Do you have an Instagram account for your businesses and can’t seem to get much engagement on your posts? Have you ever wondered why this is happening, or just how the Instagram algorithm actually works?

Instagram is a social media platform for posting and sharing videos and photos with the users’ friends, family, and followers. Brands can use Instagram to share their own content or promote products they sell through ads. There are also many growth services, such as Growthoid, that brands can take advantage of for fast growth, which makes the platform even more alluring. The algorithm on Instagram determines which posts show up first in the user’s feed. Brands are using it as another way to reach their customers, but the algorithm change means some brands might not be getting as much exposure as they had hoped for.

What does this mean for your brand? If you are looking to grow your business and want more eyes on your posts, it’s time to start paying attention to what this algorithm change could do for you. If you are new to Instagram, then you might not know how the algorithm works. It is one of the most important aspects of the platform, so if you need some help, this is what you need to know about the algorithm in 2021

For Stories      

Instagram is one of the oldest social media platforms around and am still going strong today with over a billion active monthly users. In order to keep up with the demand of the users and with the ever-changing technology, Instagram has introduced a multitude of new features which users can use to post different kinds of content. One of the newer additions, which also happens to be one of the most popular additions, is stories. Stories are found right at the top of your page when you open up Instagram and show you photos and videos from people you follow.

The algorithm for stories is simple. It works based on who you engage with the most. Those who you engage with the most will appear first in your stories line up. It also works based on locations and geotags. More often than not you will see stories from people who have tagged locations near you.

For the Feed              

When it comes to Instagram, people will always think about the feed first. The very first feature that Instagram came out with was the feed where you were able to post photos and videos for their followers to see. Your feed will only show you content that has been posted by your followers or hashtags that you are following.

The algorithm for your feed works on three basic points; the relationship with the users, interest the user has conveyed, and the relevancy of the post. Similarly, to stories, you will be shown posts from people who you engage with regularly first, and then the further you scroll, the more you will see from people you engage with less. If you are a frequent user of Instagram, then you will be more likely to get a feed that displays content in chronological order, as opposed to those who use it a lot less and will see the content from people they engage with the most, first.

For IGTV and Reels      

IGTV is a feature that isn’t used as much as others, but is still well used for those who want to share videos that are longer and need to contain more content. Similar to that of your feed, the algorithm for IGTV works on a basis of who you engage with the most.

When it comes to reels, it has the same concept for the algorithm. However, the different between the algorithm for Reels and Stories and for your feed is that, while with stories you will only see content from people you follow, with Reels and IGTV, you will be shown content from other users that you will be more likely to engage with and enjoy, as well as people that you follow and engage with regularly.

Tips to Beat the Algorithm    

When it comes to trying to be successful on Instagram and beating the algorithm there are a few tips and tricks that you can follow. The very first step you should take is making sure that you are posting often to get followers quickly. By doing this you give your content the best chance of being seen and therefore engaged with. Continuing from posting often, you should also post on all of the features that Instagram has to offer. This will give people more opportunity to see you content.

Last but not least, one of the best ways to receive engagement and beat the algorithm, is by engaging yourself. By engaging, you encourage others to engage too.

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