If you want to dominate a social media platform you will need to know the ins and outs of that platform. When it comes to Instagram there isn’t one algorithm that controls it all. Instagram uses a variety of algorithms and processes to measure its reach. They use behind the scenes to personify each user’s experience. There is an algorithm for how Feeds and stories are ranked, for reels and explore tabs. The algorithm influences everything you do on the platform. Whether or not your posts are seen and who they are being shown to.
You can agree with me that there is plenty of content out there, so Instagram shows us the content they think we want to see. That way we can stay on the app longer.
Understanding the way an Instagram algorithm works is key to increasing your instagram reach.
In this article I will be breaking down everything and giving you the key strategies and signals you can use to increase your ranking on this social platform.
Now let’s dive right in
3 Important signals Instagram looks for to rank your posts
Feeds and Stories
Instagram looks at everything that is available like an inventory, every signal on a post to rank the post. The post with the highest score rises to the top. Reasons you need to improve your ranking.
On your feed and stories, you have Following, Favourites, and Default. When you switch to the following feed you will see the most recent posts of the people you follow.
This will show up in chronological order
Favourites
Your favorite feed shows the latest accounts you choose to be your favorites. To add someone as your favourite, go to their profile and select “following”, click on the drop down arrow and select “favourites”
or if you come across a users post that you like, click on the 3 dots at the right hand corner and select favourites
Tip: You can add up to 50 people on your favourite lists
Default
Default is the main view you see when you log into your instagram app. On the default feed the algorithm suggests posts they think you would like. Note that the accounts that are on your favourite list will show up higher on your feed.
This is what instagram says
“Default and stories are places where people want to see content from their friends, family and those they are closest to”
You might be wondering
How Instagram determines who you are closest to?
They use something called “signals”. There are many signals instagram uses to guess what you would be most interested in.
For example:
- Information about the post
- The people who made the post
- What you interact with
- The time the post was shared
- Whether you are using your phone or web browser
- How often you like videos compared to post
- Who your favorites are etc.
The most important signals in order of importance are
Information about the post; They are looking at how popular your posts are and the content itself. Was it a video, reel or carousel, was there a location tag to it
Information about the person who posted; who are they, what do they do, what is their target audience
Your activity; The post you interact with, what the person’s profile is all about
History of interacting with someone; sense of how close you are to that person, whether or not you two comment on each other’s posts. From there instagram predicts how long you will stay on that person’s post, whether to comment, like, or save, share, or go to their profile.
Ranking for search and explore; Explore was designed to help users discover new things. This is information instagram research and brings to you. They get this information from your signals; your interaction with whom, and the type of content on your app and try to recommend content or profiles similar to what you have interacted with or liked in the past. You rank high on the explore page depending on how quick and popular people are liking, commenting, sharing and saving your posts. Most important is the interaction you take when you are on the explore tab.
When you look at all these signals then you will understand having a niche on instagram is quite important.
The instagram algorithm wants you to be topically consistent. Because when you are consistent on particular topics, they know who to show your profile or content to.
“Instagram algorithm was designed to benefit people who have a designed niche”
Ranking for the reels tab; Instagram says reels were designed to entertain. They follow the same pattern like on the above: your activity, history of content you have interacted with and the reel itself including the captions, music etc. “with an eye towards small creators” says Instagram. This idea of focusing towards small creators was a way for instagram to compete with Tiktok.
This is literally how the instagram algorithm works.
How to trigger Instagram algorithm to work in your favor? Tips and strategies
All along we have been discussing how the algorithm gives you signals on information you see from other people. Now let’s look at how you can trigger the algorithm to send your own signals to other people.
Pick a niche(specific topic)
There is a lot of debate on the internet whether you should focus on particular topics or post on whatever you lay your head on. The way the instagram algorithm works clearly tells you to stay consistent on a particular topic at least for a start. You want people to follow you for a particular thing. If you randomly post on any topic, knowing there are people posting specifically on that topic, people will prefer to follow someone who posts on that topic regularly than the person who does it once in a while. You can eventually expand to other topics once you have grown your following.
Create a perfect Instagram bio
Set your account to be SEO friendly. You only have a few seconds to get someone interested in your profile and your BIO is the perfect place to start. Your bio is like your identity card, it should carry all information about you/business. Your bio is what determines if one should follow for more or pass.
Key Points to make sure your Instagram profile is perfectly optimized
- Create a business account or switch to creator mode: These options give you access to analytics and additional features.
- Name field: The name field is searchable, you want to optimize it with targeted keywords. It helps you get found on search engines. So think about the words your target audience or customers will use to search what you do on instagram.
Example: If you are a wedding planner, make sure to include it beside your name so you would be able to get found on search engines.
- Keep your username clear and easy to read: Avoid using hyphens, underscore, dashes, numbers. Make sure your username reflects your business accurately.
