than the number of likes and followers and you must know that video views change your engagement rate. But how does Instagram count video views and what’s the algorithm behind it? Let’s see!
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How Does Instagram Count Video Views?
When sharing a video, you see an Instagram view counter below your post instead of the like count. This shows you how many people how watched your video. But naturally, some questions come to mind about the Instagram video view count:
- How long should my video be watched to be counted as a view?
- Does Instagram count your own views?
- Does Instagram count multiple views from the same person?
Well, if you look for the answer to these questions over the internet, you may find some perplexing answers that sometimes are in contradiction to the one. But what is exactly behind the Instagram view counter? To figure out how does Instagram count video views, we just need to answer the questions above. And after that, everything will seem clear. So, let’s get started!
1- How Long Should Someone Watch my Video to be Counted as a View?
As indicated by the Instagram help center, your followers and visitors have to watch your video for at least 3 seconds to be considered as video viewers. This means when users scroll the screen and watch your video for 1-2 seconds, the Instagram video counter doesn’t count them as a viewer and this results in decreasing your Instagram engagement rate. So, no matter if people watch your video with the audio or not, if they just watch it for 3 seconds or more, you receive a video view.
2- Does Instagram Count Your Own Views?
The short answer is Yes! When you upload a video on Instagram and watch it for at least 3 seconds, Instagram counts that as a video view.
3- Does Instagram Count Multiple Views from the Same Person?
Well, there are a number of conflicting answers to this question and to be honest, no one knows the exact algorithm for this part of the Instagram view counter. However, to give a safe answer to this question, I can say that as far as you watch a video from the same device and same IP address, Instagram doesn’t count it as another view.
Now, you know how does Instagram count video views. So, if you’re managing to get more views on your videos, you must share something really intriguing so that you can keep your followers watching the video for at least 3 seconds.
FAQs About How Does Instagram Count Video Views
Now, it’s time to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Instagram video view count!
How to See Who Viewed Your Video on Instagram?
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to check the individuals who have viewed your video. Underneath your video, you’ll see a number indicating the total number of viewers. By tapping on it, what you see will be as follows:
As you see, this way you can see the username of those who liked your video. However, you cannot know who exactly watched your video. Also, note that people may just like your video, but not watch it for 3 seconds. This is why sometimes users report that the number of likes is greater than the number of views.
Why Video Views aren’t Showing Up on Instagram?
Well, this may have different reasons:
- The video is too old:
Instagram views are just active for videos posted after November 2015. So, if you see a video that was posted before this date, you cannot see the number of viewers.
- You have shared a carousel post:
When you share multiple photos and videos as a single post, Instagram doesn’t show the number of viewers. This is because you have shared multiple videos and photos and the algorithm cannot determine if a viewer has viewed all the posts or just the first one.
Also, note that Instagram just counts the ones that have been viewed through the official Instagram app. So, if you embed your video on your blog or website, it doesn’t necessarily help you get more views.
Also Read: How to Delete One Picture Out of Multiple on Instagram?
What’s the Order of Viewers on Instagram Videos?
As mentioned in the previous section, you cannot see the viewers, but you can check the likers. If you share many videos on Instagram and check your likes frequently, you must have noticed that some users are always at the top of the list. Actually, this doesn’t mean that those users are stalking you or view your profile most of the time. The reason for this order is that the new Instagram update pays more attention to the number of interactions you have with someone on Instagram. In this respect, Instagram identifies them as users that you care more about. So, showing them at the top of the list makes it easier for you to see if your friends have seen your video or not.
Keep Reading: What’s the Order of Viewers on Instagram Story
Final Thoughts
To wrap it up, views are as important as likes and comments and help you grow on Instagram. Here, I talked about how does Instagram count video views. Now, you know that to get more viewers, you have to work on your videos’ openings in order to keep people watching it for at least 3 seconds. So, try to come up with new ideas, be creative in your openings, and do your best. Also, don’t forget to leave us a comment if you have any questions.
