Instagram, the Popular Image-Sharing Platform, Adds Algorithm-Based Personalized Feed

Chris Naff - March 24, 2016

Instagram recently announced that they will be introducing an algorithm to the platform. The fast-growing photo sharing app has quickly surpassed 400 million monthly average users. However, the company claims that the average user misses up to 70% of the content shared by those they follow.

To address the concern of users missing out on the content that is most relevant to them, Instagram aims to mirror the success their parent company, Facebook, has sustained with its News Feed Algorithm. This update will likely have a significant impact on the performance of a brand’s content in the channel. As Facebook made updates to its algorithm and improved the user experience on the platform, many brands noticed a drop in organic reach & engagement and were forced to adjust their strategies.

Brands currently active in Instagram will have no choice but to evolve with the platform. We recommend making the following considerations moving forward:

• Reverse-engineer the algorithm. Instagram’s stated goal is to make sure users see the content that is most relevant to them. Therefore, when creating content for Instagram, always ask yourself: “Is this image relevant to my audience?”
• Remember the 80/20 rule. Only 1 out of every 5 posts should specifically pitch your product or service.
• Space it out. Would you want to see 5 posts in a row from the same brand in your Instagram feed? Neither does your audience.

Though it’s too early to tell how significant this update will be on post-performance, brands can still reach their audience in a meaningful way. Instagram is still a rapidly growing platform, and decisions like this will likely help continue its dominance in attention across the various social media channels.