Instagram’s Algorithm CHANGED?! 😑 The EASY Way To GET FOLLOWERS on Instagram in 2024

Robert Benjamin
1 Mar 202409:55

TLDRInstagram's algorithm has undergone significant changes that impact posting times, content creation, and link handling. To increase reach and followers, it's crucial to adapt to the new best times to post: 10:30 a.m. to noon, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Avoid posting on the hour or half-hour to prevent content saturation. Instagram's geo-focus means posting times should align with your specific time zone. Maintain a minimum of one hour between posts for photos and carousels to ensure visibility. To combat Instagram marking links as spam, use a tool like ManyChat for comment-to-DM automation, which is a Meta-approved partner. This can significantly increase engagement and reach. Focus on creating emotional responses in viewers to encourage sharing, commenting, and watching content to completion. Ensure video descriptions are at least 125-150 words to provide Instagram with data for content promotion. Aim for high comment interaction, video completion rates, and replays by creating engaging, concise content, ideally 5-7 seconds long. Shares are vital for virality, as one share can equate to up to 400 views. Lastly, avoid using banned hashtags to maintain content visibility and reach.

Takeaways

  • πŸ”„ **Instagram Algorithm Update**: There has been a significant update to Instagram's algorithm affecting posting times, content types, and link visibility.
  • πŸ“… **Best Times to Post**: To increase reach, post between 10:30 a.m. to noon, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., adjusting for your timezone.
  • ⏰ **Posting Frequency**: Avoid posting on the hour or half hour and wait at least 1 hour between posts to maximize visibility.
  • πŸ“ **Content Strategy**: Use ManyChat for comment-to-DM automation to increase engagement without violating Instagram's anti-spam policies.
  • 🎨 **Text Contrast**: Ensure text has high contrast with the background for better engagement and to avoid appearing unprofessional.
  • πŸ“± **Content Length**: Aim for video lengths between 5 to 7 seconds for higher viral potential.
  • πŸ“‰ **Emotion in Content**: Create content that evokes an emotional response to encourage sharing, commenting, and watching to the end.
  • πŸ”— **Link in Bio**: Adjust how you direct people to the link in your bio to avoid Instagram marking it as spam.
  • πŸ“ˆ **Metrics for Virality**: Focus on comments, replays, and shares as key metrics for increasing the reach of your posts.
  • 🚫 **Avoid Banned Hashtags**: Stay updated on and avoid using Instagram's list of banned hashtags to maintain discoverability.
  • πŸ“š **Content Description Length**: Ensure descriptions are at least 125 to 150 words to provide Instagram with enough data to promote your content.

Q & A

  • What major update has Instagram's algorithm recently undergone?

    -Instagram's algorithm has recently changed the optimal times to post content, the type of content to create, and has started marking many links as spam.

  • How can adapting to the new Instagram algorithm help increase reach?

    -Adapting to the new algorithm can help increase reach by posting at the right times, creating content that resonates with the audience, and avoiding being marked as spam.

  • What are the three best times to post on Instagram according to the latest update?

    -The three best times to post on Instagram are from 10:30 a.m. to noon, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

  • Why is it recommended not to post on the hour or half hour on Instagram?

    -Posting on the hour or half hour is not recommended because Instagram adjusts views based on content supply and demand, and many posts are scheduled around these times leading to increased competition and potentially less reach.

  • What is the significance of using ManyChat for comment to DM Automation?

    -ManyChat, being a Meta-approved partner, allows for genuine engagement and avoids the risk of Instagram taking action against accounts for using automation tools. It can also increase engagement by 5x.

  • How does creating an emotional response in viewers help in content sharing?

    -Creating an emotional response in the first few seconds of a video can hook viewers and make them more likely to share, watch the content through, or comment, which are key metrics for increasing reach on Instagram.

  • What are the rules for using text in Instagram posts?

    -The text in Instagram posts should have high contrast with the background, typically using black and white for better visibility. Avoiding small memes or animated emojis and ensuring descriptions are at least 125 to 150 words long can also help increase engagement.

  • What are the three key metrics that Instagram uses to determine content reach?

    -The three key metrics are comments, replays, and shares. Comments can be increased by invoking emotions or providing incentives, replays by creating content that makes viewers want to rewatch, and shares by creating valuable or engaging content.

  • Why is it important to avoid using banned hashtags on Instagram?

    -Using banned hashtags can negatively impact the visibility of your posts, as Instagram actively monitors and restricts the reach of content using such hashtags.

  • What is the recommended video length for maximizing viral potential on Instagram?

    -The recommended video length for maximizing viral potential is between 5 to 7 seconds, as shorter content is more likely to be replayed and shared.

  • How does sharing content on Instagram impact its reach?

