Everyone hates the new Instagram algorithm. But the fact is that if you want to get ahead of a business on Instagram, you need to work with the Instagram algorithm, not against it.
Here are 5 things that will help you beat the Instagram algorithm:
It is definitely a mystery everyone wants to know: how does the Instagram algorithm work? While we may not understand the intricacies of what makes it tick, we do know some factors that determine how posts will perform in the Instagram algorithm (and how many people will see it!)
Here are 7 factors that influence the Instagram algorithm:
1. How much engagement you get
Generally, posts with high engagement – likes, comments, shares, views, etc. – will rank higher on the Instagram feed. When a post receives a ton of likes and comments, this signals to the Instagram algorithm that the post is quality, engaging content that more people will want to see, so the algorithm will show it to more users.
This is why it is good to know when is the best time to post on Instagram and then scheduling the posts for those times is so important: if you want people to see your posts, increase your chances of more likes, all of this will help boost your posts in the algorithm.
2. How long people spend viewing your post
The Instagram algorithm uses the amount of time spent viewing a post as a key factor in determining how much to boost your post. If you want to beat the Instagram algorithm, crafting a creative Instagram caption might just be the key. If you have an engaging caption, people are more likely to actually read it or click the "more" button. This is why video content performs so well because it takes more time to watch.
3. Friends, family and favourite accounts
The Instagram algorithm is pretty smart! If you engage with a particular account regularly, you are telling Instagram you really like that account's content. Instagram will end up showing you more of that person's feed.
The same thing goes for users that love your content; if you regularly like, comment, watch Instagram stories, your posts are more likely to be shown to them.
4. When your photo was posted
Another factor that the algorithm takes into consideration is the timeliness of a post, basically how recently it was posted. The algorithm will likely show you more recent posts rather than posts from a few days ago (however this is not always the case).
It all depends on how often you browse Instagram. If you only open the app once a week, you are more likely to see top posts from a few days ago, to catch up on anything you have missed.
5. What type of content it is
Have you ever noticed that if you engage with a bunch of accounts of a certain genre (fitness accounts, for example), Instagram will begin showing you more of that content?
Luckily, the “genre” or type of content you engage with plays a big role in what content you see on your feed.
6. If you have searched for the account
Another factor that the algorithm takes into consideration is what accounts you search for on Instagram. When you search for a specific account, Instagram takes this as a signal that you enjoy that account’s content and might show you more of their content on your feed.
7. Sharing your posts in DM's
When you share a post with another user, Instagram counts this as a form of engagement and assumes that you are interested in seeing more of that type of content. So if you create awesome content that people are sharing with friends, your posts could perform better in the Instagram algorithm.
If you want to succeed on Instagram, being a business or some sort of an influencer, you have to optimize your posts according to the Instagram algorithm.
Did you use the right combinations of hashtags? Are you posting the best possible time? Is your Instagram feed active as a whole? Businesses are under more pressure than ever to create compelling content to engage with their followers in unique and creative ways.
So, success on Instagram today means a lot more than just building a large community. It can also mean sales, lead generation, and customer acquisition.
Organic reach on Instagram continues to drop, everyone wants to know how to "beat" the Insta-algorithm and drive up engagement on their posts without resorting to black hat SEO tactics (which could get you banned). There are a number of ways to make it work, here are 3:
1. Post when your audience is most active
To generate a ton of engagement is to post when your audience is most active on Instagram. The reason for this is that the Instagram algorithm gives priority to posts with higher engagement, meaning the more likes and comments your post receives, the more people will see your post.
2. Add a CTA to your Instagram caption
It is important to include a call-to-action in your Instagram caption. It is a great way to inspire followers to engage with your account in the comment section and spend more time viewing your content – which could also be a factor that Instagram takes into consideration when selecting the top posts for a hashtag.
3. Create a hashtag strategy
Having a solid Instagram hashtag strategy is an important component of any Instagram marketing campaign, but it should also be a top priority for businesses that want to get more engagement on Instagram.
Find out which hashtags your audience uses most actively, and then search for posts that use that hashtag. Once you have found some winner content, like and comment on those posts to engage with your community.
Like, comment, share... all of these are important but are they equally important? Well, no!
According to online sources, the Instagram algorithm ranks comments and shares higher then they do likes. In other words, both comments and shares are better indicators of "real" engagement than likes. So even though likes are still very important, you should optimize your content to receive the most comments and shares as possible!
The Instagram Explore Page operates under its own algorithm, and according to Instagram "posts are selected automatically based on things like the people you follow or the posts you like."
It includes posts “from a mixture of hand-picked and automatically sourced accounts based on topics we think you’ll enjoy.” So in many ways, the feed and Explore Page algorithms are very similar: the content you see is essentially an aggregation of posts that Instagram thinks you’ll like based on your behaviour.
Even the Instagram Stories that appear the top of your feed is ordered according to an algorithm! At the end of the day, the more you know about how the Instagram algorithm works, the better your chances are of beating it!
Good luck!
