Engagement Decides Video Quality, Says Instagram Head Adam Mosseri

Key Takeaways

Instagram lowers video quality on posts with low engagement to save resources.

Videos start in high quality, but resolution reduces if engagement drops.

Quality can improve again if a video gains popularity later on.

Instagram users may notice differences in video quality across their content, especially for posts that receive fewer views. According to Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s Head, the platform adjusts video quality based on how much people engage with each post. In a recent Q&A session on his Instagram Stories, Mosseri explained that Instagram’s algorithm considers user interaction when determining video quality.

“When a video isn’t watched much, we may reduce its quality. But if it starts picking up views again, we’ll re-render it at higher quality,” Mosseri shared in response to a question. This approach saves bandwidth, allowing Instagram to direct resources toward videos that get more engagement.

Mosseri also mentioned that when a viewer has a poor internet connection, Instagram will lower the video quality to help it load faster. This makes viewing smoother, but it can be disappointing for creators who work hard on their content.

While this strategy helps keep Instagram running smoothly, it does spark concerns for smaller creators. Mosseri acknowledged this, recognizing that creators who don’t attract as much initial engagement might feel disadvantaged. Instagram, he said, is actively working to balance this so new creators still have a chance to grow.

Mosseri also noted that content quality often matters more to viewers than video resolution alone—people are more likely to engage with videos that are interesting or relatable, regardless of how clear they are visually.

With competition from platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, Meta is continuously updating Instagram to stay relevant and engaging. Recently, they’ve rolled out new tools to boost interaction. July saw the launch of an AI Studio for creators, and September brought new features like the ability to comment on Instagram Stories and create stickers from photos and videos.

Mosseri believes these changes will help save resources without affecting user experience, but the adjustments could still be tough for smaller creators who feel they’re competing with high-quality content from bigger influencers.