Have you encountered the Priority tag on Instagram yet? If not, then this blog is going to not only explain the concept but introduce you to how it is being used, and what it’s for – so that when it reaches your app, you’re ready for it.
Priority, as you might have guessed, attaches special significance to certain message streams in your DMs and to certain user updates, making it easier to interact with those users who you engage with the most.
Here’s how it works and all you need to know…
What is Priority?
The Priority label tends to be assumed by Instagram, based on whose content you engage with most often.
If you enter your DM inbox and see a Priority tag next to a certain user’s name and your message stream with them, this is because Instagram recognises them as a user that you engage with regularly.
The aim of Priority is to help users ascertain the order in which they should respond to people, based on how much they converse. It is essentially a tool to help make sure that you never miss a message from someone who Instagram believes that you will want to interact and talk to.
Instagram seems to determine Priority users based on:
- Your engagement with other users’ posts
- How closely those users’ posts align with your interests on the app and what you regularly search for
- How often you communicate with a user
How to Make a User One Of Your Priority Connections
As Priority is a relatively new feature on Instagram, there is no way for you as a user to denote who is considered Priority – rather, the early rollout puts all the power into Instagram’s hands (at least for now!)
If you really want a user to be deemed a Priority name in your following list, then you need to communicate with them on a regular basis through Instagram.
Can You Switch Off Priority?
Again, the power is very much in Instagram’s hands with this one, and so turning off the Priority feature is not an option for Instagram users.
We think that a “disable” feature could well be on the horizon, not least because countless users are already citing the feature as problematic in deeming some conversations more worth than others. However, there is not currently a switch to turn off Priority.
So, what are your thoughts on the Priority feature? Is this a useful way of putting messages from your nearest and dearest at the top of your inbox, or is it an unnecessary way of ranking conversations?
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