Understand the Instagram Algotihm and perform better

1. Introduction: Hello everybody and welcome to the skill shared class where we talk about the algorithm and how to work with it. And eventually, I m sonya, I am your teacher in this course. I am originally from Australia to live in burden, so that's why my English, it's probably not gonna be a 100%, right? But I think it works for me to hopefully get across my message. I am a journalist, photographer and videographer. And of course, most importantly for this course, as social media manager at FERC, together with a bunch of friends to improve their social media and to help them develop a concept. And then social media management, of course, it's super important how the algorithm works, because then you can predict which components can I perform well and wish content maybe not that much. So today we're going to dive in to see how we can produce content that works well with the algorithm. I spent that I've split the class up into different sections. So one of them is of course the algorithm explained. Then I'm gonna tell you how to improve captions, How to achieve more engagement, how to beat the rhythm eventually the other things also played to that, of course. And then how to set the right hashtags. Of course, this also going to be a class project which I'm gonna talk to you about in the next section. So, yeah, see you in the next video. 2. Class Project: There is also a class project and discourse. And at first that sounds super easy, but I want you to, of course, he's everything that he learned and discourse but a class project. So the project is going to be to create one post and everything that comes with it. So to picture caption, which hashtags you want to use, everything that comes with it when it give to weigh too much because we're going to dive more into it in a course, of course. Yeah. So then there's the class challenge. I'm super excited to see of the project that, projects that do make. And let's learn more about the algorithm and how to improve your posts and see you in the next lesson. 3. Understanding how the Algorithm works: So here we are. And of course, the first thing we wanna talk about is how the algorithm works. And there's four major points that I wanna talk to you about. And the first one of them is interests. The algorithm measures through past interactions with posts and certain topics. How interested in post could be for you. So Instagram rate stat, if you flick it off pictures with unicorns, for example, dinner, you're most likely to see more unicorn content and your feet. So remember, the more you interact with content, the more With shown to you on this topic. Because Instagram things, this is relevant to you. It's the grant also remembers if you prefer to interact with videos or pictures war, and then prioritize them in your feed. So what's important is that Instagram also measures the time we spent on the post, for example, to read, to capture and or just look at the picture video. So a long duration is a sign of relevance and that's a super important thing that we have to remember during this entire course. Along duration is a sign of bread ovens. So that's my videos and boomerangs perform so well because it just takes longer for you to watch them. And to guarantee a high ranking, you have to increase the time people spend on your post. You could do it at, for example, by increasing how useful the things Are you writing a caption or how long it tastes consume the content that you put on Instagram. The second thing that's important to Aibo rhythm is the time of pulse. Like we all know, conduct is no longer displayed in chronological order, but it's still important when the post was published because new pictures or new videos wouldn't show up higher and your feet. The third thing that's important to the algorithm, it is your relation or past interactions. So the more often you had to act with posts from a single account to hire future pulse of that person or company low-rank. So let's say you follow a celebrity with 30 million followers and your mom was 35 hours, she will still show up higher or the things that your posts will show up higher in your feed. Because hopefully you finish you exit with authored continent before and liked all of her content. So still performs better than a person with, let's say, 30 million followers. So the frequency of interactions with the particular account is taken into account and default unless things nobody algorithm is that it also measures the time he spent on the AP de Instagram app. So to more time is spent on Instagram, the more likely Instagram is going to show you a fresh content. And the same goes for your photo is of course. So if you use to add frequently, you're a newsfeed, will be sorted more chronologically. Users who check the ad bless often will be shown the most popular content at high rates of today, but probably not everything will take them longer to scroll down. If you've checked to add like what our ego that will show you a MLF morph the posts that have just recently come up because there wasn't that much time between your last visit now. So these are the most important things to either with the measures. And now we're gonna talk more about how to create content that works for that system. And it's going to show up. 4. How to write better captions: So now that we understand how the item with the words, we want to know how to beat it and how to work with it to get our content to perform better. Now For that, I've put together channel ways to tell you how to improve your overall presence when Instagram. And the first one is to write better captions. Now, what are better captions? Longer and more iterative captions. So we've just heard that the length of stay in a post according to the algorithm, is a good sign of interests. So the longer people standing a post, the high ranking is going to be. So did you have fun with good few posts as long as possible you're captured, must catch them. So block I have captions have become super important in the last few years, are still in God and are still going to be important. Moving on to 20212 years for award keyword storytelling, Tonya's story that is related to your photo and interests, your target audience. The best-case scenario is for all of your followers and the people who seat opposed to unfold detects completely and read the whole thing so that they spent more time on a post. You might ask yourself, how should texts on Instagram? I have put together nine points to help you improve that. The first tip that I have for you is to pre-write the caption, take a fixed time in the week, and write to captions for the week ahead. First of all, it's going to save you a lot of stress because when you're