Does early engagement still matter for reach?

A few years ago, everyone talked about getting likes, comments, and shares in the first hour after publishing because it supposedly helped posts reach a much wider audience.

With all the algorithm changes since then, I'm curious if that's still true. From what I've seen, strong early engagement still seems to help, but watch time appears to have a much bigger impact than it used to.

higher watch time means people are engaging with your video. that is the good metrices to have But along with watch time shares and comments are also important for better reach.

I believe that key metrics such as comments, views, and audience retention determine a video's effectiveness and whether it is worth promoting; these factors directly influence how the content is distributed by the Instagram system

Yeah, I think it still helps, but watch time matters a lot more now. If people actually watch your video, Instagram usually keeps pushing it.