Ops Notes · Pacing

Delivery Windows: How We Pace Saves, Shares, And Visits

The difference between engagement that triggers Instagram's spam filters and engagement that looks organic comes down to pacing. Most Instagram growth services dump likes and comments onto posts all at once—Instagram's algorithm detects this instantly and either shadowbans the account or ignores the artificial engagement entirely. Run a free audit to see if your current engagement patterns are flagging your account.

Campground uses a staggered delivery system we call delivery windows: time-boxed intervals where specific engagement types are triggered in strategic sequences. This mirrors how real users discover and interact with content, staying under Instagram's detection thresholds while maximizing algorithmic impact. We're not selling bulk likes—we deliver drip-fed saves, shares, profile visits, and DM prompts spread across natural discovery patterns.

Here's exactly how we pace each wave.

Why Pacing Matters: Instagram's Spam Detection

Instagram's AI monitors engagement velocity and patterns to identify bot activity. Red flags include:

• Suspiciously consistent spacing: Actions occurring at exactly 30-second intervals
• Unnatural volume: 50 likes in 5 minutes on a post from a 1,000-follower account
• Identical engagement types: All saves with no likes, or all comments with no profile visits
• Immediate engagement bursts: Post goes live and instantly gets 20 interactions

When Instagram detects these patterns, it either:

• Ignores the engagement (doesn't count it toward algorithmic ranking)
• Reduces post reach (shadowban the specific post)
• Flags the account for review (risk of temporary or permanent suspension)

Campground's delivery windows are designed to avoid all of these triggers while still delivering the engagement density needed to push posts into Explore.

The Three-Window System

Every engagement wave is split into three time-based windows, each optimized for different engagement types:

Window 1: First 60 Minutes (Velocity Building)

Goal: Generate early momentum to signal the post has broad appeal
Engagement types: Likes, saves, profile taps
Volume: 40-60% of total planned engagement
Pacing: 3-7 minute spacing between actions

Instagram's algorithm weighs engagement velocity heavily in the first hour. Posts that gain rapid traction are more likely to surface on Explore and in followers' Feeds. We focus on saves (highest algorithmic value) and profile taps (signals interest in the creator, not just the post).

Personas are deployed in randomized sequences—never the same order twice—to avoid pattern detection. Spacing varies between 3-7 minutes to mimic organic discovery.

Window 2: Hours 2-6 (Sustained Engagement)

Goal: Maintain engagement rate and extend post visibility
Engagement types: Comments, DM shares, additional saves
Volume: 30-40% of total planned engagement
Pacing: 8-15 minute spacing between actions

This window focuses on high-value engagement: DM shares (the highest-weighted signal for Reels) and substantive comments (2+ sentences, on-topic, conversational). We avoid generic "Great post!" comments—these are low-quality signals that Instagram's spam classifiers flag.

DM shares are triggered sparingly (3-5 per post maximum) because they're rare in organic engagement. Overusing them raises red flags.

Window 3: Hours 7-48 (Long-Tail Amplification)

Goal: Simulate long-tail discovery and keep the post algorithmically active
Engagement types: Late saves, additional profile taps, Story shares
Volume: 10-20% of total planned engagement
Pacing: 20-60 minute spacing, irregular intervals

Real posts continue to gain engagement over days, not just hours. Window 3 extends the engagement curve to mirror organic behavior. We prioritize saves (users bookmarking the post for later) and profile taps (discovery from Explore or hashtag searches).

By spreading engagement over 48 hours instead of dumping it all in the first hour, we avoid velocity spikes that trigger spam detection while keeping the post active in Instagram's ranking algorithm.

