Discover the Instagram Algorithm and how it affects you
One day you logged into your Instagram account and realized that everything had changed.
What had happened?
Why weren’t you seeing all the posts anymore?
What will it be….
- A bird?
- A plane?
- The famous Instagram algorithm?
Zuckerberg’s Facebook giant’s purchase of Instagram was yet another example of how this algorithm ‘chooses’ what is given priority to the app’s user.
More than once you have said:
“But why am I getting this now? It was three days ago”
In the absence of a name, Instagram’s algorithm has been called “Instagram Algorithm ”. In the case of Facebook, its algorithm does have a name, Edge Rank, and it came to affect the visibility and engagement of many accounts, causing a significant drop in their statistics.
Visibility is undoubtedly an essential part of developing your content strategy on social media.
If this algorithm has confused you
What steps should be taken now on Instagram?
In this post you will discover how the Instagram algorithm affects you and how you can combat it so that it doesn’t affect you. Or, at least, so that it affects you as little as possible.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents [ Hide ]
- What is the Instagram algorithm and how does it work?
- The importance of your Instagram account
- Instagram engagement
- How does the algorithm affect your Instagram account?
- Tips to gain visibility and beat the algorithm
- Stories
- Your best content, in the spotlight
- Hot hours are key
- Keep your profile active
- Generate engagement with your content
What is the Instagram algorithm and how does it work?
The algorithm of this social network was launched in 2016. At that time, Instagram only limited itself to saying that it would prioritize content based on user preferences .
Declaration of intent?
It was a big change, yes.
There was a time without restrictions, when every Instagram user could see the posts of the people they followed and vice versa.
How this algorithm works in the most technical sense of the word is a mystery. Imagine a computer screen, faded to black, and thousands of numbers, letters and the occasional unicorn moving up and down at the speed of light.
But we can say that there are two factors that the Instagram algorithm takes into account when displaying content.
The importance of your Instagram account
The more interaction, the more visibility. An opportunity for those profiles called “influencers”.
If you want your account to stand out, you have to become popular with your audience.
Instagram engagement
Video views, likes, comments, and everything related to user interaction with your content or stories.
Engage your audience with content and encourage them to comment and interact with you.
How does the algorithm affect your Instagram account?
It seems like the world has ended, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Take a breath and take note.
Although the algorithm affected all Instagram accounts, it did not do so in a devastating way like Facebook’s.
Ultimately, the algorithm remains the same. That is, it is governed by the same causes explained in the previous point (popularity and engagement).
- Achieving a high level of interaction will have a positive impact on visibility, increasing the chances of your content appearing before your users.
- Make sure you have a good engagement rate with your audience.
Although it may seem like a complicated step, it is key to know the Instagram algorithm inside out in order to plan a winning strategy.
Tips to gain visibility and beat the algorithm
The advice you are about to read may seem silly, but the main weapon you have to beat the algorithm is… (drum roll)
Keep your account active
Yes, it seems silly, but sometimes many people forget.
Nobody is interested in an Instagram account that is gathering dust from being used too little. Movement, we like movement.
And, of course, vary the way you approach your followers. Stories? Bomberangs?
Now it’s time to “unravel” some of Instagram’s newer forms of posting.
Stories
The latest darling of Instagram. So much so that Facebook tried to shoehorn it in and, if by any chance you have any contacts who use it, you should unfriend them.
Admit it, you don’t even remember what Instagram looked like before stories, do you?
Many users use stories as part of their strategy, leaving publications as something more residual.
The advantage of it lasting 24 hours, despite being able to create featured “sections” to retrieve them, is fresh content that is consumed daily.
Users interacting with you through stories also adds points for engagement.
Your best content, in the spotlight
Knowing which posts are performing best can help you change or continue a strategy.
Changing your strategy, following some guidelines such as the most popular hashtags or benchmarking your competitors on Instagram will help you.
Everything counts, as it is a way of knowing data that will help you prioritize one content over another.
Which posts get you the most likes or comments? That’s the key!
Hot hours are key
Do you know your user well?
Having more data about the Instagram user will make you invincible.
If you manage to publish your content during peak times, you will have more interactions and you will be able to keep it at the top of the timeline.
And now you’ll think, OK! In front of the Instagram algorithm.
A feature that you can follow from Metricool .
The planner in your dashboard will tell you the best times to post on Instagram and other social media.