How to beat the Instagram algorithm ? 9 tips to help you

You don’t know how to beat the Instagram Algorithm ? Well, is a bit like the guy who pulls the strings: you have no choice but to comply.
More seriously, whether you’re an influencer, entrepreneur or simple social networking enthusiast, understanding this algorithm will help you increase your visibility. 🚀

How does this algorithm decide which publications deserve your attention? That’s what we’re going to find out. 👀

Today’s menu: 👇🏼

• What is the Instagram algorithm?
• What are the ranking factors for Instagram feeds?
• Which formats are best?
• 9 tips for taming the algorithm.

Ready to decode the Instagram algorithm and maximize your impact? Let’s get started! 🏎️

What is the algorithm Instagram?

This is a set of automated rules and processes used by the platform to personalize and organize the content visible to users in their News Feed, Stories, Explorer page and Reels. ⛵️

Look at it a bit like a magic filter 🪄 that decides what you see first on your news feed.
On social networks, instead of showing you posts in the order they were posted, Instagram uses a set of rules to choose the posts that are most interesting to you. 👀

How does the Instagram algorithm work?

Basically, this is how it works. ⬇️

1️⃣ Commitment.

If lots of people like, comment on or share a post, Instagram thinks it’s interesting content and shows it to you more often. 😇

2️⃣ Relations.

If you interact with a friend often (by liking or commenting on their posts), Instagram understands that you want to see more of their publications. 💟

3️⃣ Time.

Even if it’s not quite chronological anymore, recent posts are still more likely to appear at the top of your feed. 👀

4️⃣ Interest.

Instagram monitors the types of photos and videos you like and comment on. For example, if you love cat photos, Instagram will show you more cats. 🐱

5️⃣ Frequency.

If you open the app often, Instagram tries to show you new content every time. For example, if you go less often, it chooses the best publications since your last visit.

Basically, it’s a bit like Netflix, it tries to guess what you’ll love based on your past content. 🤩

Instagram feed ranking factors

We’ve already briefly talked to you about it before but, let’s take a closer look at the different factors that cause your Instagram feed to change. 🔎

Take notes. 📝

Instagram uses recommendation algorithms

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty, so you can understand what’s going on behind the recommendation algorithms. 👀

The recommendation algorithms are based on machine learning techniques, constantly learning from users’ interactions with Instagram.

For example, they take into account the types of publications liked, commented on or shared to suggest similar content. 🔥

But that’s not all: they analyze 🗣️ interactions with other users, such as DMs and mentions, to understand different social relationships.

Publication date

Even if Instagram doesn’t strictly follow chronology, it still favors recent content. A post from 3 days ago will be more viral than one from 2 years ago. 😅

Recent publications are often seen as the most interesting and relevant, which improves the chances of appearing at the top of users’ news feeds. 💪🏼

As you can see, this means that if you want to increase your visibility 🎯 it’s important to publish when your audience is most active.

For example, if a user rarely logs in, Instagram will show them the best posts since their last visit, without paying too much attention to the date. 📆

The type of relationship

Our beloved Instagram algorithm keeps a close eye with its eagle eye on interactions between accounts, to know which publications are the most relevant to display. 👁️

For example, if you like, comment or exchange direct messages often with a certain user, then his or her publications will appear more often in your News Feed.

A bit like your bestie after all. 💟

Instagram thinks of you and finds the right content for you. 🥰

Time and frequency

If you check Instagram frequently, the algorithm will show you the most recent content every time you open the app, with the aim 🥅 of keeping you engaged with continuous updates.

But be careful, it also works the other way around.

If you log in less often, the algorithm will select the best publications that have been shared, with the best catchphrases since your last visit. 👀

Basically, Instagram wants to balance freshness 🍦 of posts with overall relevance, and that’s for every user. 🔥

Which formats are best?

I think you already know this, but some formats are particularly effective at capturing 🧲 users’ attention.

