Your Algorithm

Instagram gave users something platforms rarely offer: actual control over what they see. "Your Algorithm" lets people customize their Reels feed by adding or removing interest topics and setting priority categories — a direct response to years of user frustration about opaque recommendation systems.

We intentionally anchored the launch to the beginning of the year with a "Build Your 2026 Algorithm" concept, deliberately juxtaposing against year-end review trends like Spotify Wrapped. While other platforms showed users a static snapshot of the past, we empowered them to actively shape their future. The timing emphasized a key distinction: you're not just seeing your algorithm keywords — you're customizing them based on your evolving interests.

We launched "Algo Confessions" — a series giving an inside look at celebrity algorithms — kicking off with A$AP Rocky, timed with his album release. Rocky's line "My Explore Page Is Mainly Me" became the headline across press coverage, turning a product feature story into a cultural moment. Tastemakers across diverse interest groups shared their personalized algorithms on Stories, triggering a massive wave of organic adoption.

The A$AP Rocky launch content reached 65M views — 4x the benchmark for product launches — with engagement rates among target youth audiences 3x higher than typical campaigns. The activations triggered unprecedented organic adoption of the feature, driving 12x increase in Your Algorithm page visits and 10x increase in interest adds at peak. The campaign achieved 89% positive press sentiment with zero negative coverage across 36 articles, with users celebrating the transparency and calling for competitors to adopt similar features.