Instagram algorithm is capable of generating more nightmares than horror movies for those who work with social media.
Post ideas made without much care can end up going viral, while it’s possible for well-crafted posts to embitter little engagement on Instagram . Sometimes it can seem like we don’t know how a social network works.
This mystery, however, is more myth than truth. As much as the secret behind the Instagram and Facebook algorithm is more protected than Area 51, understanding how the social network works is not that difficult, even with the constant changes.
Easier said than done, we understand. That’s why we’re going to help you discover how the Instagram algorithm works and give you more chances to appear in your followers’ feed!
Tip : Learning how the Instagram algorithm works increases your chances of referring users to your bio, where you can place an external link. Want a way to get more than one link in your profile?
How the Instagram Algorithm Operates
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Similar to Facebook, Instagram orders your feed posts and Stories according to the subjects it predicts you will interact with. These interactions can be a like, comment, saving the post to see later and even the fact that you stop the screen to read a caption is considered.
After that prediction, it will rank posts from profiles that follow you, based on the engagement of those users. That is, the more of these interactions a post has, the greater the chances that it will appear in your feed.
How to Like Instagram Stories Without Sending Private Messages
The last criterion, but not necessarily the least, is your relationship with the users you follow. The more you interact with a particular user, the greater the chances that their posts will appear in the top positions.
But how to make your posts appear at the top of your followers’ feed on Insta?
Consistency is the keyword
Not just Instagram’s algorithm, but any social network’s algorithm works based on its content constancy. This doesn’t mean you need to post multiple times throughout the day, although at least one post a day is recommended.
If you can do more without sacrificing the quality of your publications, don’t hesitate to publish. But if you just want to post for the sake of posting, the best thing is not to force the bar so as not to compromise on quality.
The best tip for maintaining consistency of posts is to create a monthly calendar with the posts you intend to make. With each post you create, use one of these tools to schedule posts on Instagram and leave them scheduled so you don’t run the risk of forgetting the publication time.
Cultivate Your Relationships
Instagram’s algorithm doesn’t just consider the quality of your posts, but your own behavior on the network. What does that mean?
That the way you interact with other posts on Instagram can also help (or hinder) the reach of your own posts. Remember when we said that the more you interact with a specific user, the more likely your posts are to appear in their feed and vice versa?
This is exactly why, in addition to posting consistently, you should not forget to interact with other publications on the social network. Preferably with posts that target the same niche as yours.
If you still don’t follow many users in the same niche on Instagram, you can search for popular hashtags within the subjects you cover. To help you with this task, be sure to check out our tooltips to find the best hashtags for your business and this list of the most popular hashtags!
Tip : Also remember to reply to comments made on your posts, they count towards increasing your engagement!
Know the best time to post on Instagram
An attitude that can improve your interactions and favor you with the Instagram algorithm is to publish when most of your followers are online. If you have a business account , you can check the days and times with greater access in the metrics area of Instagram.
Posting at these times increases the chances of receiving more likes and comments on the post in addition to other types of interaction.
What is considered an interaction on Instagram?
We’ve already mentioned what types of interactions can help you appear at the top of your followers’ feeds. Most users believe that only likes and comments count as engagement, but this is not true.
Almost everything you do on Instagram counts as engagement, as you can see in the list below:
- Likes : the most common on Insta, you like by double tapping the post or the heart below. It is a form of engagement that, despite being common, is one that counts least as an interaction, despite the social pressure of likes;
- Comments : if you want to offer more engagement to get feedback with the Instagram algorithm, don’t be afraid to comment on posts. Of course, don’t just make comments with emojis or with generic phrases like “top” or “very good!”. Distributing comments in this way can cause Insta to interpret you as a bot;
- Stop to read a caption: There’s no button for this, but Insta also understands a post as relevant if users stop to see what’s written in a post. That’s why it’s important to know how to write good captions for Instagram ;
- Enable Post Notifications: This option can be turned on from the menu with three dots next to a post. By choosing to turn on notifications for a post, you signal to the Instagram algorithm that that content is relevant, increasing the chances of similar posts appearing in your feed.
Use your knowledge about the Instagram algorithm!
Now that you understand a little more about how the Instagram algorithm works, it’s time to test your new knowledge and program your first posts with all the information you now have in mind.
To schedule posts on Instagram quickly and easily, we recommend that you get to know hootsuite!
In addition to allowing you to schedule posts for Insta and Stories, hootsuite is a complete tool to manage your Insta. It can generate reports about your Instagram profile and send automatic messages to new followers.
Best of all, you can try it for FREE for 30 days! To do this, click on the link to register now and start testing!
