Instagram recently announced their plan to make a big change to the way users see posts on their feed. Instead of the current format where posts are shown in reverse chronological order, the order will now be based on an algorithm that takes three factors into account: how likely you are to be interested in a post, your relationship with the person posting, and the time it is posted.
Why is Instagram messing with your feed?
Because they want to prioritize high-quality posts and make sure you don’t miss out on the stuff you care about. For example, if one of your favorite people posts something you’re likely to be interested in, chances are it will appear at the top of your feed regardless of when it was posted.
What does this mean for businesses on Instagram?
This new format means your Instagram posts have to be better than ever. Business owners can no longer rely on posting at the right time to get noticed. You now have to compete to make it to the top of people’s feed. If your posts aren’t cutting it, chances are they won’t get seen at all.
So what does it take to win on Instagram?
Taking quality photos.
Boring pictures don’t thrive on Instagram. Post creative and high-quality photos with interesting composition. Remember to take advantage of photo-editing apps like VSCO and Afterlight.
Posting a variety of content.
Don’t post the same kinds of pictures again and again. Your followers want to see variety. Don’t limit yourself to posting just photos either — post a video if that better fits what you’re trying to communicate.
Engaging with other users.
Be social on Instagram. Like photos from your followers and respond to their comments. Reposting photos from your customers is also a great way to increase engagement.
Telling a story with your caption.
Your captions should complement and add value to your image. Keep them brief and witty — have fun!
Using relevant hashtags.
Adding hashtags to your posts is a good way to get more eyes on it. Research what popular hashtags are relevant to your content, but we don’t suggest adding more than a few.
This change is new to us too, so we’ll keep you updated as we learn more about what this means for how you navigate Instagram. Happy gramming!