The 2021 Instagram Algorithm Decoded
Social media marketers speak about the Instagram algorithm as if it is some sort of elusive code, only able to be cracked by the most exclusive of influencers. In reality, while the algorithm is frequently changing and hard to pin down, the road to understanding and using it to your advantage is not as paved with bumps as you might think. I recently came across a post by a former Bon Appetit social media manager, Rachel Karten, who discussed her experiences and learnings with the platform after speaking with a former Instagram Design Lead. Their advice was straight to the point, made sense based on my experience, and is easy to follow. Let’s break it down together:
Get in the ranking 📈
Ranking is the general process of how the Instagram algorithm chooses what posts you will see next. It’s demonstrated most blatantly on the Instagram explore page. How does the platform curate an infinite amount of posts so specifically tailored to you? It relies on a number of signals such as who you already follow, what posts you are already engaging with frequently, what stories you watch on a regular basis, whether you DM an individual or brand often, etc. You’ll notice that your closest friend’s stories naturally show up first in your story feed – another great example of ranking at work.
Hack your way to the top? 🏆
Contrary to the number of posts and viral advice videos offering little tips and hacks to nudge your content to the top – like encouraging followers to tap ‘save’ on every post so Instagram shows that content more frequently – Karten’s advice is to keep things simple and authentic. Instead of begging your followers to help you reach the top of the Instagram algorithm, why not focus your energy on creating content that TRULY resonates with them, that they save on their own accord and not because you asked. In the long run, this focus on educating and tailoring content to serve your audience will build you a stronger community than pleading with them to keep your posts top of mind.
Vertical, all day ⬆
This is self explanatory but it still shocks me how often I see brands posting horizontal photos. Vertical images take up the most real estate in the feed, meaning any scrolling followers are more likely to be impacted by and stop to view your photo. It simply takes that much longer to scroll past! 4:5 is the ideal Instagram ratio for both photo and video. Your social media firm should be producing content accordingly.
That new new (features) ✨
According to its former design lead, Instagram doesn’t “reward” brands for utilizing new features. REELS, adding posts to stories with a “new post” gif, and mass-DMing followers aren’t magical engagement-inducers. Rather, these features were designed to help accounts show off their content in more diverse and meaningful ways that have a greater chance of reaching your audience. For example, the act of adding a post to your stories alone doesn’t push you higher in the ranking – but it does increase the amount of followers who see a particular post (anyone who views your stories). Thus, they’ll be more likely to head to that post and engage with it organically. REELS are engaging because they’re simply a new, novel way to post long-form video for your audience. Something they’ll appreciate and engage with if your content was already resonating with them.
Curated grids are out 🙅♀️
The days of perfectly selecting imagery to fit with each other in the grand scheme of the IG grid are no longer. Yes, an aesthetically pleasing feed is vital to netting new followers who come across your profile. However, most of your existing followers are more concerned with the actual content itself on the day-to-day, not how it looks with your other posts. Focus on high-quality output, every time. Put less stress on the perfectly curated feed and the algorithm will reward you.
Shadow-banning is complex (and needs improvement) ⛔️
In the past year or so, a number of influencers and brands have complained about being shadow-banned by the Instagram algorithm. It’s hard to tell what is a purposeful ban and what is just natural decreased engagement. However, Instagram does in fact suppress content from accounts that are reported en-masse. Rachel Karten says that this can result in the suppression of some important communities and minority voices; something that Instagram needs to take seriously if they want to remain a progressive space for voices of all kinds. A typical brand or company on Instagram likely does not have to worry about being shadowbanned, but working with a group of social media experts (like the genies) can help ensure you aren’t being unfairly punished by Instagram’s ranking system.
Pay-to-play 🤑
This is no secret, and in fact, it’s the subject of another blog I wrote last year. This is not the Instagram of the early 2010’s. If you want even a quarter of your followers to see your content, you MUST have an ad strategy in place supporting every piece of content. Boosting posts through Facebook’s ad manager is absolutely vital to netting any amount of meaningful engagement. This is how Instagram makes its money, so you better believe it’s the single-most important factor in remaining on top of the rankings. That’s why we strongly recommend the support of a social media team like the genies, who can use their ad expertise to target your posts to so many more individuals.
Don’t leave them on read 📚
Respond to ALL comments, questions, and DM’s. According to Rachel Karten, this “signals to the algorithm that you care about your community”. Instagram is all about growing and developing an engaged community so this is just a general best-practices tip that is absolutely vital to brand growth.
Repetition is 👌
Don’t feel self-conscious about repeating your messaging or advertising the same products over and over. Your audience sees just a fraction of your content, especially organically. The more you hit home your message in posts, the more likely your community is to absorb and retain it. Your audience will not get sick of it. Instagram simply does not give them the chance to! Opt for different product angles and variations of your message but do not fear repeating yourself.
My takeaways
The overall message is pretty clear: while there have historically been a number of ways to “hack” the system, Instagram has put a lot of effort into removing these options. From banning engagement pods, to mass-deleting spam accounts, to disabling accounts that pay for followers, you can’t really hack your way to popularity. The most sustainable way to grow an engaged, loyal audience is to be authentic and learn about your community. That way you can best serve content to meet their needs. Build genuine ties with your followers, ask them questions in stories, get their feedback. Do not beg them to engage. Show up authentically as your brand. Put out high-quality content, and the likes and fans will follow!
If you’re looking to start building your genuine presence online, the genies are here to help! Contact us to learn more about how we can grow your brand today.
