Instagram Algorithm & How It Works

Over the years, Instagram has changed the way that their algorithm works. It started as chronological, where you saw the latest posts first, and now it has evolved into something different. So what’s going on with the algorithm now and how can you work with it?

According to Instagram, six factors go into the algorithm for feed posts. These are interest, relationship, timeliness, frequency, following, and usage. The algorithm functions by showing you what they think you care about based on these things. Here are a few tips for working with these factors.

Tips

Tip 1- Be consistent
The frequency of your Instagram posts will depend on your business’s marketing goals. Whatever you decide to go with, be consistent throughout. An account that posts frequently and consistently is recognized as a quality account that will get prioritized in the algorithm ranking. Of course, you want to be sure you are sharing quality content and avoid sacrificing quality for frequency. It’s all about balance.

Tip 2- Post when your audience is most active
Although the algorithm no longer sorts chronologically, this is a good way to ensure followers see your posts. By going into your business account’s insights, you can see your audience information and determine when they are most active. According to Later’s investigation, the best times to post are between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. EST. However, your followers may be different and you’ll want to be sure to tailor to them.

Tip 3- Earn engagements from your audience
Engagements are the currency of the social media world, and more so when they play a part in the platform’s algorithm. According to Instagram’s @creators account, the engagements that count in the algorithm rankings are likes, comments, reshares and views (on video posts). Instagram doesn’t mention it, but it seems to have an impact to save posts. Saved posts are deemed to be more valuable than likes because it means that the content was interesting enough that someone wanted to come back to it again.

Tip 4- Have solid captions
Captions on their own won’t boost your ranking, but what the caption says can help. Engagements are the biggest thing when it comes to the ranking, so having captions that encourage interaction can be a big help. Ask your audience questions, hold contests, and reply to their comments. You will build relationships and help your ranking.

Tip 5- Turn on post notifications
An easy way to make sure that followers see your post is by asking them to turn on post notifications. By pressing the “following” button on your account, they can turn on notifications for posts, stories, IGTV, and live videos. They’ll get a push every time you post and will hopefully engage with that content.

We hope that this brings to light a little bit about what the algorithm is based on and how to best hack it! Of course, you can contact us for all your app marketing needs as well. Now, go work the algorithm!

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