In my piece talking about Instagram, I introduced you to Amanda Kohal’s “Insta-Site” method for setting up your profile so that you can make the best use of the platform. However, you also need to also remember the ever-changing Instagram algorithm. If you do not post in line with it, then you will not be seen on the site. Amy Nicole Marietta, a creator on TikTok, shared the recent changes to the algorithm that you need to be aware of.
Optimizing Your Reels
As I have said before, Instagram, in an effort to compete with short form video sites, wants you to be posting reels.
However, there are certain things that the algorithm is going to favor. Instagram wants you to use their editing tools in the app and does not want you to be re-purposing TikToks or clips edited in CapCut. If your reels have any of these watermarks on them, they will not be pushed by the algorithm. Instagram’s in-app editing tools are seriously lacking, I know, so editing outside of the app and uploading clips without watermarks is the way to go.
Your reels also need to be vertical (portrait style) with no black borders to be preferred by the algorithm.
Vertical videos can be tricky to master, especially if you are used to filming horizontal clips, but it’s a skill that will give you great results. When it comes to sound on your reels, Instagram wants you to use their trending sounds. For someone like me, who loves a wide variety of sounds and music, this feels so limiting as it is hard to find something that conforms with my style. I usually just have clips with me speaking so that I do not have to fit myself into something I am not!
Posting to Your Stories and The Grid
On Instagram, you have stories and your grid (your “Insta-Site” if you are using Amanda Kohal’s method). Posting to both regularly is important but depending on the algorithm, the frequency differs. The current algorithm favors accounts that post to their grid daily and to their stories six times a day. Although there is not a time of day that Instagram wants you to post to your grid, they would like you to post to your stories twice in the morning, twice at midday and twice in the evening to get maximum exposure.
In your stories, Instagram want you to engage with your audience, so be sure to include polls, calls to action and “ask me anything” within your stories to increase your engagement.
Although this is best practice anyway when using social media, Instagram is really prioritizing accounts that have good engagement with their audiences. Why? My thoughts are that they want to keep people on the app longer, and engagement is the best way to do this.
Captions and Replying to Comments
The new Instagram algorithm also affects captions and hashtags on the posts on your grid.
Your caption will be used by people to find your content so optimize it with keywords and be as detailed as you can be. However, with hashtags, it’s time to dial those back! The days of loading up with hashtags are gone, and Instagram wants to see 3 to 5 – maximum – on your grid posts.
Comments on your posts are now very important to the algorithm, all in the name of increasing engagement.
Reply to all the comments on your posts, and focus on keeping the conversations going, as this will signal to the algorithm to push your content to new and current followers.
Instagram is still one of the top players in social media, so using it and capitalizing on the current algorithm will help keep your fans interested and will introduce you to new audiences.
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Rem Sequence is an Australian adult content creator, blogger and internationally published alt model. She has a background in psychology, philosophy and political science and has worked in health and sex education, youth work and trauma counseling for almost two decades. Contact Sequence via rem@ynotcam.com and visit her on Twitter at @remsequence.
