The supreme Instagram algorithm. The most demonized part of this platform. Easily blamed for the lack of growth results, loudly criticized for the way it ranks our posts, suspected of taking deliberate actions to limit the reach of Instagram posts.
But is it really meant to make your life more difficult, or maybe the frequent Instagram updates make it a little harder for you to keep up with the constant changes and refine your strategy? I did my research for you, to debunk the most common accusations against the Instagram algorithm, based on Instagram’s last year statement, which has brought to light some details about what the Instagram algorithm is and how it works.
Keep on reading to finally make peace with this mythical creature, and turn your frustration into new effective growth strategies. I really hope this article will bring back hope to everyone who thinks growing your brand organically on Instagram is a lost cause, without having a huge amount of resources or time.
But I have to warn you. There will be a little bit of tough love here today, so please bear it in mind, before we move on to the next part of this article, and remember that all of these, everything I do here is to help you out, help you grow your Instagram profiles and brands. We are good people here at DisplayPurposes!
Has an Instagram Algorithm Became Our Excuse?
It seems that recently some of the complaints I hear about the algorithm have unfortunately become an excuse for many creators to justify their own Instagram strategies, which may not have necessarily been in sync with what the algorithm currently favors on the platform.
This is why I’m going to bring up all of the most common accusations, to show you that the algorithm can be on your side, once you begin to understand what it is all about.
So before we go there, let’s start with the definition of the algorithm, to understand the mechanism behind it.
Instagram Algorithm. What Is This Mysterious Thing That Controls Your Instagram Performance?
According to the article written by the head of Instagram himself, Mr. Adam Mosseri – “Instagram doesn’t have only one algorithm that could give us nightmares every day. There are several algorithms responsible for ranking Feed posts, Explore, Reels and there are many other classifiers and processes that determine what kind of content Instagram users see on the platform”.
Still sounds like an enigma. But it brings us closer to how you can work with the algorithm.
What’s the most important here, is that the latest Instagram updates, and changes in the algorithm aim to serve Instagram users with content based on their own preferences, on what they consume the most on the platform. Also, on how people use different parts of the app: where they spend the most time, and what they engage with the most, are they into reels, stories, graphic or video content. It all matters to them now.
How Exactly Does the Instagram Algorithm Work Now?
If you think about it, his way of ranking content on Instagram can actually work in your favor, as the old chronological order of posts made Instagram users miss out on a lot of content they actually cared about. As Instagram says, by 2016, people were missing 70% of all their posts in feed, including almost half of posts from their close connections. And that’s a lot.
Now is the time, when your Instagram strategy has a way more significant meaning than ever. If you play the cards well and work with the algorithm, you can really make a difference to where you rank in your followers feeds and explore page. So yes, organic growth on Instagram lives on, and it’s time to debunk the most common algorithm myths you’ve spent way too much time believing in.
Let’s start with the big guns.
The Algorithm is to Blame For Everything? Does the Instagram Algorithm Stop Your Reach?
And by everything, I mean all the stuff you can possibly come up with to justify your lack of growth on Instagram: my posts don’t reach anyone, people don’t engage with my content, my profile isn’t getting new followers, I’m not selling anything, and so on and so on.
I really understand that it is super frustrating to not see any significant results coming from your Instagram strategy, especially if you really commit to it and put loads of time towards building a strong brand.
But the thing is, Instagram keeps evolving and with it – so do your competitors on the platform. To stand a chance in this dynamic environment, your understanding of how the algorithm works is essential. And then, and only then you’ll begin to objectively look at your Instagram profile and ask the right questions:
- Is it the algorithm decreasing my engagement, or maybe my content doesn’t really serve my audience?
- Is it the algorithm stopping me from reaching new followers, or maybe I don’t know who my target audience is?
- Does the algorithm limit my reach or maybe I’m using way too generic hashtags irrelevant to my content?
The best words to sum it all up are from the first line of Mosseri’s article explaining the algorithm, which says, “It’s hard to trust what you don’t understand.” So the first step to your organic growth on Instagram is getting to know what you have to deal with in order to build an effective Instagram strategy”.
