Instagram is overhauling its search and comment tools to compete with TikTok and help users find content more easily.
If you’ve ever tried to find a specific video or creator on Instagram and ended up frustrated, you’re not alone. Even Instagram’s own head, Adam Mosseri, admits the search experience has been pretty lackluster.
“Quite frankly, what we call content search — as opposed to searching for an account, actually searching for some type of content — it’s not very good on Instagram.” Mosseri said in a recent Q&A. Now, the platform is finally doing something about it. He added:
“We’re … starting to invest more in search on Instagram because there’s so much amazing content.”
What’s Changing?
Instagram is ramping up efforts to improve search, taking a direct shot at TikTok’s dominance as Gen Z’s go-to search engine. A U.S. study even found Instagram has overtaken Google among younger users looking for recommendations, reviews, or trending content.
So, what’s on the table? For starters, the app is beefing up its internal search team. Expect smarter content discovery tools, improved keyword matching, and updates that help posts stay visible longer—something creators have been begging for.
Mosseri said the goal is two-fold: to help users actually find what they’re looking for, and to make sure good content doesn’t disappear into the algorithm abyss.
Comments Are Getting Smarter Too
In addition to better search, Instagram plans to make comment threads more useful. Mosseri noted that, “Sometimes, where the real interesting context is not … in the video that someone uploaded, but in the context around it — which is almost always in the comments.” The platform wants to surface that context more effectively with improved recommended searches in comments.
With TikTok evolving into a full-fledged search engine, Instagram is under pressure to keep up. These changes may be long overdue, but they show the company is paying attention to how people are really using the app.
If Instagram can pull this off, finding a reel, recipe, or niche creator could soon be a lot less painful.
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