Reach has never been one number. But if you had to pick the signal that matters most right now, watch time would be it. The platform rewards content that holds attention, and it measures that in seconds, not likes.
Why watch time wins
Likes and saves are easy to game and easy to misread. Time spent is harder to fake — a viewer either stayed or they didn’t. That makes it a cleaner proxy for value, and the algorithm leans on it accordingly.
For creators, the takeaway is simple: a 12-second clip that holds 90% of viewers will usually beat a 40-second one that loses them at second five. Verified reach data lets you see which of your posts actually held attention, instead of guessing.
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Get verifiedAnanya Sharma
Head of Data, Trustro