We need to talk about the Instagram algorithm. And if just seeing the word “algorithm” freaks you out, we get it.
Many brands were absolutely rocked by the 2018 Facebook algorithm update that resulted in a nosedive of organic reach. Meanwhile, you may have noticed that your Instagram content hasn’t scored the same engagement as it did in the past.
This has rightfully left brands wondering: what’s the heck is going on with the Instagram algorithm? Are we going to see a repeat of that Facebook frenzy any time soon? How do you beat the game? Come up with a content strategy that gives the Instagram algorithm exactly what it wants – and one way to do this is to create consistently high quality content that can stand up to future algorithm changes.
1.Good photo quality
According to Instagram themselves, ranking higher in your followers’ feeds goes hand in hand with creating “great content.” No-brainer, right? Except what constitutes “good content” is in the eye of the beholder and doesn’t give us many specifics.Regardless, there’s no denying that the most-liked and shared content on Instagram is oftentimes visually striking. Bold colors. Breathtaking landscapes. The sort of stuff that gets people to stop in their tracks and smash “Like.”
2. Have consistent stories
The popularity of Stories might also be contributing to brands posting less content on their traditional feed, resulting in lower engagement.Rather than choose between Stories and regular posts, your mentality should be “Why not both?” Stories provide an authentic, speedy way to engage your audience that people obviously love. They also push your brand’s account to the front of your followers’ Stories updates, putting you quite literally front and center on their feed as a result.
3. Do more video content
Instagram’s platform has been pushing video hard lately through stories and IGTV. In fact, Instagram announced that IGTV content will now begin appearing in your followers’ feeds rather than being confined to IGTV itself. This is huge news that again signals that Instagram wants to see creators producing video.
4. Do more live videos
A quick tip, but definitely one worth mentioning.Like Stories, Live video doesn’t have any specific bearing on the Instagram algorithm.However, Instagram Live does generate notifications to followers by putting itself atop your followers’ Stories feeds as well.
5. Have good captions
The Instagram algorithm supposedly prioritizes engagement. That means likes and shares are valuable currency.We often stress that likes and shares are mere vanity metrics and brands should be concerned with. But encouraging interactions directly is totally fair game on Instagram. Doing so is also so easy as you can ask followers directly to drop a comment.
6. Run a giveaway
For many businesses, you’ll notice that contest and giveaway posts are among their most popular and engaged.Whether it’s sharing a hashtag or creating some user-generated content, contests can help drive a surge of engagement to your profile.
7. Activate hashtags
The more eyes on your posts, the better. Hashtags can help attract those eyes in a matter of seconds. Including Instagram hashtags as part of your content strategy ensures that your posts are essentially searchable. A combination of branded, product and community hashtags represents the perfect storm of encouraging engagement.
