Big changes have come to Instagram feeds. While the changes should make most users happy, the new options do mean you may have to adjust your marketing strategy to make sure your business account stays visible and relevant.
Instagram has added two new feed sorting options: favourites, and following. Right now, the home feed is a collection of posts from people the user follows mixed with posts suggested by the algorithm. In these changes, Favourites is a tightly curated feed made up of only accounts the user puts on their favourites list, letting them see only content they absolutely don’t want to miss. Following, on the other hand, is a return to the pre-2016 chronological feed; this option simply lists posts from accounts the user follows in the order they were posted. The latter has been asked for, often and loudly, since the 2016 changes.
For users, Instagram’s changes mean it’s easier to curate their feeds and see the exact content they want to see. Although how many make the switch, and how often they change between feeds, remains to be seen.
Helping your business keep up with the changes
These changes do mean that you’ll have to consider the way you reach your audience on the platform. First, as is always the case, making high-quality, valuable, and engaging content is most important. Ideally, you’re already doing this but you need to remember that the content you create has to be something your audience actually wants to consume.
Second, posting times and audience demographics are going to become even more important. Currently, the home feed will bump posts up or down based on perceived relevance, but chronological feeds mean you will need to be very aware of when your audience is online to spot your new post. Audiences also seek out different types of content at different times of the day so knowing how yours operates will be key to holding their attention.
Lastly, it may be a good idea to emphasise these changes into the CTAs on your posts. Including comments about users adding your account to their favourites list, for example, could become a common strategy. Up to 50 accounts can be added to users’ favourites, so you want to secure a spot on as many as possible. You’ll receive notifications when you’re added or removed from someone’s favourites allowing you to check if your content is hitting the mark.
The shift back towards emphasising chronological feeds means businesses need to be alert and know their audiences well. Instagram and Meta are constantly iterating on their products so it pays to stay updated on what changes are happening as well as how they could affect your marketing plans.
For more advice on your business’ social media strategy, contact the team at POD by emailing team@pod.co.nz or call 0800 476 347.
