How to beat the Instagram Curve

You're scrolling Ig and then you see this: 

Or even worse, you start seeing posts from 5 days ago, all on the same scroll. Your clients and potential consumers are seeing the same things. Even worse, they might not be seeing you at all.

Instagram makes big changes almost quarterly. And I'm not talking pseudo-Snapchat filters or swipe to the left for even more selfies of your fave ig baddie.

Seriously, some of these ig baddies are baaaaaad! #Girlcrush

Just like Facebook, Instagram has an algorithm that makes absolutely no sense to the common eye. 

Algorithm: a formula that determines how posts will be seen and filtered on timelines. 
Facebook’s algorithm is the most complicated. 

After a big update, your engagement will decrease and your likes will be nonexistent in comparison to before the update. 

Ride the wave baby. 

I've managed several Facebook pages and Instagram pages and these tips have worked time after time. 

On average, people miss 70% of content on their Instagram feed. You don't want to fall within that percentage.

Here’s what you can do: 

1. Post multiple times a week. It doesn’t have to be three to six times a day, in order to get optimal results. 

Quality content beats quantity day after day. Post content that your followers will adore + feel like it’s talking just to them. The algorithm was created to filter through the boring and irrelevant content, so the amazing high-quality content could shine and be shown the masses. Take the time to be creative. Everyone can share the same meme + throw their branding on it. 

2. Create captions that makes the reader want to engage with you.
Write mini blog posts (microblog) as your captions. 
Give a call to action: “double tap if you feel me” “tag your biz bestie”

3. Login in daily and commit to commenting on 10 accounts that you don’t typical interact with. Genuine comments...there are enough bots out here leaving comments under posts that are totally unrelated. 

If you already have an actively engaged audience, look at those that recently followed you or liked your latest image and interact with these peeps. If your audience isn’t interactive yet, and you don’t know who to start talking to...go to your competitor and look who is talking to them. Interact with these individuals. You know they aren’t shy and they may be interested in your content as well. No spammy-ness, just true interaction. 

4. Pods. 

Pods are groups of people that commit to raising engagement on each others Instagram posts. There are rules to these “secret societies.” For example: ‘Comments must be at least three words long, cannot just be emojis, and must happen very quickly after the post goes up on their profile.’ 

Instagram measures how quickly users engage with your content to determine if they should continue showing it to others. 

There are formal pods with a total of 15 people, typically bloggers who are matched by a pod company (there’s a niche for everyone). You don’t have to seek anything like this, create your own version of a pod with a few of your biz besties on Ig. It doesn’t have to be immediately commenting as soon as they post. Because I really hope you are working and not playing on Instagram all day or responding to every notification on your phone. But showing love and increasing their ranks. 

5. Use hashtags. I know hashtags can be lame, but I’m telling you the right hashtags can take your brand places. Take time to research 30 hashtags [that’s the maximum # of hashtags allowed on a post by the creator]. Copying + pasting and influencers hashtags won’t do you any good. Your audiences aren’t the same. 

I keep my hashtags stored in ‘Notebook’ app on my phone and just simply copy and paste as the first comment on the post. I alternate hashtags depending on what the post is about. 

6. Post during peek times. Stop posting at 8am-9am with EVERYBODY and their mama. Look at Insights in Ig + actually review your stats for the peek times for your audience. 

7. Use Ig Stories. Post on ig stories at least twice a day, no more than five times, unless you’re actually telling a story. Get on snapchat if you’re randomly posting more than five times. Post in the morning and at night, so you pop up at the beginning of Ig Stories. No one is going to go through their entire story, so if you post in the am + pm, you’re vetting that you’ll be right at the beginning for everyone to see you. Here is where you can post behind the scenes, little bits of motivation, and fun things that you want to share with your crew. 

Create themes and fun things, so your audience is looking forward to your story and keeps coming to your profile checking for an update. [When people are constantly searching/checking for you this boosts your ranking.] 

8. Go Live. Sooo this is definitely one of those “do as I say, not as I do” moments. I have yet to go live on my biz account. Post an image [either in stories or on your feed] and let your peeps know what time you’ll be going live or ask them what they want you to talk about. Full Disclosure: I usually have on gym clothes and look homeless M-F. So going live, just doesn’t fit into my schedule. I did commit that on the days I get cute for my masterclasses, I would follow my own lead and go live. Especially now that they can be saved. 

I have a client that goes lives every weekday at the same time, and the engagement is phenomenal. It becomes an event and soo fun. Another client that goes live every Monday at the same time, and again...remarkable results. 

9. Have an Instagram Contest. First, ensure that you read the rules. Contests are huuuuuge engagement drivers. The prize doesn’t have to be a brand new Macbook or a VIP trip to your summer retreat, it could be a free copy of your book, your product, or a gift card.  I usually have mixed feelings about contests, because once the contest is over, the engagement and new followers disappear. So this leaves you with the task of keeping them. 

10. Pay to play. You knew it was coming. Hit that boost button and boost your post to your own audience. $2 can do you wonders when Instagram [Facebook too] isn't sharing your content to the masses. 

Social media is a way to bring people in closer. Give them sprinkles of your personality. Let go of status quo and boring tactics that you see everyone using. Algorithms and updates will come and go, but your creativity is with you forever. Make use of it and keep your peeps engaged. 

10 tips to beat Instagram and increase engagement. | Biz Bestie 

Stay Amazing,