Social media is constantly changing and evolving as it adapts to the equally changing and evolving world of technology. Instagram, in particular, has seen dramatic enhancements, especially over the last year with the increased popularity of video entertainment apps such as Tiktok and YouTube.
In order to keep up with its competition, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced in June of 2021 that they were “no longer just a square photo-sharing app.” The app transformed its algorithm to maintain user engagement by providing quality “reels.”
Any business that wants to keep up with its own competition online will need to educate itself on the latest updates to Instagram’s algorithm. We’ve put together a few helpful tips to enhance your Instagram account and boost your sales.
How the Algorithm Determines Ranking
The first thing you’ll want to learn about is the most recent attributes which determine the ranking of a post on Instagram.
- Is a user likely to interact with the type of post you’ve shared? This includes the topic, type of post, and content shared within the caption.
- What is your connection with the user? How much do you interact and engage with one another on each other’s content?
- How frequently does the user open the app and how much time do they spend scrolling on the app?
Let’s break down each one to help you stay ahead of the algorithm and be one step ahead of your competition.
Keep Your Content Educational and Entertaining
In order for users to have your content populate their feed, the algorithm needs to understand the types of content they most frequently engage with. Do they typically like, comment, and save video posts or carousels? Do they usually take time to read the captions that are shared with the content or scroll right by the “read more” button?
Beating the algorithm means staying up to date with the latest digital trends of Instagram. People are usually using Instagram for educational and entertaining content. Therefore, your content needs to fit one or both of these categories if you want a user to engage with your posts.
If you sell fireplaces online, you’ll want to consider content that would be pertinent to your audience. Think about the types of individuals that would be looking for your products and the types of questions they would want to be answered. Another type of content to consider is what your target audience would find entertaining.
Perhaps you want to give them top reasons to purchase fire pits for their home. Or you could provide outdoor home decor tips for hosting gatherings outdoors that would provide them with a reason to want to add a fire pit to their outdoor hosting space.
Get creative with your content ideas and always consider your audience first.
Build Engagement with Your Audience
One of the biggest things any business or creator Instagram account can do is engage. Social media is meant to be filled with digital social interactions. Your audience is having a conversation and you want to start being a part of it.
This part is actually quite easy but can be incredibly time-consuming if you are new. It requires commenting, liking, and saving posts just as you want followers to do with your posts. This will also help to build relationships and trust with your ideal audience.
There is also one very simple thing you can do to improve your engagement on your content. If you want people to like, comment, click on the link in your bio, or save your post, then why don’t you ask? Every post should include a call to action that is prompting their viewers to do something.
Look through your most recent posts and see which ones are actively asking people to engage with your content. Compare your analytics to see what type of call to action has worked most frequently and tie that into your upcoming posts.
You Can’t Be In Control of Everything
Lastly, how often a person uses the app or how much time they spend scrolling through the Instagram app is completely out of your control. Or is it? This is why creating quality content is incredibly important to Instagram’s algorithm.
The more they like your comment, the more time they will spend on the app in order to see what you are posting next. The more time they spend on the app, the more likely they’ll see more of your content.
Another way to do this is by asking people in your next post to set up notifications for when you post. That way, they never miss an update from your business and will constantly be notified for every reel, photo, and video you make.
