Instagram Is Changing, But It's Not All Bad News
Today, Instagram announced that the algorithm as we know it won’t be around for much longer and everyone is freaking out. But it’s not all bad news for brands and businesses using the social media platform for business growth. In fact, it’s an awesome opportunity to stand out from the crowd and create content that your followers love.
The rollout of the new algorithm was announced by Instagram today to help users see more of the content they care about every time they open the platform.
At the moment, Instagram users miss around 70 per cent of the content in their feed because of the influx of content being uploaded to the social media platform on an hourly basis. It’s becoming increasingly harder to keep up with the content you love and we (as Instagram users) are starting to miss the content we care about most. If you’ve ever missed your besties engagement announcement or Kim K’s latest selfie because you weren’t on Instagram within a couple of hours of the post, you’ll know how frustrating it is to find it days later, or gasp, in a real life conversation.
The new algorithm will mimic the Facebook model, where content is ordered by its relevance to the user, rather than chronological order, optimizing content based on what you’re most interested in and the users you have previously engaged with. Most importantly, the new approach will combat time zones, so no matter where your followers are located, they can find your content at the top of their feed when they wake up. Understanding your “prime time” won’t mean as much anymore as the lifespan of each piece of content is prolonged if it’s something your followers are genuinely interested in, which is a good thing for brands, marketers and influencers alike.
So what does this mean for brands who use Instagram for business growth?
Everyone is freaking out about the announcement, however in reality, it’s actually more of an opportunity to do better social media marketing on Instagram than it is an obstacle. The new algorithm will challenge marketers and content creators to get more savvy with their content, and ultimately, the quality of the content they produce will increase. It’s an opportunity to understand your audience better, and create content that they are interested in.
For brands, the change also means that working with digital influencers will be even more important in the months to come to ensure your content reaches the right people.
The new algorithm will be implemented in the coming months, so be prepared and take these actionable tips on board to create Instagram content that will stand the test of time…
Create content your users will love. Whether they love flatlays, action shots or behind-the-scenes snaps of your team and office shenanigans, do more of what they engage with naturally.
Leverage influencers to distribute your branded content to raise your profile if your personal reach is limited.
Stop whinging and start hustling to reap the rewards of the new algorithm.
For more tips on how to make your Instagram account work better for your brand as the new algorithm rolls out, check out Instagram For Business: How Brands Can Use Instagram To Increase Exposure And Drive Sales and Top 5 Ways To Get More Followers On Instagram.
What do you think about the new Instagram algorithm announcement?
