Staying on Top of Instagram

Instagram is always changing—requiring social media managers to stay agile and adjust to the latest changes. 

However, these transitions—which in recent years include organizations moving to Instagram’s Twitter-like app to the company rebranding itself as a video platform through reels—can overwhelm social media managers and discourage them from using the platform. 

“Each part of the app uses its own algorithm so we can best recommend content that we think audiences will love,” states Instagram on its creator’s resource page. “Each algorithm relies on ‘signals’ like how likely a viewer will watch and engage with a piece of content to fuel recommendations.” 

Despite Instagram’s fast growth, sticking to consistent social media practices on Instagram allows managers to grow their accounts organically. Therefore, it is critical to understand how this algorithm works and be strategic about how managers can post to reach a wider audience—no matter how often the algorithm changes.

Here are some of VDS’ tricks to navigate Instagram’s growing algorithm 

Create Content for Your Audience

To effectively connect with your audience, start by analyzing your Instagram insights and data to understand their needs and interests. Engagement increases when your content resonates with them, so consider their perspective and what they want to know. 

Clearly demonstrate the relevance of your content by consistently incorporating calls to action and focusing on audience-centric messages. By crafting your content to emphasize why it matters to your audience, a brand increases the likelihood of capturing their attention, boosting engagement, and generating more leads.

Consistency is Key

The Instagram algorithm always takes into account how often you post—making posting consistently vital for keeping your audience engaged and signals to the social media platform’s database that your account is active. However, consistency doesn’t just mean posting daily; it also means maintaining a consistent style and theme, which helps create a recognizable brand identity.

“Consistently posting engaging content is crucial for keeping your audience interested,” Instagram states. “‘Engagement’ on Instagram refers to how many people interact with your content, such as likes, comments, saves, shares and replies.”

Be Strategic

To maximize your success on Instagram, it’s crucial to be intentional in your approach. Rather than relying on random or spontaneous posts, take the time to plan your content and use these engagement strategies. 

• Leverage Instagram Stories and Reels: Instagram Stories and Reels are powerful tools that can significantly boost your visibility and engagement. Use them to showcase behind-the-scenes content, share quick tips, or highlight user-generated content.
• Use Hashtags Strategically: Hashtags are one of the most effective ways to increase your content’s discoverability. However, it’s essential to use them strategically. Instead of using the most popular hashtags, opt for a mix of niche and moderately popular hashtags that are relevant to your content. This increases the likelihood of your post being seen by a more targeted audience. 
• Post at Optimal Times: Timing is everything on Instagram. Posting when your audience is most active can significantly boost your chances of engagement. While the best time to post can vary depending on your audience, generally, mornings and evenings tend to see the highest activity levels. Analyzing your Instagram Insights can help you determine the best posting times for your specific audience.
• Utilize Instagram Insights: Instagram Insights is a valuable tool that provides data on your followers and how they interact with your content. By regularly reviewing your Insights, you can gain a better understanding of what type of content resonates most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly. This data-driven approach can help you create more engaging content that aligns with your followers’ preferences, as stated above. 

Collaborate  

Collaborations can significantly boost your reach on Instagram—and in the fastest way possible. 

Whether it’s partnering with another influencer, doing a joint livestream, or hosting a giveaway, collaborating exposes your account to a new but similar audience. 

Collaborate with:

• Content creators
• Non-profits
• Sports organizations
• Audience-tailored organizations

The algorithm also boosts these types of interactions! 

High-Quality and Original Content

FOCUS ON HIGH-QUALITY CONTENT* — While posting frequently is critical to stay relevant, it’s crucial not to compromise on the quality of your content. The algorithm prioritizes content that keeps users on the platform longer, which means high-quality, engaging posts are more likely to be featured on the Explore page. Invest time in creating visually appealing and valuable content that encourages your audience to engage. 

You can also do this by always relying on digital media templates and an organized content calendar to create timely and high-quality content. 

“Video quality matters. Upload the highest resolution possible. People tend to engage more with high visual quality content.”

PRIORITIZE ORIGINAL CONTENT — Original content is crucial for building and promoting your brand identity. It leverages an organization’s unique resources and character to effectively tell its story through digital media. Well-crafted original content strategies can rapidly elevate brand visibility, particularly on video platforms, which Instagram aims to become. 

Along with this, Instagram’s algorithm is designed to recognize and promote original content by pushing original content over reposted material. When identical content appears on the platform, Instagram prioritizes the original version over reposted ones, especially if the original content is relatively new and matches audio and visual signals. 

“When we find two or more identical pieces of content on Instagram, we will only recommend the original one. This means that the original content will directly replace the reposted content in recommendations.”

Beating the Algorithm 

Mastering Instagram’s ever-adapting, confusing algorithm requires a strategic and consistent approach, tailored to your organization’s unique brand and limitations. To achieve this, social media managers should prioritize creating content that resonates with their audience, maintaining a steady posting schedule, collaborating effectively, and leveraging the platform’s media and data tools. Additionally, by staying informed and keeping up with updates directly from Meta, social media managers can fine-tune their strategies to remain effective. This approach, which is often used by the most experienced managers with consistent application of best practices, will allow you to significantly expand your reach and generate the high-quality leads that are crucial for your organization’s success.