He explained it all in a short reel clip on Instagram (then reposted on Threads). Generally, Instagram aims to display videos at the highest possible quality. However, if a video doesn’t maintain viewership for an extended period – since the majority of views typically happen early on – they’ll reduce its quality to conserve resources. Should the video regain popularity and attract a high number of views, Instagram will re-render it in higher quality.
That’s a big “should”, though.
People are asking the right question – wouldn’t this make it harder for smaller, relatively unknown creators to compete?
To which the following answer comes:
It’s the right concern, but In practice it doesn’t seem to matter much, as the quality shift isn’t huge and wether or not people interact with videos is way more based on the content of the video than the quality. Quality seems to be much more important to the original creator, who is more likely to delete the video if it looks poor, than to their viewers.
– Adam Mosseri, Threads, October 2024
Adam Mosseri explains it all. | Image source – Adam Mosseri, Instagram
People are not buying it, though:
A lot of creators that are at the beginning are complaining about their videos look so poor after publishing comparing to video on phone/computer. We all were experimenting with export settings/camera settings etc. all were looking for that crispy quality secret. It was demotivating factor, especially when you are specifically VIDEO CREATOR and QUALITY is one of the factor why people will follow you. So that’s pretty real concern for beginner video creators.
– Threads user khomenko.maariia, October 2024
Yup. Having your video content streamed in high quality on Instagram is like rolling out the red carpet for your audience. Imagine you’ve spent hours – or days! – planning, shooting, and editing that video. You’ve nailed every frame, every color pop, every detail. When it’s streamed in top quality, all that effort shows – no weird blurs, no lag, just pure cinematic magic. It’s like giving your audience front-row seats instead of the cheap seats in the back.
Okay, I may have overcooked it with the “pure cinematic magic” thing, but you get the point.But high-quality content is visually irresistible. When people can actually see the details, they’re far more likely to stick around and watch the whole thing, I think. The longer they watch, the better it is for engagement, reach, and, of course, for you.
High-quality content also builds trust. When your videos look sharp and professional, it’s an instant credibility boost: people are more likely to see you as an authority, believe what you’re saying, and even consider buying what you’re endorsing. This credibility isn’t just great for fans; brands take notice, too, which can open doors to collaborations and sponsorships. This means: money.
Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are already investing in better streaming quality, so Instagram needs to catch up.
