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Instagram’s algorithm update: Three things to know for more impact

If you’ve logged into Instagram lately, you’ve probably noticed some changes. Previously, posts were chronological, and your feed would deliver content based on the time it was posted. But now, you might see a post from a few days ago, then one from this morning, then one from last week. This is just one of several changes that Instagram has been rolling out in 2017. More than ever, Instagram is watching how people and profiles interact. As the platform continues to evolve and update its algorithm, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know.

Instagram

1.) Instagram wants you to create your best, most engaging content.

The algorithm is prioritizing content delivery based on engagement of posts. Posts with greater engagement are displayed first. Therefore, creating engaging content has now become the most important priority.

How to make it happen: Look at the top five best performing posts for your account in the past six months, and notice the trends among them. What common threads do you notice — themes, topics, visuals or otherwise? Use these commonalities to create more of what your audience wants to see and maximize engagement.

2.) Instagram prioritizes profile searches.

If you’re searching, Instagram is watching. The platform is monitoring what specific handles a user searches for — so if someone searches for your brand specifically, Instagram will prioritize more content from your brand in their feed. So if they’re searching for @createfervor, for example, Instagram will start filtering more @createfervor posts into their feed. This means that driving traffic to your Instagram feed matters more than ever.

How to make it happen: Use cross-promotion through your other social platforms to send your audience to Instagram. So for example, drive traffic to your Instagram through Facebook by teasing your audience to hop over for a “behind-the-scenes” Instagram story.  

3.) Time spent on Instagram posts counts.

Instagram is paying attention to how much time users are spending on each post. It’s the difference between a user quickly scrolling past an image and a user staying to engage with your post. And the longer they stay on your post, the more likely it is that Instagram will prioritize your content. The length of engagement time really counts.

How to make it happen: Keep people interacting and engaging in your posts as long as you can. A great way to get started is through the Instagram Stories feature, which is a collection of video and static content. Another great option is posting Instagram videos. Anything up to 60 seconds is fair game!

Because social media is always changing, stay open to how you post. It’s smart to keep up with the latest and capitalize on these new features. But at Fervor, we always point back to strategy. Play the long game with your social media goals. Taking a consistent, intentional approach with valuable content is how to win. No matter what changes are on the Instagram horizon, we’re here to keep you on top of your social media game.

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