When it comes to social media marketing, Instagram presents an especially unique challenge. With Instagram constantly changing its algorithm and terms of service, it’s always a challenge to put together a solid plan for this platform. By cracking the code to the IG algorithm, you’ll make sure every part of your brand’s marketing strategy is going according to plan.
Understanding the Algorithm
Knowing the ins and outs of the newest Instagram algorithm will help you improve your band’s content strategy to make sure you hit all the right targets. Read on to learn how Instagram’s latest algorithm will affect your current Instagram strategy.
Posting to Your Feed
The newest algorithm watches out for certain metrics like frequency of use and your follower count.
The latest change in algorithm takes the following into account:
- Usage — The algorithm highlights accounts based on the time spent on Instagram.
- Following — Active and inactive followers play a role in what content appears on the main feed.
- Frequency– Frequent Instagram users’ posts appear in chronological order.
- Interest — Instagram prioritizes posts it thinks you’re more likely to engage with.
- Relationship — Posts from accounts you interact with frequently will appear first in your feed.
- Timeliness — Instagram displays content according to the age of the post.
These six factors affect how the platform displays your content to your followers.
When targeting your audience with the algorithm in mind, always prioritize engagement. Instagram uses engagement statistics like views for videos, reshares, likes, saves, and comments to rank posts in the main feed. Make sure your new content reaches your followers and interested Instagrammers by focusing on new ways to boost engagement.
Stories
Engagement plays a significant role in the stories that appear in your feed. Typically, the IG algorithm will place stories from accounts with higher engagement first. This engagement includes all the DMs, reactions, views, comments, and likes a story receives. Timeliness is also a factor with Instagram stories as the algorithm prioritizes the most recent stories from a user’s favorite accounts.
Explore Page
Much like the feed algorithm, Instagram’s explore page focuses on highlighting content Instagram thinks each user will be the most interested in. However, the explore page will typically feature new content and users for you to explore.
IGTV/Reels
IGTV videos and reels are heavily affected by engagement as well. The platform will suggest reels and IGTV videos in Explore pages and on the reels tab as well.
In addition to engagement, Instagram uses machine learning technology to show new IGTV videos and reels to users that are most likely to enjoy them.
Outsmarting the IG Algorithm
Outsmarting the Instagram algorithm is a matter of engagement. Since engagement is king on Instagram, it’s important to drive interactions on the app as much as possible. This means actions like saves, shares, comments, DMs, and likes are incredibly important. By building up momentum in this way, you’ll be able to reach new audiences with your content.
Instagram’s algorithm can make or break your content marketing strategy. Make sure your posts are getting the views and interactions they deserve by making the Instagram algorithm work for you, not against you. Use this guide to make sure your stories, reels, posts, and views are making it to the top of your followers’ feeds.