- Upload a high resolution photo: This is key, it is the first thing people are going to see on your bio. Keep it nice and clean. If it is a business page then use your logo, however if you are a personal brand like an artist, or designer, you can still use your picture.
- Your actual bio: Where you include what you/ your business do in 125 characters or less. Highly descriptive with target audience/customers in mind. Who you are, who you serve, the benefits and transformation you provide and the action you want people to take. You can be more fun or creative with using emojis.
- Branded hashtags: You can also include branded hashtags on your bio. This encourages people to share with others. Branded hashtags can help potential customers to view other people who have worked or bought from your brands. It also helps for user generated content ( other people creating content for your brand image) Use branded hashtags to leverage this.
- Tagging: If you are a personal brand for your business, you want to tag your business account if only you want to. And then you have to make sure your personal brand also reflects your business.
- Include a call to action(CTA): When people visit your profile what should they do? This could be asking them to download free bees, send you DMs, etc. Then a link that takes people to your website(directs them to a specific place) could be your landing, a blog post or instagram shop.
- Stories highlight: Instagram Highlights are Instagram stories you choose to save on your profile permanently. Create nice cohesive highlights and organize into categories. Include key information for people to see. This could be announcing an event, sale, restaurant menu, services you provide.
Yes! This is how you update and optimize your instagram bio to make sure you are attracting the right audience/customer.
How to grow followers organically on Instagram
Targeted interaction/engagement
Engage with the right account. The key to getting new followers/customers is by going out there and targeting them through comments, likes, shares. Don ‘t sit and hope for them to come. Go and get them.
Commenting is key here, this works like magic
Leaving meaningful comments, you are strategically commenting to get people to click and check your profile.
Let’s say instead of just saying, “good point”, “nice write up” “correct” you add up some point to what was posted, you expand on the idea. Answer unresponded questions.
Note: You are not doing this on any profile, you are engaging on competitors’ pages and influencers that your target audience follows. Because they are the people you want to attract right?
Targeting competitors and bigger influencers in your industry is going to bring highly targeted people who will be active to your profile, so you can convert them into followers and potential clients.
Also read: Target market research
Target niche hashtags
Brainstorm and come up with commonly used words in your industry. Go to the Instagram explore page search for the hashtags that are being used, go through to see what people have posted and most important if the hashtag is active. Select 3 to 5 profiles and leave a like or a genuine comment. You are not only leaving this comment for the poster but also for their followers as they are likely going to follow you as well.
Tip : If you are just starting, go for hashtags with smaller following, if not you get lost in the thousands and millions of hashtags. If you stay consistent you can out pass the smaller hashtags and rank at the top.
Target the “likers” of post in your niche
Not everybody comments on a post or use hashtags, so targeting the “likers” of post of relevant account is a great strategy. Click on the “like tab” and like 3 to 5 posts.
Liking might simply mean, I saw you interested in that post, I do have the same or similar thing that you might be interested in.
With an updated/optimized profile plus these strategies you will be able to pull in targeted followers.
How to use Instagram Features
Latest Instagram updates and features you need to know about
Meta verified
This is a recent update that has been rolled out for “creators only” account not for business accounts. Currently available in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
“A verified badge now means an account has been verified by government ID… is a subscription that offers enhanced verification, proactive account protection and increased visibility in comments and recommendations.”
- This subscription establishes your presence on Facebook and Instagram.
- More support from impersonation with proactive account monitoring
- Support from a real person if you have issues with your account
- Increased visibility and reach plus exclusive features to express yourself in unique ways.
They have removed this last point. People raise complaints about the “pay to play” game.
Removing the last point doesn’t change what I think. Verification is supposed to be earned , not paid for. It is a goal to make money for meta, of course. Scrolling your feed and seeing a bunch of verified accounts which provides no value hmm.
Adoption of lead forms for business accounts
Super interesting feature for businesses. This is important as it used to be specifically on ads objectives. Part of sales objectives when you want to generate leads. This feature is still rolling out. Not every account has it as of now.
This feature cuts out third party apps potentially and uses this for lead forms. This is interesting if you don’t have the budget to pay for external lead forms software.
It also gives you the opportunity to get more information about your customers, single questions and multiple choice questions where you get to know their names, email, and phone numbers. You will find this feature in the “Edit Profile” Set up action button
Broadcasting channels
This feature works like Facebook group
It is a broadcast channel to build your fan community. Share updates like upcoming events, and launches. Great opportunity for growth and engagement Also not this feature is only available in the creator’s only account.
Gesture controls in reels
This is a new recording feature in reels. You can set up your shots and gesture for the video to start recording, giving you instructions like “Raise your hands to start recording”. Instagram is letting us know reels is here to stay
Instagram Gifts
Similar to youtube and Twitter, you can now give a gift to your favorite creator. This digital gift is in the form of stars.
For eligibility you need to have a
- Professional account
- Active reels producer
- Pass partner monetization policies
That’s literally everything you need to know to grow your brand/business on Instagram.
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