In this age and time, Instagram has been our very first companion. We speak for a majority of the Gen Z’s when we say it’s the reason for us not to miss out and yet, gives us FOMO, i.e. Fear of Missing Out.
Instagram as an app has provided us with entertainment and jobs to many individuals as well. Therefore, there are questions that every user wants to know, such as What is an algorithm, How does Instagram Algorithm work, Why does it show me this particular post, How can I get more views, etc. This blog will explain the Instagram algorithm needed for 2022 and how it impacts your feed to personalise your experience.
Table of Contents
What is Instagram Algorithm?
Algorithms for any app do not depend on one classification alone; technology uses algorithms to personalise a user’s experience to feel a sense of satisfaction. The common misconception regarding Instagram is that the app follows one algorithm; however, that’s not true as there are several classification algorithms to personalise each user’s experience with the app.
Over a million photos are uploaded every day by users worldwide, and it’s not possible for one to like every single one of them. Around 70% of people miss the pictures on their feed as there is an overwhelming amount of images without categorisation. Due to this reason, Instagram follows new algorithms where photos on the feed appear based on the user’s preference, where they wouldn’t miss out on their favourite Instagram accounts. Stories, feed, reels and IGTV have different algorithms, and everything is customised as per the user’s choice to use the app.
If you have a business account on Instagram for your brand, then it’s essential that you keep up with the Instagram algorithm as visibility grows through these methods. While brands don’t care about Influencer marketing Likes, they care about engagement, which paves the way for authentic relationships with customers.
Algorithm for Feed and Stories
Let’s start with our account; feeds and stories are the main reason we download Instagram to keep up with our close friends and families. The feed algorithm is quite simple as it displays all the posts uploaded by people you follow, and stories are displayed the second they are uploaded. Except for Ads nowadays, this is how the feed shows up. Now for more information on the algorithm of the posts.
Information About Post – Who Posted, Time of posting, Number of Likes (if not hidden), Location etc.
Information About the Person – What is their lifestyle, Your interaction with them
Interaction – Your likes on the post and similar people recommendations stemmed from this interaction
History – Interaction level such as comments on each other posts or tags in stories
These are the factors through which these posts appear on your feed. They concentrate primarily on five senses: Your time spent on the post, like, comment, save and view profile photo. The more likely you commit to these actions, the more similar images crop up for your taste. It’s all about the engagement rate on the feed, more the merrier. When third party users post misinformation, their accounts will be harder to find due to the reports filed.
Algorithm for Explore Page
The Explore page is to explore Instagram pages beyond your contacts. It could be about following your idols, cute cat pages or anything trending. The Explore page doesn’t set its algorithm based on your history, rather on the interaction between you and a random post.
To Start, explore pages that show you content based on your engagement with specific posts. The algorithm analyses the time spent on those posts, if it was a clothing brand, then the click through for the store, your likes on the posts etc., and shows related posts next. It also displays recommendations of similar posts you might be interested in because you engaged with the earlier one. The data records the engagement of all users on that post. Hence the trending posts, Your activity on explore page and similar users’ engagement. This helps Instagram put forth a colourful explore feed according to your choices. Posts outside of your taste do not pop up unless you search for them.
Algorithm For Reels
Reels are definitely for fun and entertaining trends on the explore page. The algorithm for reels on Instagram is pretty similar to the research page. Trending reels appear on your page to keep you updated about the latest trends, and the rest depends on your interests. Reels surveys collect information about the type of reels you want on your feed, and whether or not you click the audio to make your reel determines the interest rate for your algorithm.
Information on Reels – Info about your most repeated and engaged with the reel in the form of shares, likes, comments etc.
Data About Reels – Audio, audio popularity and trending
Just like Explore feed, most of the reels that show up your feed are based on their popularity and your previous interaction with a similar post. So keep up with the latest trends if you want your Instagram feed to be up to speed.
Ways to Improve your Instagram Algorithm for 2022
Here are a few practices for you to land on the good side of the Instagram Algorithm and increase your platform’s promotions. These are the most widely used methods to grow your presence on Instagram and stay relevant to the algorithm.
- Instagram Stories for the Win
Stories end up getting more views than feed posts and reels. Stories are a simple concept, as people upload their regular day pictures with gifs and stickers. Stories can get a lot of engagement through quizzes, music, gifs, poll and emoji rating etc. Posting your reels on your stories can help people view them if they’ve missed them. - Hashtag Strategy
The best part about hashtags is that they’re not restricted to one form of content; anyone can use them in stories, posts, reels etc. They also determine the audience group more likely to follow your content as hashtags have a different base on Instagram. Our best advice is to use at least 30 hashtags per post, and Instagram even suggests hashtags relevant to your post, which helps widen your base. - Reel with It
Even though the reels feature on Instagram is just a year old, it’s the most prominent feature in India, especially after Tiktok got banned. Instagram heavily promotes reels through upcoming trends, so make sure you’re on your A-game with the trends, as they will undoubtedly end up on the trending audio page. If you’re a business owner, adapt to spreading your business information through reels with related hashtags. - Post Engagement
Post pictures with high resolution, so the quality doesn’t fade while uploading them on Instagram and make sure you cross-promote your posts using all available formats of Instagram. Reply to a few comments and use a fun caption asking the audience’s opinions to reply to your posts and increase engagement. - Instagram Analytics
Instagram has a personal and professional feature where different analytics offer individual data information about your account. Update your account to the latest update and use those analytics to promote your sponsored posts and advertisements.
The only formula at the end of the day is Good content + Frequency; this ensures your content reaches the right people on Instagram. We have loads more tips for you about Advertisements on Instagram and a guide on Trends on Instagram using their features, so do check them out.
Well, now that you have the foolproof guide to beating the Instagram Algorithm, go out there and slay your account with amazing content.
