Most people often wonder why their Instagram following won’t grow despite trying out every strategy. If you are one of these people, then you must also know how the new algorithm can work against you and how to leverage your Instagram Stories in terms of growing the number of your followers.
But do you really understand what the mysterious algorithm is all about? How does it affect your online visibility and the ability to grow your following?
Simply put, an algorithm is what determines who will see or won’t see the content you post. It generally does this by stalking movements of users based on the content they commonly engage in. The site will on its part decide which type of content they believe a user would want to see. It will, in turn, give that particular content more visibility while filtering out the rest.
Besides that, there are three important factors that the algorithm uses to determine your online visibility. The first one if your relationship with other users and the extent of your engagement with them. The second one is user interests and the third factor is recency.
Below are ways you can use stories to outsmart the Instagram algorithm
Consistent posting
Posting consistently is one of the ways you can harness the power of Instagram algorithm to grow your following. You have to regularly post relevant and interesting comments to excite your followers.
Post something new at least every day and consider the time of posting as well. You can use analytics to find out where most of your followers are based in order to know the best time to make your posts.
Get used to Instagram stories’ features
The algorithm generally uses the amount of time spent by users viewing your content as the main factor in deciding its popularity. It is recommended that you post Instagram stories every hour instead of consecutive stories at a go. Another way to popularize your stories is by going Live and doing it regularly.
Constant engagement
Ensure that you connect with your followers to grow your reach. There is no way the number of your followers will increase if you are not constantly engaging with your followers.
Constant engagement is even more important if you are using Instagram as your marketing strategy. The only sure way of achieving better results is by connecting with your followers to grow your reach and increase brand awareness.
Use the right #hashtags
The good thing about using hashtags is that your post has the potential of reaching a wider audience. This is an important marketing strategy that you can use to increase brand awareness while growing your following at the same time.
Add links to your stories
Instagram recently allowed its users to add links to their stories – which is a great deal particularly if you are using the influencer marketing technique. Apparently, only users with more than 10K followers can add links to their stories. If you meet the requirement, then you will be able to add links and drive traffic back to your page.
Use cross-promotion
Working with another brand or influencer – that can complement your business can also be very beneficial. Of course, some companies and individuals will ask for payment to use their brands. It will be therefore important to factor that in your advertising budget.
Use analytics to track your success
If you have a business profile, then you can use it to track your success using analytics. The information you get will help you know what is working for you and what is not. This will be crucial in changing your strategy and only post content that is beneficial for your business.