There are a couple of immensely popular topics on social media nowadays: the weather (eternal classic), bad Tinder stories, Trump’s tweets, cute animal stories, and complaints about how Instagram is majorly screwing engagement for millions of users worldwide.
I know because I’ve done my fair share of complaining.
And even though it’s a classic #firstworldproblem, it really can be frustrating. Why wouldn’t it be? Most of us invest a lot of time in taking good pictures, trying to grow our Insta presence, and it’s an important marketing tool for businesses as well.
So seeing posts not doing so well, engagement plummeting, the follow/unfollow game, bots, dishonest Instagram tactics, buying followers, hashtags not working, and restricted accounts is not exactly uplifting.
But.
There’s always a but.
Will it make a difference if we just complain about it? If we lovingly think back on the golden times of the chronological feed? Getting worked up over how we think others shouldn’t be rewarded by a big following and sponsorship opportunities because they bought their way into that?
Definitely not.
Can we change how Instagram works? Well, there are a couple of petitions going around and thousands of complaints directed at Instagram, but I have my doubts Instagram will change its mind.
It seems the new algorithm is here to stay.
I always say we shouldn’t worry over things out of our control, because it’s just completely useless and incredibly destructive. It’s a principle I try to stick with in my work life, personal life – and my blogging life as well.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to be passive bystanders in these cases. We just have draw the right consequences, examine what is in our power to change about the specific situation, be strategic, proactive, focus on those, and let go of the rest (and the stress).
The story of the Instagram algorithm change is a classic example, and even if it annoys the hell out of us, we can learn a lot from it.
And to be honest, I think most of the lessons can be adapted to other work/life situations as well.
5 things we can learn from the Instagram algorithm change
Don’t whine
It will get us nowhere, just distorts our focus. It’s equally true to minor and major problems (and let’s be real, the algorithm change falls under the minor ones). Yeah, it sucks, everything was better in the past, now move on and try to adopt a more positive and proactive attitude.
Adapt
History is full of brands and people that focused on one thing only and failed to see or understand how the world was changing around them (Blackberry, anyone?). Adaptation is one of our most crucial survival skills in life and business as well. The social media game is changing by the minute and we have to be creative and flexible to keep up with it (or even get ahead of it). If you’re serious about blogging, do the homework. Read industry insights, subscribe to marketing and blogging podcasts, and most importantly, listen to the audience.
Don’t sit on your laurels, but always strive for improvement. Visuals, storytelling, live video, documenting and behind-the-scenes action are current trends we all better take into account.
Hard to grow the account? Spend extra effort on connecting with people. Follow back. Find special, less crowded hashtags (I know a hashtag with 20 million posts seems good, but if your content is only seen for a fraction of the second, because everyone is using it, it’s not exactly useful). Find accounts that can feature you. Use the caption to tell stories – some of my favorite accounts have really long, insightful captions and they stand out because of it. Post more or post less – experiment.
Diversify
Aka don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Betting on one thing only is incredibly risky, and frankly, not the wisest strategy. Especially when it comes to social media.
The various social media channels all have their role, purpose, and specialty. Thus, it makes a lot of sense to use them differently. They don’t substitute, but complement each other. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to focus on all of them with equal force. Find your 1-2 main channels (ideally, your strengths) and make them your priority. But don’t neglect the others completely. Diversify your content, and use the different channels to showcase a different angle of your personal brand.
Use
as mainly a visual experience platform, nothing more, nothing less. That’s why posts that convey my aesthetics dominate my feed, whether it’s style inspiration, interiors, or travels.
+ Instagram stories
as the daily documentation platform. It’s a lot more raw and authentic as Instagram, allowing us to really take people behind the scenes, showcase our personalities, and daily lives. However, some strategy doesn’t hurt either: as the name says, it’s all about stories. Tell yours.