    -A single share on Instagram can equate to up to 400 views. More shares increase the likelihood of the content appearing on the 'Reels' or 'Explore' feeds, leading to a higher potential for going viral.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ“ˆ Adapting to Instagram's Algorithm Update

The video script discusses the recent major update to Instagram's algorithm, which has changed optimal posting times and content types. It emphasizes the need to adapt to maintain or increase views and followers. The speaker shares personal success stories of adapting to the algorithm to gain significant followers and views. They also highlight the importance of posting at the right times for your audience and avoiding common posting times to increase the chances of content visibility. The video offers strategies to avoid being marked as spam and suggests using ManyChat for comment-to-DM automation to boost engagement and reach.

05:02

πŸŽ₯ Creating Engaging Video Content

This paragraph focuses on the strategy behind creating video content that resonates emotionally with viewers. It advises starting with the desired emotional outcome in mind and ensuring that the video's beginning and end are engaging. The speaker stresses the importance of creating an emotional response to encourage sharing, commenting, and watching the video through to completion. They also discuss the use of contrasting text colors for better visibility and readability, avoiding outdated or unprofessional elements like certain memes or animated emojis, and the significance of writing detailed descriptions to provide Instagram with enough data to promote the content. The paragraph concludes with advice on increasing comments, replays, and shares, which are crucial metrics for content success on the platform.

Mindmap

Keywords

Algorithm

An algorithm is a set of rules or procedures for solving problems or accomplishing a task. In the context of the video, it refers to Instagram's algorithm which determines the order and content of posts in a user's feed. The video discusses changes to this algorithm that affect when and how content should be posted to maximize reach and engagement.

Posting Times

Posting times refer to the specific moments during the day when users should post content on social media to maximize visibility and engagement. The video mentions that the best times to post on Instagram have changed due to viewer psychology and the need to target the ideal audience's online presence.

Geof Focused

Geof focused means geographically focused or targeted. In the context of the video, it suggests that Instagram is becoming more focused on content that is relevant to a user's specific location. This is important for businesses and creators who want to reach a local audience.

Engagement

Engagement on social media refers to any action taken by users that indicates interest in a post, such as liking, commenting, or sharing. The video emphasizes the importance of increasing engagement through strategies like using ManyChat for comment to DM automation to drive more interactions and followers.

Spam

In the context of social media, spam refers to unwanted or unsolicited messages, often posted in large volumes. The video discusses how Instagram is marking links in bios as spam, which can decrease the number of clicks and conversions, and suggests using ManyChat to navigate this issue.

Viewer Psychology

Viewer psychology involves understanding the behaviors, preferences, and motivations of an audience. The video suggests that changes in viewer psychology have influenced the best times to post on Instagram, indicating the importance of aligning content strategies with audience expectations.

Hashtags

Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by a hash symbol (#) used on social media platforms like Instagram to categorize content and make it discoverable. The video warns against using banned hashtags, as this can negatively impact the reach and visibility of a post.

DM Automation

DM automation refers to the use of tools to automatically send direct messages (DMs) on social media platforms. In the video, it is suggested as a method to increase engagement and drive traffic to links by sending personalized messages to users who interact with posts.

Shares

Shares on social media are when users distribute or make content available to others, typically by posting it on their own profile or feed. The video highlights that shares are a crucial metric for increasing the reach of content on Instagram, as each share can equate to hundreds of views.

Explore Feed

The Explore feed on Instagram is a feature that surfaces content that users may find interesting based on their activity and preferences. The video suggests that getting content on the Explore feed is a key strategy for going viral and gaining a large number of views and followers.

Replays

Replays refer to instances where users watch a video more than once. The video discusses the importance of creating content that encourages replays, such as by making the beginning and end of videos engaging or by creating a sense of urgency that makes users want to rewatch for missed details.

Highlights

Instagram's algorithm has undergone a major update affecting posting times and content types.

To increase reach, adapt to the three new best times to post on Instagram: 10:30 a.m. to noon, 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Avoid posting on the hour or half hour to increase the visibility of your posts.

Post according to your specific time zone as Instagram focuses more on geolocation.

Wait at least one hour between posts for photos and carousels to maintain eligibility on Instagram's feed.

Using ManyChat's comment to DM Automation can increase engagement and avoid spam warnings on links.

Create emotional responses in viewers within the first 3 seconds of your video to hook them in.

Script your video with the end in mind to invoke specific emotions for maximum engagement.

Use high contrast text colors like black and white for better visibility and engagement.

Avoid using small animated emojis or memes in your Instagram content as they can detract from the content's quality.

Write Instagram post descriptions that are at least 125 to 150 words long for better content push.

Comments on your posts can be increased by invoking emotions or providing incentives.

Aim for 80% of viewers to complete your video and focus on increasing replays for higher reach.

Shorten content, loop it, or speed up the beginning to encourage viewers to rewatch and understand.

Creating content between 5 to 7 seconds long is optimal for virality on Instagram.

Shares on Instagram are crucial for reaching wider audiences, with one share equating to up to 400 views.

Avoid using banned hashtags to prevent negative impacts on your posts' visibility.