Using the Instagram Algorithm to Your Advantage
How can you use the Instagram Algorithm to your advantage when scheduling content? This is a question we at CAST Design Team receive all the time. In this blog, we’ll explain three Instagram Algorithm facts that come straight from the pro’s at Instagram.
What is the Instagram Algorithm?
Before 2016, Instagram shared posts in reverse chronological order–meaning the most recent posts appeared at the top of your feed and you scrolled back in time. July 2016 brought a change in Instagram when the company opted for an algorithm. The mysterious algorithm shares posts in what can seem to be a random order. The Instagram Algorithm, however, is anything but random!
A Learning Machine
The Instagram Algorithm is a learning machine. Instagram looks at your past behavior and how you interact with accounts to then show you a feed curated to your tastes and actions. Accounts that you interact with will show up earlier on your feed and accounts that you don’t comment and like as often will fall lower in the feed. There are 3 specific things Instagram uses to decide what posts go where: Interest, Recency, and Relationship.
Interest
Instagram can predict what you are interested in by reviewing past behavior. In simple terms, if you like and comment on Instagram posts about Disneyland, you are going to start seeing more posts about Disneyland in your feed.
If you want to show up in your followers’ feeds more often, find out what they are interested in and incorporate it into your Instagram content, so they are more likely to comment and like these posts. This is a smart way to use the Instagram Algorithm to your advantage and get in front of your audience more often.
Recency
Timeliness of posts is also a factor in the Instagram Algorithm. More recent posts get priority over posts that are weeks old. Companies can benefit from this knowledge by posting regularly to consistently stay in their followers’ feeds. Another great way to use this to your advantage is to track your analytics and make sure you know when a majority of your follows are online this way you can post at those times.
Relationship
If you regularly interact with an account’s posts, such as commenting and liking, you will see more posts from that account in your feed. Your relationship with accounts is important to the Instagram Algorithm. Utilize this knowledge by using a call-to-action in your content asking your followers to comment their opinions and experiences and ALWAYS respond to their comments.
Instagram Algorithm Help
Does the Instagram Algorithm still give you anxiety? Don’t stress–contact CAST Design Team today and we can help you master the Instagram Algorithm and get your posts seen by more followers.
