What Does Instagram’s Algorithm Mean for Your Brand?
Just when we think we have the latest Instagram algorithm down, it changes and we have to go back to square one and learn it all over again! Thankfully for you, we’ve done our research and have comprised a list of all the ways you can avoid becoming a victim of the new algorithm change.
We all know that engagement levels on Instagram are crucial to the overall growth of an account, but with this new algorithm, it’s more important than ever to focus on your interactions in order to improve your chances of being seen.
If you’re noticing a decrease in your engagement levels lately and are looking for a solution, search no further! In this post, we’re outlining exactly how this new algorithm works and what it means for your brand’s account. Once you have a better understanding of the motives behind the system, you can start strategizing to get your Insta growth back in motion!
Understanding The Instagram Algorithm Change
Before we dive into the new algorithm, we need to examine the source — Instagram’s overall mission! This is the motive that always stays the same, no matter what formula is introduced in an attempt to reach it.
This platform has stayed true to its absolute objective of getting (and keeping) their users’ attention at all times. They accomplish this by calculating the “delight-factor” of posts through their levels of engagement. Each algorithm that Instagram introduces applies to this same goal, just in slightly different ways.
The Basics
Instagram’s current algorithm is heavily reliant on individual posts’ engagement levels to determine whether it should be promoted more or less than previous content. The system works to decide if your posts are either very delightful or maybe not so delightful to your followers. They decide this by measuring how fast and how much your content is interacted with. These numbers are then compared to your previous posts’ data.
So, What Happens When You Post?
Your post is first shown to a small percentage of your audience (around 10%).
The post’s data is then measured by how well the content is received by this initial test group.
If your post is getting less interaction at a slower rate than your previous ones, your new image will continue to reach a smaller audience percentage and will be shown lower down on most of your followers’ feeds.
If your post is getting more interactions at a faster rate than your previous ones, your image will be promoted to reach a larger audience percentage and will be shown higher up on feeds. The posts that do well with the initial percentage will also have a higher chance of appearing on more users’ explore pages.
Optimizing Engagement Through This Algorithm
Now that you know how the algorithm works, you may wonder what this exactly means for your brand. Below are a few tips that will help you overcome the algorithm and improve your engagement with each post.
How To Beat It
Be conscious of posting times: Use insight tools like Squarelovin to map out the times that your personal audience is most active on Instagram. This will increase your chances of getting those initial interactions in quickly!
Less ads, more meaningful content: With this algorithm, it’s better to stop posting just to post. Because your exposure is now determined on your interactions, it’s important to post authentic, quality content that will be more likely to impact your followers.
Take advantage of Stories: The more interaction the better, period! Story engagement plays a role in this algorithm as well, so make sure that you’re frequently posting and adding reply options too! The more clicks you can get, the better your chances will be of getting more exposure.
Test, measure, repeat: Using the insights tool to monitor each post’s engagement will allow you to know what type of content works best for your followers. This gives you the option to test out new kinds of content if you aren’t getting the levels of interaction that you were hoping for.
And that’s it! By better understanding Insta’s algorithm, you’ll be on your way to successfully growing your brand’s presence on the platform!
Still have questions about how to optimize your brand’s content? Contact us at http://welacreativestudios.com for more information about our services!
