Why unoptimized Reels can sound quiet even when the file peaks are hot
Instagram does not publish a simple audio quality penalty, but loudness normalization and retention signals can create a very real practical penalty.
Brian Arbuckle
Science
Research-backed notes on audio quality, retention, loudness, and speech clarity.
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May 22, 2026
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TikTok watch time, loudness, and the part creators can actually control
TikTok rewards high-quality content through watch time and follower growth. Clear, correctly leveled audio is one practical piece of that quality signal.
May 3, 2026