I’ll let you guess which types of formats are in vogue? 👀

Well, not too much suspense, it’s all about the real ones and the stories!

We’ll show you right away how to use these formats to your advantage. 💪🏼

The real Instagram

These are short videos, generally between 15 and 60 seconds, which are effective at attracting attention thanks to their dynamic format (cuckoo kitty cats 🐈‍⬛ ).

As mentioned above, real people have greater visibility, as they appear not only in the news feed, but also on the Explorer page, so they’re more likely to reach new subscribers. 🥰

You can use the real ones for :

• Quick tutorials.
• Product demonstrations.
• Viral challenges.
• Event teasers.

The stories

No need to introduce them anymore, Instagram stories are ephemeral, as they only last 24 hours, allowing you to share spontaneous, authentic moments with followers.

At the same time, they appear at the top of the app, so they’re hard to miss. 😅

They allow you to share :

• Glimpses behind the scenes.
• Last-minute announcements.
• Direct audience interaction (poll, question, interactive sticker).
• Direct links.

As you can see, Instagram stories help keep a connection with your followers and show a more personal and immediate part of your business. 😇

9 tips for leveraging the algorithm and visibility

If you want to maximize your presence on Instagram and take full advantage of the algorithm, you’re going to need to put some strategies in place. 💪🏼

It doesn’t matter if you’re a content creator, a business or simply a user who loves to share their goodies, we recommend you follow our key tips. 🔑

1) Optimize engagement

As we’ve already told you, the Instagram algorithm favors posts with lots of interaction, such as likes, comments, saves and shares.
So you need to create content that encourages interaction! 🔥

Okay, but how do I do it? 🤔

Well, you can, for example:

• Ask questions in your captions to invite your subscribers to comment.
• Use clear CTAs, such as “Tell us what you think” or “Tag a friend”.
• Use carousels and videos, as they hold attention for longer.
• Add polls, quizzes, questions and interactive stickers to your stories.

2) Use relevant hashtags

Hashtags work like keywords, meaning your content can appear in searches and therefore reach 🎯 a wider audience.

Don’t make the mistake of choosing hashtags that are too popular, but not related enough to your field of activity. 👀

For example, instead of using generic hashtags like #love or #instagood, opt instead for #veganrecipes or #travelphotography.

Once again, it all depends on your business sector and your marketing strategy! 😇

If you’re not sure which hashtag to use, you can research influential accounts in your field (such as a selection of influencers) to see which generate the most engagement.

And last but not least, limit yourself to a dozen hashtags to avoid the spam effect! 😇

3) Reply to comments and private messages

By taking the time to respond to comments, you prove to your community that you like their engagement, which can make them want to continue interacting with your content. 🔥

So take the opportunity to gather feedback, ask questions and make real connections with certain people! Who knows, they may become your future ambassadors. 😏

4) Post at the best times

Every audience has different browsing habits, so you need to identify 🔎 when your subscribers are most active.

In general, the best times to publish are :

• Early morning.
• During lunch breaks.
• In the evening.

Taking public transport home is also particularly effective (between 5pm and 7pm). 🤫

Also, you can plan your publications using an editorial schedule to maintain consistency and always publish at the best slots. ⏰

5) Focus on the real thing

The real ones are short videos made with music of the moment! 🎶

Feel free to create real ones that reflect your brand or personality, adding the latest trends, popular challenges or even quick tutorials. 🥰

Here are some examples of real things to do for a Community Manager:

• 🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Share practical tips on social media management, such as “3 tips to increase engagement on Instagram”.
• 🎬 Film the moments when you plan publications, analyze statistics or respond to comments and private messages.
• 🪄 Show the transformation of an account before and after your paw. 🐾
• 💬 Answer your audience’s frequently asked questions.
• 💨 Use a viral challenge to show how a social media strategy can be implemented.

