How To Work Around The New Algorithm On Instagram
A lot of people have been discussing the latest algorithm change that Instagram made. Some influencers are claiming they’re losing followers because of it.
But what changes did Instagram really do, and can you work around them? In this blog, Hollywood Branded provides 4 tricks to keep your current Instagram algorithm changes to keep your posts active.
What You Need To Know
If you have insight, then you have a fighting chance to not lose Instagram followers with their algorithm changes.
It’s all about knowing your followers. When are they active on Instagram during the day? What content are they interested in seeing? What hashtags are they using and looking for?
If you know the answer to these questions you will increase the chances of getting higher engagement on your post. And more engagement on a post will lead to Instagram ranking it higher in other user’s feeds. To get that engagement you have to stay relevant, so how do you do that? That's the quandary.
To stay relevant, you should first of all make sure that you know what your followers like seeing. And to make sure that happens, the post should show something new and unique, but you should make sure that you try to stay on the same path and always have a common theme throughout your posts as well.
How to Keep Your Post Active
To keep your post “active”, according to the Instagram algorithm, there are a few things you can do.
#1 When you have posted your photo or video make sure that you don’t change anything about the post within the first 24 hours. If you type something wrong in the caption, consider just leaving it instead of editing the post after you’ve uploaded it. If you change or edit the post after you’ve received the first engagement on the photo, you will disturb the rhythm of the algorithm and the post will “stop”… If you really feel like you have to change the caption or something else about the post, then it’s better to just delete it and re-upload it.
#2 Another thing to think about while trying to keep your post active is how you reply to comments. First of all, it is a good thing to reply to all the comments in order to keep the engagement rate up but another thing you can do to stay on top is using at least 4 words in every comment you make. It is said to help boost the engagement for a post but that is not something that has been confirmed by Instagram. You should also try to answer to comments within an hour after you’ve gotten them, since it will keep the engagement rate on a steady level.
Knowing When Your Followers Are Active Is Key
And then you need to start watching the clock.
#3 To keep a good “even” level of engagement for your post you should make sure that you know when your followers are most active. If your uploaded post reaches a high engagement level quickly you will get “relevance points” from Instagram and the post will be ranked higher. This is a sign of that Instagram is liking your content which also means that they will give you more exposure.
To get a lot of engagement on the post relatively quickly after you’ve uploaded it, it requires that people are active at that exact time. So, make sure to find out when your followers are scrolling through their feeds. Make sure you know when they are bored and looking for inspiration and company on Instagram. And make sure to be there at that time, as the reliable friend everyone wants.
One Thing You Should Not Do
The last thing I would like to mention is not something you should be doing but something you should NOT be doing.
#4 While creating or running your Instagram account for your business we all know that getting/having a lot of followers is an important factor. Nowadays you can buy your followers and a lot of people do that. But you should not!
It is worth repeating. DO NOT buy followers!
It might seem like an easy way to go and as a good push in the right direction to become “one of the bigger” accounts. But it’s not really as simple as that. If you want to have a successful, “big” account on Instagram it takes time and a lot of work. Instagram does not like it when you cheat to get there. The software can “feel” if you are using techniques that are not “real” in order to raise your engagement level and that will just give you the exact opposite.
Instagram will shut you down instead of pushing you up and in the worst case they can place your posts completely in the shadow and then everything you upload will just be a waste of time.
If you are interested reading more about how to work with Instagram check out these 7 blog posts our team has written.
- How To #7: 5 Steps To Tell If An Influencer Has Fake Instagram Followers
- 9 Tips To Organically Market Your Brand on Instagram
- 5 Steps To Tell If An Influencer Has Fake Instagram Followers
- 5 Ways How To Spot Fake Instagram Followers: Part 2
- 7 Secret Social Acronyms Brands Need To Know For Influencer Posts
- How To #13: 10 Ways To Create More Successful Instagram Posts
- A Brand's Guide To Kourtney Kardashian Instagram Posts
And make sure you check out our Influencer Marketing School where we provide you with even more insight and how-to real life hacks to make social media marketing work for you!