Here another one from my favorite complaints about the algorithm:
Instagram Controls Which of my Followers Can See My Posts and Which not
Not exactly. The algorithm works based on people’s interests, engagements and other factors. It doesn’t intentionally hide your posts from viewers!
The way Instagram ranks feed posts and stories is based on:
- Information about the post: how many people liked it, when it was posted, at what location, and if it’s a video: how long is it
- Next it gathers information about you ( the person who posted): this helps the algorithm to determine if your profile will be interesting to your followers, and includes factors like: how many people in general have interacted with your profile in the past few weeks
- Then we have users activity, and their history of interacting with your profile – this prioritises content in users feeds from profiles they previously interacted with in any way (so if they liked your post, commented on it or shared it with someone else there is a huge change you’ll pop up at the top of their feeds.
Now, looking at the algorithm from this perspective shows that your organic growth on Instagram is about you and your actions more than ever before. Instagram actually listens, there’s no randomness about how they rank your posts. And because of this adaptation to the users’ patterns and behaviour, you’re able to reach your target audience quicker and more accurately when you know how to make the algorithm work in your favor.
My Content is Really Good, but It Doesn’t Eesonate with My Audience – So Clearly It Must Be the Algorithm
Your content is a vital part of your Instagram strategy, but the biggest misconception creators have when trying to build an engaged Instagram community is that their followers and potential followers sit there waiting for their content to amaze them with its grace.
Again, Instagram is a hugely competitive environment, which means that Instagram users can be a bit overwhelmed with the amount of content they receive every day which also means that they have loads of options to choose from. That’s why they usually look for very specific and unique sources of their daily stimulation.
That’s why you need to constantly communicate with your audience, ask them open-ended questions to know exactly what they expect from you and your content. What images and videos appeal to them the most. They must see value in your content in order to engage with it. And most importantly, it’s not only pretty pictures that grab people’s attention. Your voice counts most here because it can respond to people’s problems and needs.
So again, the algorithm is most likely not to blame here. While it can be really disappointing when your engagement rate drops or your reach is almost non-existent, it’s probably time to change your content strategy and start paying more attention to your audience’s needs. Use these moments as an opportunity to learn about your audience, and find out what your followers like and don’t like to see in your feed. Another common misconception?
I Need to Post More to Stand Any Chance at My Account Growing
Many people think that you need to post daily or even many times a day to make your profile and your online presence successful. That’s really not what makes you stand out.
Some of the most exciting well-prospering profiles we’ve ever followed post new content every second day, or once a day, or 3 times a week.
We associated the overwhelming posting frequency with success for far too long – if everyday posting frequency isn’t something that you can maintain then don’t do it. Look into your Instagram stats and try to learn the rhythm of your audience. Adjust your posting schedule to where they are on the platform.
The algorithm won’t hate you for posting less. There are two ground rules to follow here:
- Quality always comes before quantity
- It’s not about posting frequency, but posting consistently
Instagram recognizes your behavior and if it sees regularity in it, it will reward you for it.
And One of the Oldest Tales of Them All – Switching to a Business or Creator Account Negatively Impacts My Stats
Not sure why people still ponder over this one but I think there is an old saying that feels quite accurate to describe this assumption, and that is:
Out of sight, out of mind – let me explain…
Switching to a business or creator account gives you access to your profile statistics, making your Instagram performance very transparent. It seems many creators weren’t as worried about their Instagram performance, as when they were given in-depth data about it. Before, it was more of a guessing game, so they could assume everything was working well for them.
With a professional account, you can finally track many key factors of your Instagram performance: like your profile’s reach and your posts impressions, so switching to a business or creator account gives you a whole new range of possibilities.
That’s all for today guys. I hope that this article made you feel a bit more familiar with the Instagram algorithm, and made organic growth look possible. With tons of theories we hear about Instagram everyday it can be difficult to judge which ones are valid and which ones are not, but I think we made it quite clear that the algorithm, and actually the algorithms stand by your side if you only try to work with them. Change can get us a bit anxious but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing so don’t give up and rethink your strategy based on how Instagram works these days.
Thank you so much for reading. If you’ve heard any other famous misconceptions about the Instagram algorithm, let me know in the comments section below. I’ll try to debunk them as well, or maybe I’ll learn something new 🙂
See you in the next one!