+ Live videos
to connect with people, add some value, and showcase your personality. If you have a bigger audience, it’s easier to do, but always try to offer some value, otherwise people will not sit and watch for 20 minutes. Do a thematic chat, a Q&A, or take them with you on a unique experience.
to promote, connect, comment, and curate. Promote your own blog posts as well as others’. Connect and engage with people. Comment on actual news and events. And curate content and news other might find interesting.
to connect with other bloggers and join groups.
Make no mistake, Pinterest is not a simple social media channel – it’s a visual search engine. Use it to extend your brand aesthetics, and to promote your blog. The best way to do that is to be active (engagement is what counts on Pinterest, more than anything else), as it will grow your reach. Always pin your own posts, make good graphics, and repin them from time to time.
+Snapchat
if you have a shit ton of free time left even after using all the above social media channels
Find your own style and be authentic
Who is your favorite blogger? Why do you like him/her? Chances are it has something to do with what they say and how they say it. They have a personality and a voice that is unique and engaging for some reason and one that you’ve got attached to.
They stand out. And they stand out, because they are authentic. With all the talk about how fake social media and Instagram lives are, the authentic voices always find a way sooner or later. Because they shine through.
Do not compromise, do not copy. Find the small things that make you YOU. Be inventive and creative. Try new angles, visuals, video/image crossovers. Write great captions, instead of “goals”. Draw them into your world. Offer a unique visual or storytelling experience.
Don’t be afraid to break away from the crowd. As I mentioned in my slow blogging post: Do not care what everyone else is doing. Maybe the key to success is to do what no one else is doing.
Engage
First of all, chasing a good follower-following ratio is not the best strategy anymore. Why? Because everyone is after that. And most people already discovered Follower tracking apps, so they will know whether you follow them back or not, and act accordingly (aka unfollow you).
Second, it is getting incredibly clear that the size of your audience doesn’t matter at all if no one is paying attention to what you have to say. Engagement is all that matters. And make no mistake – more and more brands and PR people realize this, so it’s time to stop fixating on numbers. Change the focus and build meaningful relationships and a REAL audience.
My Insta following is not high at all. I could never even enjoy the wonderful times of the chronological algorithm as I got into the game after that. Growth is painful, and I’ve been stagnating for months now. But I let the pressure to gain a 100 followers a day go.
I focus on engagement, slow, but real growth, liking others’ contents and commenting a lot. I actually enjoy it. I changed my perspective on Instagram: I do it because I like photography, it helps me practice, I can connect with like-minded people, and just have fun. It’s genuine and I value it a lot more than a higher following number.
Find and follow people whose content is similar to yours. Follow back if you like what you see. Leave meaningful comments. Like pictures. Ask questions. Start a community hashtag. Provide value. Put in the time and effort.
Prioritize engagement over anything else – it’s the only way to get ahead.
So, here it is. 5 lessons we can learn and use from the Instagram algorithm change.
Social media change is not the end of the world. Yes, it’s annoying, but it also can be a good opportunity.
Try to make the best of everything life throws at you.
I totally agree!!! I didn’t even notice the algorithm was such a big deal until I started seeing so many people whine about it and it just so happened as I just started paying more attention to Instagram. I never used to care or post to it. But these are great lessons!
For me, or has shown who my favourites are. The ones I have to specially go searching for when I haven’t seen their post. And that’s great!
Yes, it’s a good perspective, I have my faves as well on Instagram and I do check back with them. I value this Insta friends community so much more than the simple following number.
Excellent read, and I completely agree! I’ve done a bit of experimenting with the “consistent post, no post” on Instagram and I’m finding the “sweet spot” which is consistency + engagement. Also, with change comes growth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, and adapting to the social media shift can unlock new ideas for individual development.
Thanks for reading! You’re absolutely right, I find that consistency (at least 1 post/day) and engagement make a lot of difference. And I like your last point as well, I’ve recently seen a couple of people experimenting with different photos, creative angles, writings, and it inspires me as well to step outside the box a little bit more and become more creative! xx