Maximize Your Instagram Views with These Essential Settings

Nate Holloway
May 14
4 min read

Instagram is one of the most powerful platforms for sharing content and growing an audience. But simply posting photos and videos is not enough to get the views you want. The right Instagram settings can make a big difference in how many people see your posts. Adjusting these settings helps your content reach more users, increasing engagement and boosting your Instagram marketing efforts.

This guide explains how to use Instagram’s settings to get more views. Whether you are a creator, influencer, or business owner, these practical tips will help you improve your visibility and connect with a larger audience.

Make Your Profile Public

The first step to increasing your views is to set your profile to public. Private accounts limit your content to approved followers only. This restriction reduces the chance of new users discovering your posts.

To check or change this setting:

Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines) in the top right corner.
Select Settings.
Tap Privacy.
Under Account Privacy, make sure Private Account is turned off.

A public profile allows anyone on Instagram to view your posts, stories, and reels. This openness is essential for growing your audience and improving your Instagram marketing results.

Use the Right Account Type

Instagram offers different account types: Personal, Creator, and Business. Each has unique features that affect how your content performs.

Personal Account: Basic features, limited insights.
Creator Account: Designed for influencers and content creators, offers detailed analytics and messaging tools.
Business Account: Best for brands and companies, includes advertising options and advanced insights.

Switching to a Creator or Business account unlocks tools that help you understand your audience and tailor your content. To change your account type:

Go to Settings > Account.
Tap Switch Account Type.
Choose Creator or Business and follow the prompts.

Using these accounts supports your Instagram marketing by providing data to improve your posts and reach.

Optimize Your Story Settings

Instagram Stories are a great way to engage followers and attract new viewers. Adjusting story settings can increase visibility and interaction.

Allow Sharing: Enable others to share your stories as messages or posts. This spreads your content beyond your followers.
Hide Story From: Avoid hiding your story from users who might be interested in your content.
Save to Archive: Turn on automatic saving of stories to your archive. This lets you reuse or highlight stories later.

To access these options:

Open Settings > Privacy > Story.
Customize sharing and visibility preferences.

Stories appear at the top of the Instagram feed, making them highly visible. Using these settings helps you maximize the reach of your stories.

Enable Notifications for Engagement

Responding quickly to comments and messages encourages more interaction, which boosts your content’s visibility in Instagram’s algorithm.

Turn on notifications for:

Likes
Comments
Mentions
Direct messages

To manage notifications:

Go to Settings > Notifications.
Select Posts, Stories and Comments.
Enable notifications for relevant activities.

Staying active and responsive signals to Instagram that your account is engaging, which can increase your views and support your Instagram marketing goals.

Use Hashtags and Location Tags Effectively

Hashtags and location tags help your posts appear in search results and explore pages, exposing your content to new audiences.

Use a mix of popular and niche hashtags relevant to your content.
Add location tags to posts and stories to reach local users.

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but studies show that using around 9 to 11 targeted hashtags often works best. Avoid irrelevant or overly generic tags to maintain quality reach.

Control Comment Settings to Encourage Interaction

Comments increase engagement, which helps your posts get more views. You can manage comment settings to create a positive environment that encourages users to interact.

Filter offensive comments automatically.
Allow comments from everyone or limit to followers and people you follow.
Pin top comments to highlight positive feedback.

Find these options under Settings > Privacy > Comments. A welcoming comment section invites more users to join the conversation and boosts your Instagram marketing effectiveness.

Adjust Video and Reel Settings for Better Reach

Videos and reels are prioritized by Instagram’s algorithm because they keep users on the app longer. Use these settings to improve your video content’s performance:

Upload videos in high resolution for better quality.
Add captions to reels to make them accessible and engaging.
Use trending audio and effects to increase discoverability.

Also, save your reels to your profile grid to keep them visible longer. These steps help your video content attract more views and engagement.

Manage Your Activity Status Wisely

Your activity status shows when you were last active on Instagram. While it can help followers know you are responsive, it might also affect how often they interact with your content.

You can turn off your activity status if you prefer privacy:

Go to Settings > Privacy > Activity Status.
Toggle off Show Activity Status.

This setting does not directly affect views but can influence how users perceive your availability and responsiveness.

Use Instagram Insights to Refine Your Strategy

Instagram Insights provides valuable data about your audience and content performance. Use this information to adjust your settings and posting habits for better results.

Insights show:

When your followers are most active.
Which posts get the most views and engagement.
Demographics of your audience.

Access Insights from your profile menu if you have a Creator or Business account. Use this data to post at optimal times and focus on content types that attract more views.