HOW INSTAGRAM ALGORITHM WORKS IN 2021
Ever wondering why one day your post is getting an amazing reach and engagement and the next day after posting you hear crickets?! Today I want to dive into how Instagram Algorithm actually works and how you can grow your Instagram reach and engagement in 2021.
Let's get down to business...
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR INSTAGRAM POST AFTER PUBLISHING
1. "Hot Audience"
First thing you have to know about Instagram Algorithm is that after you publish your feed post Instagram will show that post to your "hot audience" and by "hot audience" I mean people who usually always engage with your Instagram content. By engaging I mean liking, commenting, sharing, saving or DMing you.
"Hot followers" are you biggest fans! Instagram has picked up the signal that a certain person really must enjoy your content when that person is constantly viewing your posts and engaging with them.
"Hot audience" might be either those big fans of your Instagram content or people who turned on the post notifications for you so they are usually the first ones to engage with your posts after the publishing.
It is like the Instagram explore page, where Instagram is showing you content based on what it thinks (aka Instagram algorithm thinks) you would like to see more and enjoy the most (based on your every day behavior on Instagram and liking certain content). Note that Instagram explore page is not necessarily showing you the content it thinks you like in the chronological order, you can see that the top posts might be from days ago.
2. "Warm Audience"
If Instagram Algorithm sees that your "hot audience" reacted and really enjoyed your post in form of engagement, views etc, then Instagram shows it to your "warm audience", which is group of people who engages with your content but not as vigorously as the "hot audience".
"Warm audience" might be people who are not on Instagram as often at those times when you are posting and don't have the post notifications turned on for you. "Warm audience" might be enjoying your overall content, but they are not as "obsessed" with it to be the first ones to engage with it.
3. "Cold audience"
Needless to say that if you surprise even your "warm audience" with amazing, value-packed content, then Instagram Algorithm is going to notice that and push your content to your "cold audience" aka expand the pool of people who might be interested in your type of content.
This is where Instagram will show your post to people who might enjoy your content based on what they have liked before. So basically the "cold audience" includes people who have in the past likes similar content to yours.
And if your cold audience will like your post and engage then oh boy!! You might actually end up on the Instagram explore page!!
If you want to learn more about Instagram algorithm make sure to check out the below YouTube video:
HOW TO MAKE INSTAGRAM ALGORITHM "LIKE YOU"?
Obviously there is no one magic trick how to make sure that Instagram Algorithm would push your content to all the way from "hot audience" to your "cold audience" and get you amazing reach and impressions every time you post.
But there are definitely some things that you can improve with time. And I say "with time", because like anything in your life, it takes time. So if there is a new thing you need to learn, you can't learn it right away, especially something complicated like figuring out Instagram Algorithm, that is why the keys to "learning" the Instagram Algorithm are patience and observation. Only with time you will learn what kind of audience you want to follow you (target audience), what kind of content they like and what kind of hashtags work for your content.
Let's go step by step some of the most important stages in creating content that would make Instagram Algorithm notice you and push your content for more people to see...
1. CLARITY
By clarity I mean being clear what your Instagram account and content are all about. There is nothing worse than seeing an Instagram profile that is all over the place. Pick a niche that will interest people, that will drive more traffic and followers to your Instagram.
If you have difficulties finding a niche make sure to download my FREE Guide how to research and find a profitable niche:
FREE GUIDE HOW TO FIND A PROFITABLE NICHE
It is not just enough for you to know what your Instagram content is all about but also for your potential followers, if you want them to stick around and become your genuine fans.
If you want Instagram Algorithm to push your content to more people to see and engage with, you need to fully optimize your Instagram profile and content. I will spare you the details, but you can learn more about how to optimize your Instagram account and content and rank on Instagram search (so more people could find your profile and your posts) by downloading my FREE Instagram SEO Guide:
That is why you need a content strategy that you can analyze from time to time and see what actually works for you and your Instagram account...
2. ATTRACT
Let's think about how you could attract more of your target audience to follow you on Instagram, because more of a target audience you have - more "hot audience" you have and that means more engagement and interactions with your posts in the first hour after publishing your content - more Instagram Algorithm is going to "like you" (and isn't that what we want ;) .
STRATEGY IS THE KEY
After you are clear with your audience and yourself what type of (value-based) content you provide you need to come up with strategies that you will test and experiment with. Being strategical helps you to analyze your followers' behavior and that will make you understand more your current and future followers.
What type of people enjoy your content and is your "hot audience"? How can you expand your "follower pool" and get that "warm audience" & "cold audience" more hooked and engage with your content?
More of an understanding you have about your current audience and their behavior more you can grow on Instagram - more Instagram Algorithm is going to like you and push your content to your new potential followers.
1. Strategy consists of planning your content (=telling a story);
2. Type of content that works for your and your Instagram account and
3. Hashtags
More about being strategic and planning your content in my below video:
By type of content I mean does static feed posts, stories, reels, live stream or IGTV work for your specific content the best?
The truth is people can better relate to you through the video, so make sure you optimize the reels, stories, IGTV and live feature.
3. CONVERT
And I mean converting those people who might see your content on Instagram search (hashtags) or explore page, into your followers. How can you do that?
Well it is a combination of many factors. If you have taken the steps of clarifying what your Instagram account and content is about and picked a specific niche and now you have been attracting people with high quality, valuable content, now is the time to convert that "cold audience" into your "hot audience" or at least to "warm audience".
In this case there are two ways how you can convert those people who are not following you to become your followers (obviously first you need to get more visibility):
1. Doing so through hashtags or
2. Getting pushed to that "cold audience" with Instagram Algorithm
The keys to conversion are:
1. High quality and value-based caption that is tailored to help your target audience
2. Picture that is related to your caption and
3. Bio that will clarify, attract and convert those people into followers
Both hashtags (people finding you through search tab and hashtags) and getting pushed to the Instagram explore page require beneficial and interesting content that will make people stop scrolling, getting intrigued and wanting to learn more.
That is why it is crucial for you to research and analyze the hashtags you are using to make sure you will only get your target audience to follow you (=because you want more of that "hot audience" rather than just followers, who will follow but they are not that interested in your content, so when they are scrolling their home feed they just skip your posts).
If you want to learn more about hashtag strategy check out the below video:
4. ANALYZE
The important part of this whole process of understanding how Instagram Algorithm works and how to make sure you are optimizing your Instagram account and content is analyzing your strategies and seeing what really works.
Analyze your insights in your Instagram or through Instagram approved app, but make sure you don't "bang your head against the same wall" (= creating endless content that don't interest anybody) for months and years, because even though you might think that you have a niche and your Instagram profile and content are optimized your Instagram growth has been "stalling" and you are stuck without understanding what is going on. The only way you can improve your processes and strategies is by analyzing and seeing what works and what your audience wants to see from you.
If you want to learn more about how I grew to over 20K Instagram followers in 1 year (and yes! I tried several strategies to see what works) and you want to boost your account with legit giveaways - I have a special giveaway discount code for you first-timers), all you have to do is download the below FREE Ultimate Instagram Guide:
Remember to also check out my other blog posts on this topic and my YOUTUBE channel.
TAKEAWAY:
1. Be extremely clear about what your Instagram is all about
2. Provide high-quality and valuable information and figure out the ways to get your followers to turn on the post notifications for your Instagram account
3. Come up with Instagram strategy and learn your audience
4. Analyze what works and what doesn't and save time instead of creating same content for years that no one cares about
Thank you guys for hanging out with me and make sure you come and say hello on my social media:
See you next time,
Natalia
