Tag Archive for: Instagram Algorithm Change

Instagram’s Latest Hashtag Update: What Digital Marketers Need to Know

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Instagram’s latest update revolutionizes content exploration via hashtags, urging marketers to optimize content and profiles for maximum visibility, captivating users in a sea of search results, and encouraging further exploration.

This update swaps out the former “Top Posts” feed with a more expansive search results page when users click on a hashtag. Consequently, Instagram aims to boost profile discovery and inspire varied search habits among its users. Let’s explore further to understand the implications for digital marketers eager to leverage this update.

A Deeper Dive into Hashtag Search Results

Previously, tapping on a hashtag would only display a limited selection of “Top Posts.” However, with the new update, users are now presented with a comprehensive array of search results similar to those found in the Explore section. This expanded view allows users to explore various elements related to the hashtag, including accounts, audio, places, and reels. By offering a more holistic search experience, Instagram aims to enrich user engagement and broaden content discovery within the app.

Implications for Digital Marketers

For digital marketers, this update carries significant implications. Here are some key strategies to leverage Instagram’s latest update:

  • Optimize Content: Marketers should ensure that their content incorporates relevant hashtags to increase visibility within the broader search results. Utilize popular and niche hashtags related to your industry or content to attract a wider audience.
  • Enhance Profile Information: It’s crucial to update profile names and descriptions with relevant keywords to improve visibility in the “Accounts” display. Make sure your profile accurately reflects your brand identity and includes relevant keywords to attract users browsing through hashtag searches.
  • Create Engaging Content: With users now being directed to a wider array of search results, it’s essential for marketers to create compelling and engaging content that stands out amidst the competition. Focus on producing high-quality visuals, videos, and captions that resonate with your target audience and encourage further exploration.
  • Monitor Trends: Stay updated on trending hashtags and topics within your industry and incorporate them strategically into your content strategy. By aligning your content with popular trends, you can increase the likelihood of appearing in relevant hashtag searches and reaching a larger audience.
  • Encourage Interaction: Engage with your audience by responding to comments, messages, and mentions related to your content. Building meaningful connections with your followers can help increase engagement and visibility on the platform.
  • Analyze Performance: Regularly monitor the performance of your hashtag strategy and track metrics such as reach, engagement, and follower growth. Use insights gained from analytics to refine your approach and optimize future content for better results.

By implementing these strategies, your business can effectively harness Instagram’s new hashtag update to enhance your brand visibility, attract a broader audience, and drive engagement on the platform.

Room for Improvement

While Instagram’s hashtag update represents a step in the right direction, there is still room for improvement. Many users have expressed a desire to reintroduce the ability to sort search results by date posted, allowing for greater relevance and timeliness in content discovery. Addressing this feedback could further enhance the platform’s usability and cater to the evolving needs of its user base.

How Onimod Global Can Help

Instagram’s latest hashtag update presents both opportunities and challenges for digital marketers. At Onimod Global, we understand the importance of staying ahead of industry trends to help ensure our clients’ success in the dynamic world of digital marketing. With Instagram’s latest hashtag update, our team is poised to help businesses harness this opportunity effectively. By optimizing profile keywords, leveraging the expanded search results, we can help enhance our clients’ visibility and engagement on the platform.

Our commitment to innovation and staying at the forefront of emerging trends allows us to continuously refine our strategies, helping ensure that our clients remain competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. With our proactive approach, we empower businesses to navigate the complexities of social media marketing and achieve their goals with confidence, contact us today to learn more.

5 Tips for Your Instagram Advertising Strategy

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More than a year ago, Instagram made a huge change to their algorithm. This change resulted in switches from chronological posts to more relevant posts that users were more likely to engage with.

Many users expressed their discontent with the change, and many advertisers did as well. It was believed that the switch made it more difficult for brands to interact with their audience, and with frequent tweaks still being made to the algorithm it can be hard to know what type of strategy will help or hurt your brand on Instagram.

Insta Basics

First, it is crucial to know the key influencing factors that the platform’s algorithm takes into account:

  1. The relationship between you and the person (or company that) posted the photo: The more that users regularly engage with your content, the more the algorithm will highlight your new content to those interested users.
  2. Timing: Even though the new algorithm is not in chronological order, Instagram will still take timing into account to make sure that it is showing content that has been posted fairly recently.
  3. Likes and comments: Although the platform said that the new algorithm will not result in a “popularity contest” it is still making efforts to push content that possesses many different engagement factors such as likes and comments. The more interaction your post receives, the better!
  4. Direct shares: Instagram will also be taking note of posts that you share with others since this is another type of interaction that clearly shows a user is interested in the content from a particular brand.
  5. Profile searches: Recent searches will also prompt the platform to suggest new users to follow, or if you currently are following them then even more of their content will be pushed to the top of your feed.

Primary Focus

The entire point of each and every one of these factors is engagement. The more that users engage with your content, the more that the algorithm will make sure to update users when new content is available.

