Owning the Instagram Algorithm

As marketers understanding the algorithms behind the social media platforms we use is essential to creating and implementing a strategy. 

The Instagram algorithm is built to show the highest-engagement and most relevant posts first, which means you want to be consistently creating unique content and creating ways to engage with your followers. 

This ain’t easy.

Let’s look at three unique things you can implement in your strategy to grow your following based on what we know about Instagram’s algorithm.

Create similar visual content 

We know aesthetics matter, but let’s look beyond the colors and hues of the photo. 

What about the content? Are your photos about similar people, places, or things?

We know that Instagram looks at the images users engage with the most, so why not invest in creating similar photos? Create the content your audience loves the most.

Does your audience love an excellent quote card? 

Or do they prefer to see people on your profile?

Maybe they love a great flat lay photo. 

Determine what works for your audience by looking at your insights and experiment with creating similar images. On The Good Lemon Insta feed, our audience loves our memes and quote cards, so we make sure to work those into our feed regularly. 

Find the right time for your target audience. 

As we mentioned in last week’s Slice, timeliness is very audience-specific. Not every person is looking at Instagram at the same time. 

For example, if your target audience is CEOs of multinational companies, posting between 9 am-5 pm may not be your best bet. Are they likely to look at Instagram at lunch or wait until 9 pm when they’re laying in bed relaxing? Or 5 am when they get up for that early morning workout before a day full of meetings? 

What about if you’re targeting stay-at-home moms or new parents? Your best times to post may be closer to nap times like 10 am or 2 pm when mom or dad is looking for 30 minutes to themself to sit and be still and not have to worry about anything except the pretty pictures on their screen. 

Throw in an international audience or people who work a night shift, and you’ve got many new choices to look through. 

Our advice? Start experimenting!

Focus on who you want to target, think about when they might be on Instagram, and compare it to your insights and as much data as possible. You can also talk to your audience. Ask your clients and customers when they are spending time on the app. You can do this with Instagram stories, which give you insight and is a way to engage with your followers. 

Content & Consistency is king.

I know it’s like a broken record. But that’s because it’s real and it works. When you post consistently - not just in frequency, but in value of your content - your engagement will soar. People like knowing what to expect and getting what they want. If you can combine the two, you are golden.

You can win on Instagram when you know your audience, create high-quality and engaging content just for them. It’s hard work, but when you do it right, it pays significant dividends.

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