Instagram’s New “Views” Metric (2025): A Talent Manager’s Guide to Growing Audience Visibility

Instagram has quietly rolled out one of its biggest measurement changes yet - and it’s reshaping how talent managers assess and grow their creators’ reach.

If you’ve recently noticed “Views” appearing everywhere in your analytics, here’s what’s happening.

Instagram has officially deprecated “Impressions”, “Plays”, and “Video Views” across its API, consolidating everything into a single metric: Views.

This shift applies to Reels, videos, Stories, carousels, and even static posts, giving brands and creators a unified way to measure visibility.

Algorithm + Platform Update: What the Instagram Views Metric Means

A View represents the number of times content has been seen or played - across all formats.

Unlike Reach, which counts unique accounts, Views count total plays or exposures, including repeats.

Instagram’s update simplifies analytics while aligning with how users now interact with content - primarily by watching, replaying, and re-engaging.

Key distinctions:

• Views vs Reach:

  • Reach = unique viewers

  • Views = total plays or impressions (including replays)

• Timing threshold:

  • Previously, a video “view” was triggered at 3 seconds.

  • Now, a view counts after ~1 millisecond for video, while an image view has no time requirement.

  • Instagram still surfaces “views past 3 seconds” and average watch time in Reels analytics - crucial indicators of content quality and retention.

Think of Views as the new eyeballs metric - the replacement for Impressions that better reflects how content is consumed across Instagram.

Why Views Matter for Talent Managers and Creators

This article serves as an operational guide for talent managers to grow their creators’ audiences using Instagram’s new Views metric.

For your talent, high and consistent Views translate to:

• Stronger exposure and discoverability

• Continued relevance and visibility online

• Staying top of mind with both audiences and brands

Further below, we will explain exactly how to drive views with strategic tips and tricks, but also - how you can monitor, track, and analyse your talents 'Views' performance over time to guide them in the right direction.

Brand-Side Value: Understanding Brand Marketing

From the brand’s perspective, Views are now the clearest indicator of awareness performance.

Most marketing teams know direct ROI on social is hard to track. Instead, they focus on share of voice, visibility, and how often a brand appears in a category conversation.

Views reveal exactly that - how many times a product or message was seen.

For instance, if your creator’s Reels in the beauty space consistently hit six figures in Views, that signals category dominance and positions them as an authority brands want to align with.

Key Instagram Metrics to Track in 2025

To help your creators optimise visibility, start tracking these Instagram view metrics regularly:

✔️ Views ↔ Reach ratio (V/R):

Shows how many times the average person saw a post - a measure of exposure depth.

✔️ Average watch time past 3s (Reels/video):

Highlights whether content holds attention beyond the first glance.

✔️ Completion rate (short-form):

Indicates stickiness - how often viewers watch Reels to the end.

✔️ Saves & shares per 1,000 Views:

Measures audience intent and potential for word-of-mouth reach.

✔️ Distribution mix:

Reveals where Views come from - Followers, Explore, For You, or Profile - helping you understand discovery channels.

💡 Talent Manager Pro Tip:

In weekly performance reviews, highlight your talents’ top three posts by Views. Compare their V/R ratio, ≥3-second watch time, completion rate, and saves/shares per 1,000. These insights make it easy to identify what’s working, guide creative direction, and help your talent grow strategically.

Quick Tips: How to Increase Views on Instagram Reels and Posts

Here’s what’s currently driving visibility on Instagram:

1. Nail the hook.

The first 1–2 seconds are everything. Lead with motion, a face, or a strong visual cue that stops the scroll.

2. Optimise for replay.

Reels that loop seamlessly back to the start often double their Views. Edit with looping in mind.

3. Post consistently.

Frequency builds momentum. Encourage creators to repurpose high-performing Reels and distribute across multiple platforms.

4. Design strong covers and captions.

An eye-catching cover image and curiosity-driven caption improve click-through and play rates.

5. Prioritise shared distribution.

Use Reposts, tags, and collaborations to extend reach. When others amplify your content, Views scale exponentially.

Conclusion: The New Currency of Visibility

The Instagram Views metric is more than a cosmetic update - it’s a shift in how creators’ influence and visibility are measured.

For talent managers, understanding and leveraging Views means being able to quantify exposure, advise talents with data-driven insights, and position them for brand partnerships that drive awareness.

Use Views as your north star for visibility, and pair it with engagement metrics for depth. Together, they form the foundation for sustainable audience growth in 2025 and beyond.