Much of the idea behind the algorithm can be related to the same operations of search engines like Google. The most important aspect that Google’s algorithm considers is relevancy. In this same respect, Instagram’s algorithm is trying to ascertain whether or not users will find your content interesting and relevant, which can be judged by how often they show interest in your brand through likes, comments, searches, etc.

Additional Suggestions

When optimizing your content for Instagram, it is absolutely necessary to make it as interactive as possible. Utilizing unique forms of motion based content can help to increase interactions by posting a video, story, or Boomerang.

Adding hashtags to your post can significantly boost its impressions. In fact, Adweek states that adding even one hashtag can increase engagement by an average of 12.6%.

It is also worth including some advertising dollar in your Instagram strategy in order to make certain that your content is being pushed to target users. In light of Facebook’s recent organic content changes, it would not be out of line to suspect that Instagram may also adopt a similar strategy when it comes to sponsored content versus unpaid posts.

Ignore the Uproar. The Instagram Algorithm Change Is a Good Thing.

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Instagram recently dropped the news that it will be adapting a non-chronological newsfeed order, similar to its big brother, Facebook. Instead of sorting posts in a familiar linear order, the new algorithm will weigh in a variety of social signals, such as a number of post engagements. It will also consider content you liked before in an attempt to sort images in the order of “relevancy,” or as what Instagram perceives to be of most interest to you.

Instagram has already carved out its place among top networks for businesses, thanks to its almost exponential growth. What started as a teen photo-sharing app bought by Facebook in then-incredible $1 billion deal, the network is projected to rack in $1.86 billion in revenue this year as its user base growth outpaces general social network usage.

The update, however, has caused a storm of complains. It went as far as to prompt a petition on Change.org asking Instagram to leave its chronological feed alone. The outrage was mostly caused by comparing this change to Facebook’s algorithm. Notorious for discriminating business pages’ content, it upset many business owners when organic post reach plunged to unbelievable lows. In a lot of cases, Instagram was their network of choice because of its chronological order and an unlimited reach of posts.

However, the comparison of the two networks is unfair. Unlike Facebook, Instagram does not separate “personal” from “business” accounts. As of right now, a profile is a profile, independently of its use. So, this move is not discriminatory of businesses (I am looking at you, Facebook).

So let’s examine what this change in algorithm really means and whether it’s as scary as it looks to marketers.

Chronological newsfeed was truly effective only in two instances: businesses posted to Instagram every half an hour or their followers had a very limited number of handles they followed. This cannot be a widespread trend, because according to Optical Cortex data based on 20,000+ Instagram users, average number of people they follow is 822. So, for a majority of brand’s following those images most likely weren’t the first thing they saw; and that chronological order didn’t really matter anyway.

Now what really made a difference, and still will continue to do so, is getting ahead of the game with smart strategies. What you have (to continue) to do as a smart marketer is to focus on quality content that drives engagement.

Instagram was so gracious to let marketers know of its algorithm change before it kicked in. Use the little time that’s left with chronological newsfeed to jumpstart your new marketing strategy. Make an extra push to increase engagement now. Start to finally notice those comments people leave on your images! Respond to them! Use this as an opportunity to strike a conversation.

A lot of people who follow brands and celebrities will deliberately go to the handle to see what’s new. People follow Nike, Lexus or Kylie Jenner, because they know that each new post will be amazing (whatever their definition of amazing is). So, strive to make your Instagram account a mecca for striking visual content. This is the only way to ensure people won’t stop engaging with your content, whatever the algorithm is.

There are also a few other tactics you can employ to stay ahead of the curve. For example, if you are seriously using Instagram to grow your business, you already track and analyze results. You already know when your audience is online. You can still schedule your posts to go out at those times and increase visibility of fresh content.

Another reason to dive deep into analytics is to see which hashtags perform the best. Always test which hashtags improve engagement, always vary them to improve your odd of being discovered by a new group of people. Finally, constantly monitor trending hashtags (didn’t you already?) to see if any of the applicable and relevant hashtags are popular, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a remarkable rate of impressions. Yet, don’t go for an overkill. Don’t spam people with irrelevant content and thirty hashtags – that won’t increase your engagement or chances of being lovable.

Plus, while being strategic about your visual content (that has to rock their socks off), you should also become extremely strategic about your captions. It is proven that captions with a call to action are beyond effective in getting desired results. Do you want more engagement? Just ask for it! Foundr Magazine, for example, ends a lot of their captions with “double tap if you agree,” or “tag your friends.” What’s an easier way to gain numerous shares and an audience insight than to simply ask for their opinion?

Businesses that enjoy high engagement rates know their respective audiences very well. They know what type of imagery is catchy, what content needs to serve; and these companies have also figured out a context for consuming this content. They cater to their audience, so the latter wants to stick for the ride ahead.

Finally, don’t shy away from occasional boost. Employ the power of Facebook advertising capabilities on Instagram and target the right people.

So, after all, the change in algorithm might be for the better. If you post amazing content, it’ll be waiting for your followers in their newsfeed even if it was posted a few hours ago. Instagram user survey indicated that 60% of Instagrammers learn about products and services on the network and 75% take action after being inspired by an Instagram post. Now is the time to bring your A-game on.

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H/T: Entrepreneur