7 Ways to Beat Instagram's 2019 Algorithm
Anyone in the social media marketing game that hasn’t been frustrated by an algorithm change has only been doing this since the last one was implemented. They’re always a pain and usually come with a sudden precipitous drop in your numbers. But for those who stick to it and stay informed, an algorithm change doesn’t have to mean any more than a temporary inconvenience. Here’s how to get ahead on IG in 2019.
First, let’s clear up some misconceptions going around. There’s been a lot of chatter about Instagram changing their algorithm recently and that only 7% or 10% of your followers are now seeing your posts. So much chatter that Instagram took to Twitter to address the issue.
According to the company, there have been no changes to the algorithm since last year’s update, and the rumor concerning so few followers seeing posts is simply false. They say that anyone who continues scrolling will see the posts of everyone they follow, in order of relevance, timeliness, the frequency of postings, and the number of followers.
With that in mind, how do you keep your social media management numbers up?
It’s simple; engagement.
Instagram, like every social media platform, is a business. They make money on ads being viewed, and in order for more ads to be viewed, people need to stay on their feed longer. So the more engaging your posts are, the longer people will stay around, and the more advantage both you and Instagram get from it.
So how do you increase engagement?
1. Make your images visually striking
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but anyone can tell the difference between a great visual and a dull one. Step up your game on making your content look great.
2. Post videos
Videos don’t technically count for more than images as far as we’re told, but they are more engaging and keep viewers on the feed longer. Make sure you’re providing a good mix of each kind of content, including videos.
3. Go live
Again, live video doesn’t have a special place in the algorithm’s heart as far as we know, but it does mean that an alert will show up for your followers when you go live. Even if they don’t tune in each time, it’s keeping you top of mind with them.
4. Post Stories
Stories are easily the most popular thing on Instagram according to all data and reports. So posting them regularly will without a doubt keep your followers more interested, which keeps them coming to you more often, which leads to more engagement… you get it.
5. Make every post an engagement opportunity
This obvious tidbit can slip past the best of us. When you post an image, it’s easy to just share an image, message, or information with asking viewers to do something in return. Don’t do it. Always have a call to action. When they’re asked to share, comment, respond, click-through, or whatever, that’s automatically more time spent than a simple informative post that requires no action – and they’re off scrolling to something else.
6. Jump start it
After you’ve posted, go back and comment on your own post or reply to any comments within an hour. This activity will drive it up in the feed and build momentum. Obviously, posting at peak times also helps this happen.
7. Finally, color grade your images
In addition to each image being visually engaging and exciting, make sure your feed is arranged in a visually compelling way so that it doesn’t get boring – too many similar colored images grouped together, etc.
Have you noticed any major changes in Instagram in 2019? Comment them below!