It will hardly surprise that Instagram takes an honorable second place among the most important social media platforms for marketers. Still, not that many users would realize that for industry professionals it has become 64% more challenging to reach target audiences there. It would seem that after Instagram has shed light on its ranking policy, there is a direct guide to action in our hands. So, those who follow all the points to a tee might have thought that success is in the bag, but there it was.
A photo of an egg can do the trick and reach 18.4 M likes in a fortnight. Again, this is more of a pleasant exception than a working option. It was Reels that flooded the platform over the past few years and squeezed all other formats. Well, now things on the platform are back to their original positions. Increased volume of video posting is not going to cut it anymore.
In this article, we will talk about how to improve your metrics by creating content according to a brand-new IG hierarchy.
Why Content Overhaul is the Emergency
It's enough to go through the most recent Adam Mosseri’s posts to find out that the approaches that brought results a year ago are no longer in favor. This is basically what the commentary section is full of:
Some users are fulminating against a new method to customizing user feeds pointing a finger of blame to promote only those delivering visually expensive content. In other words, content creators have to think not only about aesthetics, but also be able to present diversified scenarios and plots. In an endless race, there are cases where influencers got down to simply copying each other. Some users even accuse the platform of inciting content theft.
The truth is that authenticity is still the main condition for growing an account organically. Yet, the criteria for content assessment have changed.
Read up to find ingredients to add to your recipe for success.
Coming Up With Sharable Content is a Priority
You must have already noticed the airplane icon among hot buttons under the posts. And this is not without reason. Shares are now valued over saves. So, viral reach provides better exposure than the number of likes or bookmarks we are used to.
Getting your post DM-worthy is a much more challenge than driving a user to, say, double-tap the screen. Since funny posts are in demand, adding a pinch of whim can be a solution. However, you‘d better be cognizant of what tones you should use when developing such content on Instagram. Chasing the algorithm’s approval can cost you the loyalty of the current audience.
Below the belt jokes are cutting corners. Most often, people feel uncomfortable tagging themselves publicly with likes or comments. However, it can be the perfect choice for a friendly giggle in a chat.
A strategy that is ok to a memes’ page appears a questionable decision for business. We are not getting at that funny content should be rejected outright. But there is no need to rush headlong. For starters, look at how your competitors apply it and monitor the audience's reaction.
In particular, memes fit perfectly into the Netflix Insta style. As a streaming service, the company organically integrates waggish captions into movies’ screenshots. A win-win strategy, hands down. Besides a streamlined engagement, they manage to advertise and announce premieres.
With Procter & Gamble's recent posts on motherhood, the Paralympics, water shortages and other touchy subjects, funny content would cause a significant discrepancy with the brand’s attempts to enable sensitive content on Instagram posts. So, it’s natural that such videos are absent from their Instagram grid.
Being Present in Every Nook and Corner Drives Targeting
The thing we still can’t wrap our head around is why Procter & Gamble is that persistent in shutting their eyes to Threads. Being registered on the platform, you only will see a blinding white feed after following the link in bio.
Unlike Instagram exclusive content rules, new internal spaces give creators the ability to scale up publishing volumes instead of racking brains over how to make content for Instagram grids. Threads can be easily reposted to Instagram Stories or feeds. They also appear in a pop-up tab while as a user scroll, giving you a better base of engagement with your target audience.
By being active on Threads, the Washington Post manages to publish twice as many previews for its weekly articles, while Pepsi's account encourages heated discussions about hot-button issues, like what users think about Pepsi Lime or what Pepsi treats to make.
Channels are a relatively new feature on Instagram, compared to Threads, which made a splash in 2023. Even being not that popular so far, they were granted a separate feed that is not related to the main one. The only channel we did find belongs to Mark Zuckerberg. And with more than 500 K followers, it is a good sign of a bright future. So, there is a good chance to skim the cream until it gets too crowded.
The gist is you don’t have to sweat over how to schedule content on Instagram. It is now possible to juggle different internal social networks to interact with different audiences
Adding Music to Different Formats Increases Discoverability
Not long ago we had to bend over backwards to let some music into Reels or add audio to Stories. It was either slowing the track down or speeding it up through third-party apps or playing the desired piece while filming. Getting the coveted sound into your content was quite a task.
Here's the answer to why many users still don't bother with sound for content creation. And while some comfort themselves with the excuse that 80% of users prefer to scroll through the feed with the sound off, the quick-learners get a 20% boost in views.
We are finally allowed to add music to all types of content, from standard Reels to posts and carousels. The latter have also received their share of updates. Users can place up to 20 elements in one publication, which is a sure thing to increase reach.
But let's pick up where we left off. Audio feature is one more lucky page owner. It means that anyone looking for MP3s can potentially discover your content. Since views have now become a key metric for getting to the top of search results, you can gain a few more to what you already have by simply uploading the original audio.
Can you fancy 44.4 K users applying this sound for Reels? Hats off to a young lady.
By the way, profile is in the game. The track is displayed in the bio and remains pinned until the user deletes or replaces it. It is not yet clear how exactly this will affect the account performance, yet it is a good option to make your profile stand out.
The Final Takeaway
Those who want to get somewhere on Instagram should put up with the fact that effort will never be enough. The platform is advancing by leaps and bounds. So, the best thing you can do for your account is to embrace new features before it is too mainstream. After you come across such Instagram content ideas on every other account, it is a clear sign to look for new solutions. Yet, do not rush to give up on proven strategies as with hashtags. They still bear fruit. The point is that you should never be satisfied to satisfy the IG community.