6) Post regularly

The Instagram algorithm will prefer active accounts that post frequently, as this shows that you’re engaged and providing new and fresh content to your audience. 🔥

Of course, this doesn’t mean publishing every day, but rather, for example, establishing a publication schedule tailored to your audience and resources.

For this, don’t hesitate to use scheduling tools to organize your publications in advance and maintain a rhythm. 💪🏼

The cool thing about this way of doing things is that you can test different types of content and thus, analyze what works best in terms of engagement. 👀

7) Respect community rules

Like everywhere else, there are rules and you have to respect them. And here, you risk content deletion, reduced reach of your publications, or even account suspension, so listen up! 👀

First of all, avoid publishing content that violates the rules of : 👇🏼

• Nudity.
• Violence.
• Hate speech.
• Harassment.
• The racist.

Next, take care not to use bots 🤖 or artificial growth methods, such as buying Instagram subscribers, as this can go against Instagram’s policies and can lead to penalization.

Also, be transparent in your various collaborations and partnerships, using, for example, the appropriate hashtags, such as #ad or #sponsored, to comply with the rules. 📄

8) Add your location

This tip may seem simplistic to you, but it’s completely effective! 🔥

Add your location to your posts to increase your visibility on Instagram.

In fact, when you geotag your photos and videos on social media, they appear in searches associated with that location. 🌍

Bim, local users or users interested in that place will discover your content more easily. 🥳

Whether you’re a trendy café, a tourist spot or at an event, geotagging increases your chances of being seen so, take advantage of it! 👀

9) Use popular sounds

Finally, the last step and this one can sometimes be underwhelming and yet, it pays off, the use of trending sounds in your real and stories! 🎧

When a sound goes viral, the Instagram algorithm favors videos that use it, increasing their chances of appearing in the Explore section or being recommended to more users. 🔎

So don’t hesitate to keep up to date with the latest music trends. 🎵

How about a recap of how to beat the Instagram algorithm?

Well, the Instagram algorithm is a bit like bumping into an unpredictable partner at a dance bar, you never know what to expect! 💃🏼

Well, here, dance is about engagement, relationships and publications. 😇

To make the most of the algorithm, don’t hesitate to use real and stories, as they help captivate your audience in seconds, and share authentic, ephemeral moments. 🔥

Frequently asked questions

Wait, I’m told in the earpiece that we still have some content that may be of interest to you. 👀

How do you get into the Instagram algorithm?

If you want to be favored by the Instagram algorithm and gain visibility, we advise you to follow these key points 🔑 :

• 1️⃣ Create engaging content.
• 2️⃣ Use real and stories.
• 3️⃣ Publish regularly and at the right time.
• 4️⃣ Interaction with your community (through competitions, for example).
• 5️⃣ Using hashtags.
• 6️⃣ Caption optimization.
• 7️⃣ Performance analysis.

How can I make myself more visible on Instagram?

To make yourself more visible on Instagram, there are a few little tricks to know, for example: 👀

• 🟣 Use carousels.
• 🔵 Organize lives.
• 🟣 Participate in challenges.
• 🔵 Telling personal stories.
• 🟣 Create enriching content.
• 🔵 Optimize your profile.
• 🟣 Experiment with UGC.
• 🔵 Republish Instagram stories.
• 🟣 Use statistics directly on Instagram.

Why don’t I have visibility on Instagram?

There are several reasons why you may have low visibility on Instagram.

Firstly, you may have a lack of engagement, as without enough likes, comments, shares or saves, your content can more easily fall by the wayside. 😅

Secondly, if you publish at times when your audience is inactive, this inevitably reduces engagement . I’m thinking in particular of an hour in the morning when the average person is sleeping during the week. 😅

Finally, it’s vital that you respond to as many comments as possible, otherwise your community will interact less and less with your content and this risks lowering your engagement rate (Facebook’s engagement rate is the same as Instagram’s) … 😔

Now, you know how to beat the Instagram algorithm ! 🤫