The word algorithm probably sounds familiar to you and not because of mathematics, but because of Instagram constantly changing it’s algorithm.
Since the dawn of social communication through social media, before the incursion of brands and mass advertising, your usual timeline was filled with posts from friends and family. Including photos with related captions, all in a very organic and chronological way starting with new posts and rewinding to old ones.
Today everything is changing more frenetically with the incursion of new social media platforms, the various takeovers among them and the ongoing competition. Initially, the incursion three years earlier of TikTok into the Western market was the biggest influence of change, but the restructuring in the way content is consumed on Instagram comes primarily because of the new algorithm, but…
What is an algorithm?
Algorithms have a set of logical rules, in this case from Instagram, it has it’s own algorithm that supports three main pillars, which define the visibility of content on the app. They are time, relationship, and engagement. The app’s code analyzes the app’s interaction data such as your behavior and your likes, and chooses other accounts and content that you’re likely to enjoy.
If you find it tough to understand, here’s an example: We are foodies and we tend to interact and watch a lot of recipe video Reels.
What’s going on on Instagram?
In one of our previous blogs, we talked about the rise of TikTok and video format, and how it has forced Instagram to include Reels. Well, the massive incursion of Reels in the platform have something do with how user experience has changed, this is something that we will focus on it later. This means, that Reels have been prioritized over photos so that the algorithm is visible in metrics.
Although the reach of posts has not been reduced, engagement has been. The average user is used to consuming other types of content and is not used to commenting on, saving, or sharing content other than Reels. The video format has the ability to speak for itself, to be less demanding to the eye and easier to consume and understand, saving reading and viewing time.
All this added to the profile of educational content usually present on Instagram, shows that there is a massive consumption of Reels as opposed to the rest. In no way does it lose value, but today we can say that we must prioritize the Reels in our strategies, and the other types of content must be added to help to maintain frequency and engagement in the community.
Previous popular content such as were carousels and photos have moved to second place, especially for brands and influencers.
User experience: The road to change
If we want to stop, observe, and understand why it’s reels and no other types of content, let’s look at the «science» that measures which is UX/UI. In the end, smartphones are vertical, a more ergonomic way to fit the phone in the hand and give your finger better access to the screen.
All panoramic content and posts which fill 20% of the screen including carousels (where you need a swipe to see more) means more effort for the user.
On the other hand, with Reels we have a full screen and video, the user just has to keep their eyes on the screen and nothing else will come between the interface and user. This is nothing more than an analysis of the data we have made from stories and how they have received more attention than the rest. Even if it was content of lower quality and value, this is just because of the format and the immersive user experience.
How can we adapt to Instagram’s algorithm?
It’s not about firing our designer and getting new videographers; it’s about knowing how to vary and structure our content well. If we have a frequency of five posts a week between designs and photos, it is better to reduce it to four and that one of them is a Reel, with the reel at the forefront of the strategy with the best timing of the week for our audience.
In addition, something that is working a lot is to rescue some used content that worked before in your account, updating the designs and adapting them to your current brand image. This way we can combine content that we know works with our community and Reels that will help us maintain and grow engagement.
Have you any doubts about how Instagram’s algorithm works? If you want to keep up with all our news and posts do not forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or Twitter and we will let you know when we have something new to tell you. See you next time!
