Shedding light on how Instagram works.

In a recent blog post, "Shedding more light on how Instagram works" Adam Mosseri (Head of Instagram), opened the door a little crack into how they are currently using algorithms to manage what you see and why you see it in all sections of the channel.

The language used in this blog post was interesting to me, because over the years I’ve watched Instagram become more and more like Facebook in language and in the way it describes these algorithms This particular iteration was more Facebook than ever before - suitably vague, but interesting enough to get people talking.

There’s a link at the end of this article if you want to read the full blog post. If you don’t have time to read it, here are a few key points from a business-use perspective:

• They confirmed yet again that they don’t "shadowban" but they do restrict content and limit audiences for various reasons.
• Most of what you see in your feed will be recent posts by accounts that you follow and by accounts that you engage with the most.
• Reels are ranked by entertainment value so popular begets popular.
• Re-sharing feed posts into your Stories isn’t viewed favourably unless it is content that is trending ie. current events.
• Each part of the app uses different algorithms and has a different approach - tailored to the different ways people use it.
• {on Reels} "The most important predictions we make are how likely you are to watch a Reel all the way through, like it, say it was entertaining or funny, and go to the audio page (a proxy for whether or not you might be inspired to make your own reel.)"

If you want to work better with the newsfeed algorithm, consider these things that you actually can affect, rather than worrying about what you can’t:

• The quality of your content - the imagery and video, the captions you write…that’s all you and it's very important. 
• Use the different tools differently - think about the way people consume Stories vs Feed vs Reels and adjust accordingly.
• Who you follow and who you engage with as this will determine what you will see and who you will be connected to.
• The consistency of your content, meaning; how often, the subject matter, the type, be it video, photos, carousels, Reels or any of the other tools.
• You should create content for your audience and use insights to really ‘know’ what they like. Those insights are the way that Instagram informs you - you should take notice.

"With Reels, though, we’re specifically focused on what might entertain you. We survey people and ask whether they find a particular reel entertaining or funny, and learn from the feedback to get better at working out what will entertain people" - Adam Mosseri

And one last thing on Reels, given this insight we now have. If you are wanting to grow an authentic audience of customers, clients and advocates, I want you to think very hard about how you incorporate Reels into your content strategy. Depending on the type of business you have, chasing views will not often translate into sales. Chasing followers who are entertained by your Reels may up your follower count, but again will not often affect your sales - especially if they are an overseas audience and that is not relevant to you. The more those irrelevant followers engage with you, the less Instagram will show your content to those who perhaps aren’t as ‘into’ your Reels. If that’s your customer base then you may be digging yourself into a hole.

If you are using Instagram as a sales and marketing tool, focus on creating good content that engages your audience and leads them towards connecting you in a more meaningful way.

If you'd like to get started on making better content, check out my Content Smash? downloadable workbook by tapping here.

???Erika

Tap here to read the full blog post from Instagram.

About Erika McInerney

Erika is a qualified marketer and the founding director of Mac&Ernie. With over 25 years experience, Erika is focused on empowering small business and community organisations with the skills, knowledge and confidence to develop and implement low cost marketing strategies.