HOW INSTAGRAM ALGORITHM WORKS IN 2024
Instagram is very different than it used to be. Really different. There was a time when posting content on Instagram meant that almost every single person who followed you could see it. However, that’s over.
Instagram’s algorithm is now so sophisticated that not even half of your followers will see your photos. And yet it’s not as bad as it sounds. Yes, we’ve gotten used to seeing everything you post in your feed, but now it feels like a breath of fresh air (even if you do feel a little lonely).
To help you understand how the Instagram algorithm works in 2024 and how everything has changed, we want to give you an insight into what changes are already being made under the hood:
1. Create Fun, Bite-Sized Reels
Since Instagram heavily promotes reels, you can use it to gain more visibility on the platform. Schedule lots of Reels in your content calendar to keep your followers engaged and ultimately attract more people.
The algorithm ranks reels according to their entertainment value. So make sure you keep things fun, light-hearted and entertaining. And since the algorithm also takes into account whether users watch a reel to the end, you should try to keep your videos short to increase the likelihood that users will watch the whole video.
Ulta Beauty regularly creates reels with skincare and beauty tips as well as product reviews. The videos are short, fast-paced and to the point, informing and entertaining viewers at the same time. The result: most reels are viewed over 100,000 times.
2. Correct Timing for Posting
Since interactions are a strong ranking factor in the Instagram algorithm, you need to get as many likes and comments as possible within the first few seconds of posting your content. That’s why it’s important to catch your followers when they are most active and therefore most likely to interact with your posts and stories. Otherwise, your content can get lost in a flood of posts and stories from other accounts that are already receiving a lot of engagement.
According to data from various studies, Thursdays are generally the best days to post. And the best time to post is between 11am and 1pm. In addition, 11am on Wednesdays and 2pm on Fridays are also good times to post.
3. Story Interaction
Instagram uses popularity as a ranking signal, meaning that content that receives a lot of interactions is favored. So, if you want your stories to be seen by more people, you should make sure that those who view them are encouraged to interact. For example, you can use polls, question stickers and emoji sliders to invite people to interact with your stories.
For example, Omsom, the Asian food brand, gets people to interact with their Stories by letting them vote between two different food options. This leads to interactions and ultimately improves the visibility of their content in the Instagram algorithm.
4. Make People To Comment Your Post
For posts and reels, engagement is an important ranking signal. So, if you want your content to rank better in Explore, Feed and Reels, you must increase your Instagram engagement. However, Likes are great, but comments are even better to significantly increase interactions and improve your chances of getting to the Explore page.
You can make the most of your caption space to encourage people to comment on your posts. Write captions that add value to the content by providing context or telling stories. (Another great benefit is that it increases interaction with your posts when the caption is read)
More importantly, end the post with a call to action – clearly state what you want users to do, such as leave a comment. You could ask them a question or give them a prompt that encourages them to share their thoughts.
Much of social media is very different to how it used to be. It’s easy to forget that almost a decade has passed between now and the last drastic redesign of Facebook. I’m excited to see what Instagram will look like in 2024, which seems like an eternity ago. It’s pretty cool to think about what the future holds — and to know that it might only be a few years away.
Anyway, explore your business in 2024 by using the Instagram platform to promote your business and make it the best marketing platform. Last but not least, if you want to have a great digital marketing platform for your business by utilizing the social media platform, do not worry because at Dgtech we are ready to help your business grow through great digital marketing
