The Instagram Algorithm | How to Grow on Instagram

The mildly irritating Instagram Algorithm has changed again this week. 

I hope this post helps all the influencers and bloggers out there looking to grow your followers on Instagram! I truly believe that we rise by lifting others up. The internet is limitless and so is our success in the digital community. There is enough opportunity to be shared. Bloggers, we are not in competition with each other. Let’s share the knowledge and be successful together! #womensupportingwomen.

After days of research, this is what I know to be true:

• By using AI robots (machine learning), Instagram shows you posts they think you will interact with. It helps IMMENSELY to just set notifications to get the latest stories and posts from a particular account.

Lesson to be learned: If you follow a person or like a type of post, you will see more of it. You need to be liking and commenting to  keep them on your feed. Encourage your readers and followers to set the notifications to get your latest posts and stories!

• The most you use Instagram, the more it personalizes the app for you.

Lesson to be learned: Instagram wants you to spend more time on the app. This one bothers me because I feel like we all waste way too much time on screens. But Instagram wants more of your time. It’s a business, I understand, I want more readers on my blog for longer periods of time. I get it. 

• Instagram and Facebook are VERY interconnected. Instagram pulls data from your facebook use to determine your possible “friends & family”. This dictates whether someone will be on your feed or you will be on their feed.

Lesson to be learned: Facebook is not dead. It’s not just for old people and lonely housewives! If you have a business on Instagram you need to have it connected to a Facebook page as well. Interact with your followers on both platforms.

• Stories have an algorithm ALL THIER OWN! If you watch other people stories, your stories are more likely to rank higher on their stories feed and vice versa.

Lesson to be learned: You need to be posting stories and watching stories. But most importantly – you need to be posting stories of yourself. You are a brand, you are an evolving billboard, you need to maintain an audience. If you post stories daily, this increases your engagement. If you post stories of yourself talking to the camera, asking questions, raising discussion topics – you are more likely to receive interaction. Also, most Brands are asking for sponsored content stories along with the standard feed post. This says something BIG – it is almost like a second feed that you need to maintain.

• #HASHTAG. Remember when the right hashtags were all that mattered? Times have changed.  Hashtags do NOT help as much as they used to! They have very little, (but still some effect) on your post being seen and organic traffic. So, it doesn’t hurt to have the little nudge of relevant hashtags but don’t depend on them. 

Conclusion: Instagram isn’t very forthcoming with the details of the constantly changing algorithm – but this is what I know from this weeks changes (Mid October 2018). I hope it gave you some insight. I truly hope you learned something that you can apply to your business. Comment below if you have anything to add! I love learning more about surviving this social media world! Stay Positive out there.

xo