You must know by now that my marketing strategies are not about ‘gaming the system’ or ‘getting around’ updates or algorithms. I happen to think that most Google updates are for our own good — yes, really — and that the new Instagram algorithm, while tough to get used to, has its positives.
The thing is, you can’t beat these algorithms. When these changes are rolled out, there’s nothing you can do to stop them from affecting you. So you might as well join them.
Businesses on Instagram have been hit hard recently by changes the company has made to its algorithm. The timeline has been affected by algorithmic data for some years now, but rather than being solely affected by an individual account’s likes and activity, now it acts on other seemingly ethereal rules too.
It’s not actually as hard as it sounds. Here are my tips to help you update your content calendar and work with the algorithm so you can keep reaching your fans, followers and customers.
Post As Often As You Like
It’s debunking time: Instagram will not penalise you for posting more than once a day.
While your pics will be split up on the feed to avoid your followers being bombarded by your content while they scroll, you won’t have your pics or account ‘hidden’ or ‘shadowbanned’.
Remember that quality is more important than quantity. If you don’t have quality pics to share, less is more. But if you’ve got some great footage from an event, or a backlog of shots from a recent campaign, don’t feel like you have to hold back.
My Top Top: I’d say two or three posts in one day is more than enough. And don’t do this too often — think about how your followers would feel about being overwhelmed.
Take A Chance On Video
Okay, so Facebook’s ‘pivot to video’ thing was a scam, but it’s definitely true that some users enjoy watching videos on Instagram.
According to Hootsuite, Instagram says that they do not prioritise video on the timeline over other posts. However, if your users watch videos, they will see more video content. It’s always about what users want and what will ensure they stick around for longer.
My Top Tip: Give video a try, what have you got to lose? Keep a close eye on your analytics to see how your followers are receiving it. This will tell you in no uncertain terms whether or not your experiment was successful.
Be More People
What d’ya mean, be more people? Instagram no like people?
Honestly, Instagram is saying that their algorithm favours accounts who invest time in interaction.
In human terms, that means accounts who actively react and converse with their followers generally do better on the timeline than those who post and swerve. Even if your content isn’t high-quality — maybe you’ve not had time to get a great shot together — your caption and how you interact with your comments will make posting worth it.
Be personable and approachable. Your followers, and the algorithm, will love it.
My Top Tip: It’s always better to post than to leave a day or two without doing so. My advice is to make your posts worth engaging with. Ask questions in your captions; have fun with it if you can. Make it seem like you want to talk to your followers! Because you do, eh?
Have you had an unexpectedly positive reaction to one of your Instagram posts? What makes your posts gain unbeatable traction? Let me know in the comments.
Until next time…