Engagement Type Priority: What We Deliver First

Not all engagement types carry equal algorithmic weight. Campground prioritizes delivery based on Instagram's 2025 ranking signals:

1. Saves (highest priority) – Strongest indicator of valuable content. Delivered in all three windows, with concentration in Window 1 and Window 3.
2. DM shares (Reels-specific) – Highest-weighted signal for Reels. Delivered sparingly in Window 2 only (3-5 per post).
3. Profile taps – Signals interest in the creator. Delivered in Window 1 and Window 3 to simulate discovery behavior.
4. Comments – Valuable when substantive (2+ sentences). Delivered in Window 2 with varied phrasing and on-topic responses.
5. Shares (public) – Shares to Stories or other public surfaces. Delivered in Window 2 and Window 3.
6. Likes (lowest priority) – Lowest algorithmic value. Delivered in all windows but never as the sole engagement type.

We never deliver only likes—this is a classic bot pattern. Every delivery window includes a mix of engagement types, weighted toward saves and profile taps.

Volume Controls: How Much Is Too Much?

The volume of engagement we deploy depends on account size and historical engagement rates. Delivering 100 saves to a post that normally gets 10 would trigger instant red flags.

Baseline Calibration

Before deploying personas, we analyze the account's last 10 posts to establish:

• Average likes per post
• Average saves per post
• Average comments per post
• Engagement rate (total engagements / followers)

We then set delivery targets at 120-150% of baseline. This creates noticeable lift without appearing artificial. For example:

• Account normally gets 50 likes per post → we target 60-75 likes
• Account normally gets 5 saves per post → we target 6-8 saves
• Account normally gets 3 comments per post → we target 4-5 comments

As the account grows organically (follower count increases, baseline engagement rises), we adjust delivery volumes proportionally. Campground doesn't use fixed engagement packages—every deployment is calibrated to the account's current state.

Account Size Scaling

Account Size	Max Saves/Post	Max Comments/Post	Pacing Notes
<1K followers	10-15	3-5	Conservative; focus on saves
1K-10K followers	20-40	5-10	Standard pacing
10K-50K followers	50-100	10-20	Extended windows (72hr)
50K+ followers	100-200	20-40	Custom calibration

These are maximum limits, not targets. We deploy the minimum engagement needed to achieve algorithmic lift—more isn't always better.

Velocity Management: Randomization & Variation

Real human behavior isn't perfectly spaced. Some users engage immediately after discovering a post. Others save it, scroll away, and return hours later to comment. Campground mimics this variability through:

• Randomized spacing: Instead of exactly 5 minutes between actions, we vary between 3-7 minutes
• Persona rotation: Different persona accounts engage at different times—never the same sequence
• Session breaks: We insert 15-30 minute pauses between engagement clusters to simulate users logging off
• Device variation: Personas operate from different device types and IP addresses

This variability prevents Instagram's pattern detection from flagging the engagement as automated.

What We Monitor During Delivery

Delivery windows aren't static—we monitor performance in real-time and adjust pacing based on:

• Organic engagement rate: If a post is performing well organically, we reduce or pause persona engagement to avoid over-delivering
• Reach metrics: Sudden drops in reach mid-delivery signal detection issues—we pause immediately
• Account flags: If Instagram displays "We restrict certain activity" warnings, all delivery stops until the account is cleared
• Engagement acceptance rate: If Instagram is rejecting persona actions (not counting saves, hiding comments), we adjust pacing or pause entirely

Campground doesn't run engagement on autopilot—every deployment is actively monitored and adjusted based on platform feedback.

The Bottom Line: Pacing Beats Volume

Instagram growth isn't about how many likes you can dump on a post—it's about delivering engagement in patterns the algorithm recognizes as authentic. Poorly paced engagement gets ignored or penalized. Strategically paced engagement compounds over time, pushing posts into Explore and accelerating organic reach.

Campground's three-window system prioritizes high-value signals (saves, DM shares, profile taps), spreads engagement over 48 hours to avoid velocity spikes, and calibrates volume to each account's baseline. The result: engagement that looks organic, feels organic, and performs like organic growth.

Most services sell engagement packages with fixed quantities. Campground sells momentum—and momentum requires precision pacing, not brute force volume.