Alongside Facebook and YouTube, Instagram is one of the largest social networks with 1 billion users worldwide. Instagram is an ad-financed platform and offers companies and users the opportunity to share posts in the form of photos and videos. The algorithm can serve as an opportunity to rank your posts better in a mass of other posts and classify them as relevant. The days of chronological order are long gone and posts are now only displayed in the feed according to relevance. The visibility of posts has been significantly increased by the algorithm, you just have to provide relevant content.
We explain how you can use the Instagram algorithm for yourself below.
The most important facts in brief
- Instagram uses the algorithm to learn which posts could be of interest to individual users and prioritizes individual posts.
- Instagram filters the content by about 30%, which means 70% of the posts posted are not shown to a user at all.
- Latest update: Instagram Reels and Saves. Get to the top of the feed with new trends.
Background information: What is the Instagram algorithm 2021?
Below we explain everything you need to know about the 2021 Instagram algorithm. Among other things, we will show you what the algorithm is good for, as well as the most important ranking factors and how you can use them to your advantage.
What is the goal of the Instagram algorithm?
The Instagram algorithm is used to filter content according to certain criteria. Instagram mainly filters by interest. If Instagram decides that post A is more relevant to you than post B or C, then post A will be displayed preferentially in your feed. As a result, around 70% of the content you post will not be seen. This is very practical if you follow several hundred accounts and only see the interesting posts.
What changes are there in the Instagram algorithm in 2021?
The biggest change in the 2021 algorithm is in the reels. Copied from TikTok, short videos can now also make the rounds on Instagram. As the reels were not as well received as Instagram had hoped in the beginning, Instagram took the wheel into its own hands and “rewarded” accounts with a lower reach by suggesting reels more often. Instagram recommends posting vertical videos with music or sounds from Instagram.
Those who set new trends and share them with others, for example through crazy dances or funny content, are also rewarded by Instagram.
In addition, also copied from TikTok, there are the new Reels Remixes. This means you can now use other users’ reels as a duet and thus increase your reach once again. Blurred content, videos with watermarks from other apps (e.g. TikTok), videos with borders or too much text in the video are not recommended.
What signals does the Instagram algorithm evaluate in 2021?
The algorithm observes the user’s behavior. Posts from accounts with which the user has a relationship are primarily displayed in the feed. As a result, 90% of the posts displayed are from family and friends, while the rest are made up of followed accounts.
Particular attention is therefore paid to your relationship with others, but also to your frequency of use, i.e. how often you use Instagram. The time a user spends on a post is also recorded. Do they tend to click away from the post quickly or do they take the time to read the caption?
What are the three most important ranking factors of the Instagram algorithm 2021?
The Instagram algorithm 2021 is often a mystery that was the subject of much speculation until Julian Gutman spoke about the three most important Instagram algorithm ranking factors at a press conference in 2018.
- Interest:
The Instagram algorithm is based on your interests that you have shown in the past through interactions with posts. This means that your feed consists of posts from accounts you follow, but mainly posts from accounts you have liked in the past. The higher Instagram rates your interest in a post, the higher it will be ranked in your timeline. So if you have recently liked a lot of images and videos on the topic of “online marketing”, you will probably see more online marketing images in your feed. - Actuality:
The chronological order of the feed is unfortunately over, but topicality still plays a role. You can see newer pictures and videos further up in the feed. Since most Instagram users use the app daily or even several times a day, some of the posts displayed are only minutes old. If someone only uses Instagram once a week, it is more likely that older posts will still be displayed. - Relationships and interactions:
The frequency of your interactions with posts from an individual account determines how highly a person or company is ranked in your feed. So it may be that your mom with 20 followers is displayed higher in your feed than Bill Gates with 6.5 million followers. The reason: You have liked all of your mom’s posts so far. Friends and family are given priority in your feed accordingly. To enable Instagram to find these people, your likes, messages, comments and people you have searched for are taken into account. Furthermore, there are now saves on Instagram, which are very valuable.
The more a content is interacted with, the higher it is ranked in the individual feeds the next time.
Now you know the three main factors of the 2021 Instagram algorithm for posts and stories. Depending on how many people you follow, the algorithm takes effect to a greater or lesser extent. Many subscriptions for Instagram means: there is a lot to filter.
How can I use the Instagram algorithm for myself in 2021?
Interest: First, let’s look at how you manage to increase interest in your posts. The time spent on a post indicates the interest in it. The longer the dwell time, the greater the interest in the post. You can increase the dwell time of your users using various methods. One method is to make your captions longer and more narrative. Keyword storytelling: Tell a story that has something to do with your post. Your aim should be for all readers to unfold the text and read through to the end. Another way to increase dwell time is through videos and slideshows, as these keep your followers on your feed longer than a simple image. Slideshows and videos with an appealing caption are therefore the key to increasing interest in your posts. But be careful: You should not upload long videos, as this will quickly lead to the viewing being aborted. We live in a fast-paced world, hardly anyone has time to watch long videos, so reels and short videos are the best choice.
Actuality: Next, we turn our attention to topicality. The best and highest engagement is naturally generated when your followers are online. Therefore, try to post at times when this is the case. If you have a business account on Instagram, it’s very easy to find out when your target group is online in the Insights. To ensure that your posts are always classified as current, it is important to post as often as possible. This also gives your followers the opportunity to interact with your posts more often.
Interaction: As we already know, interaction is the third and final important part of making the most of the Instagram algorithm in 2021. Likes, comments, saving images and direct messages are important for the interaction of your followers. Include a clear “call to action” to encourage your followers to take action. Questions about your followers’ opinions on a topic, small puzzles or even competitions work best. Meanwhile, saving images is also very highly regarded, so try to create added value for your followers that they can save for later. Tip: Comments are rated better than likes, as they involve more effort. Take the time to respond to comments, show interest and reply in detail.
You should also make sure that your name is not too complicated, as the search for your account is also interactive. Hashtags are probably the most popular way to increase interactions. There are various tools that help you to query your hashtags or generate hashtags according to your interests. Use popular hashtags to draw attention to yourself and invite new people to show interest in your posts and interact with them.
Summary
The Instagram algorithm is there to filter the posts for the user. This is particularly important if you follow many accounts. Filtering is based on interest, topicality, relationships and interactions.
Not only the Instagram algorithm, but also Instagram is constantly evolving, so reels and saves have been all the rage for some time now. As a company, it is therefore very important to be up to date in order to continue to optimally serve the interests of the target group.
Remember: arouse the interest of your target group, make sure your topics and posting times are up-to-date and take the time to interact with your followers and build a bond.
