7 Ways To Understand Instagram (All About The New Instagram Algorithm)

Instagram has not been a very nice friend lately. If you use the app on a regular basis I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. The changes that have been rolling out for Instagram have had a major impact on how photos are being shared on the app and how much interaction we get on our photos. And let's be honest....it's not going so well for us users, especially if you're a blogger. I know I've personally had my fair share of frustration with the app lately since engagement has been down and it's stopped showing me photos from people I actually want to see. (If anyone from Instagram happens to read this, bring the chronological ordered feed back!!) However I know that sitting around and fuming about the situation isn't going to solve any problems.

Now a little background info for those that aren't aware of the full situation. Instagram is now 100% owned by Facebook and is practically turning into it. The algorithm that was recently set up is VERY similar to what happened to FB a few years ago and it's expected to get even more similar in the near future. What does this mean exactly? It means everything is out of order on your feed so you won't see new updates from your favorite friends or bloggers as often (Or at all!) and Instagram now suggests things they THINK you'll like. Which means if you recently followed your uncool cousin that posts 1000x pictures of the same meal because they followed you and it would be rude not to follow a family member back, you'll most likely see their photos over a close friend you followed years ago and only posts once in a blue moon. Not right in my opinion, but what can you do? Well, let me tell you.

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1. Do What Works For YOU

Instagram used to be somewhat cookie-cutter when it came to bettering your profile. Post at popular times, engage with your audience, post great photos, and your followers will slowly go up. Although this has kind of stayed the same, it isn't as easy anymore (not to say it was easy to begin with, but now it's much much harder). What works for someone else might not make sense for you. I know bloggers who have had huge success with automated like systems, however that's not something I'm willing to test out just based on what type of engagement I want to receive back. Others will post early in the morning and get a ton of likes while when you do so you might get crickets. You have to be willing to test out new ways to increase engagement and follows until you find out what works for YOU. This goes for content as well. You see someone post a pretty flat lay with some flowers, a pair of sandals, and a magazine (all that you happen to own) and their likes skyrocket, so you decide to post a nearly identical photo. Don't do that. Yeah you might rake in the likes, but that's just being a plain ol' copycat! Find your own unique way to succeed and I promise you'll get more benefits than by copying everyone else. 

2. Content Should Come First

Just think about why you follow the people you do. Is it because they are constantly liking your photos? Maybe it's because they followed you and you like to follow everyone back? Or possibly you just really enjoy their bio because it's catchy and fun. Although these reasons could possibly be part of the reason for earning your follow, you know that the real reason is because you love their content. You don't want to be scrolling through a feed of mediocre content that doesn't make you want to engage right? Well neither do your followers! This doesn't mean that all your Insta photos have to be pristine and perfect, but maybe plan a few out and have them edited in a similar way (Check out how I edit my photos!) Make sure your content game is strong and then follow through with everything else. 

3. Back Up Your Content With Engagement

Although content is extremely important, it isn't everything. Yes, you'll get a good number of followers and engagement when you have amazing content, but that doesn't mean they'll stick around for long! Keep your audience engaged by engaging them right back. Like and comment on their photos, but MAKE IT AUTHENTIC. Nowadays there are so many automated like and comment services out there that make these things almost unimportant to the regular Instagrammer. Although the big services like MassPlanner and Instagress were shut down, it doesn't mean the automation has stopped. When you decide to comment on someone's photo or video, do it with authenticity. Start a conversation with the person and they are 10x as likely to respond to you and check out your profile. This goes for your own photos as well. Responding to every comment with an actual, meaningful response will really surprise your audience because it just doesn't happen that often. Now, I know that's an area I too have to work on (because let's be honest responding to comments gets difficult when you're busy) but keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more is SO important in this new Instagram world. And something that a lot of people seem to forget is that the people that are commenting are, well, people! Try to respond to every comment (Like I said, I'll be trying better from now on!) because it's a real person on the other side that you're responding to!

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4. DM'ing Is The New Comment

You might be thinking...really? DM's are so so so important now that everything is being automated. People seem to have stopped checking comments half the time since there's never anything of substance. However, when I get a DM, I'm always on the lookout and ready to respond. It shows that the person took the time to reach out to me and share their thoughts. This is also easy to do since Instagram stories allows you to DM from a specific photo or video. It's basically handing you an opportunity to connect with someone! I've found that I can easily build up a conversation with someone when they message me on Instagram and it is a great reminder that people appreciate what you post. It's a crazy cool thing when people message you and want to talk about your content! This isn't to say forget about comments altogether (see above!) but understand that you might make more of an impact on people if you share your thoughts directly with them. And hey, you might just make some awesome connections in the meantime!

5. Stop Freaking Out Over Shadowban

If you haven't heard this term yet, then you might be out of the loop. Essentially it is the thought that your posts aren't making it to your audience or showing up in your hashtags. Spoiler alert, no one knows if it's real, and it probably isn't. I admit, I fell into the trap of thinking I was shadow banned for a hot second but then I just came to the conclusion that the new algorithm sucks. Everyone's engagement and following is down. It's not just you. It would be nice if we had a simple explanation and way to solve it, but the truth is we just have to work harder to get back to what we used to have. 

6. Make Use Of Instagram Stories

Instagram stories is a HUGE way to make an impact on your audience as well as others! I typically get more engagement on my posts when I post to Instagram stories as well. With the new algorithm making it more and more difficult to be seen, Instagram stories almost guarantees you stay on your follower's radar. If you post often enough you'll remain on the main page of Instagram and your followers can see that you posted a story recently. Through my stories I like to share random snippets of my day and if I have a new blog post or post on my page I'll let my audience know about it. Though I'm not sure how to track how much this feature helps, I do know that I am having more eyes on my content and can therefore make sure my audience can keep up with my latest news!

7. Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

Hate to break it to y'all, but Instagram could disappear at any moment. The next big thing could come around and drive Instagram into the ground. All the followers that you spent time building up could be gone in a flash. Yes, it's important to work on building up your audience and reach via Instagram, but remember that YOUR BLOG is the only thing that you truly own. (If you're a blogger that is, if your main focus is other social media let me just slyly suggest that you create a blog for larger content...) Don't let your blog fall by the wayside just because you're experiencing some sort of success on Instagram or any other social platform for that matter. Convert those Insta followers into readers and you are golden.

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I would love to know your thoughts on this new algorithm and Instagram in general! What has helped you succeed in these trying times? Have you found a trick that boosts or deters engagement? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

Also, if you feel like giving me a follow you can do so HERE 😊