already edit, it's quicker to just write a few captures than just 1 second of all, it's going to save your stress. Of course, the word moves fast and news change and maybe your captions will change during the week, but you could always replace them and you don't necessarily have to use it to capture that you've already prepared. But you have, like in the back of your mind, you're going to be more relaxed and maybe everything works out. And you can use on the captions that he prepared for the upcoming week. The second tip that I have for you is to define subject blogs such as a temp, success story behind the scenes, slice of life story, a thought and narrative turns into positive story, something like that. There's a few reasons why it's good. First of all, because your followers are going to come back and know that this is what they can expect for me today. Know, every week they're going to get behind the scenes and this is what they're here for, this is why they follow you. So are there going to be happy to study content again? And second of all, it's going to be easier for you to come up with new content. Because if you know, you just have to post something and super difficult to tooth from a 1000 different options. But if you know there's a quote that you have to pause because you're always posts quotes on Wednesday, then it's easier for you to come up with a new one. The third tip that I have for you is to create a bank of captions and then select a random image. Like I said before, the caption should usually fit the image, but it doesn't necessarily have to. Sometimes the pictures tends to most important stories. Sometimes it is a capture and depicted doesn't even have to say that much. So if you don't know what to post, it's better to post a picture with a caption from your bank and posted together, even if it doesn't go a 100% together, there's a lot of pictures to go with the different caption. So I think that is something for you to post to fielded with more legs and to have something if you don't have anything else to post. The next tip is to forget from attitudes and right how you speak. Even B2B context because formal doesn't equal professional Instagram. Now, if that's something that doesn't come easy to you, I have something to help you with that is to record what do you want to say on a voice message before? Like you're talking to a friend and that afterwards, write down what you said otherwise message, then it's always going to sound natural and not too formal protrude one for our captures. The next thing that I want to talk to you about is the beginning. The beginning of a caption is super important because only the first two lines are displayed in the beginning. Therefore, isn't journalism. The headline has to be convincing. Think about journalistic writing. Maybe you know about the difference between print and online writing. Maybe you don't, which is fine because I've done that. I'm gonna talk to you about it anyway. So our attendance ban, if we raise something online, with the internet or in social media is the way shorter. So we have to reload this and quickly. So the headline has to be convincing entities. It maybe you even want to have a teaser in your caption. So like the first, the first paragraph where you talk about what's going on, but you're going to talk to them about what Gore opinion it's just tried to read them in and makes them click seem more on the texts so that they read your whole text afterwards. My next tip is to use paragraphs because spacing as important as it provides relief to the readers. And another thing that provides relief to the reader is hashtags. So you can use hashtags in your captions not only at the bottom, the majority of you hashtag should be the bottom, but you can also use two or three to put a different paragraphs before. So first it's going to provide, like I said, relief to the reader. And second of all, people are going to find your texts were easily. So it's a good way to play with hashtags not only for people too. Find your content, but also to provide, like I said, relief to the reader. So another thing that you can use to provide relief to readers is emojis. They're quick, they're easy, they're fun. So just he's a bunch of them in your captions. And the last tip that I want to talk to you about to improve your captions is to include a call to action to achieve engagement, of course. So you can even put like if you agree or tag a friend with whom you, when you go to someone who should see that. And the algorithm goes up if people actually tag people, and if they share it to their story, that algorithm likes it even more. So try to create content that's shareable and that people can take their friends in. 5. Exercise 1: So all of these were ideas on how you can improve your captions. But what if you just don't know what to write anymore? Well, I have an exercise for you to improve that and for that refund to take a piece of paper. And we're going to draw floor squared. And that puts the word did, saw, hurt, and doodle in one of them each. And in there, you got to put what you did saw heard yesterday and then a Doodle about some of the things yesterday only, but just something that comes to mind. And I'm gonna give you five minutes and afterwards come commons, how you, why we did that and what you can do with it. 6. Exercise 2: Okay, great, cool in your bag. So now that's looking at the foursquare's the way you put it in there. All of these things are great. Start to a captain potentially. So let's take a look at each point on all of these could be potential starting point. Do you get what I mean? I mean, look at your squares and see what you can do with it, at least with one arm two, you should definitely be able to start a caption. So another S1 exercise, I have this picture for you. And let's try to write a caption for that. 7. How to write a Killer Call-to-Action: So now that we know everything about the right captions, let's move on to the next tip that I have for you to create content that works with the algorithm. And that is to create a call to action, a companion call-to-action. So liking and commenting is nondegenerate, more engagement, and that's why you need to get your followers to interact. So never forget a clear call to action. You can even put, take your friends if you think they agree or do you disagree that's discussed or attack the friends that you think this would be interested for. Interesting for, or what's your experience says about your experience. By the way, likes and comments do not perform the same. So comments rank higher than likes because they take more effort. Accordingly, you should put your culture action focus on comments to call to action is important for you to achieve engagement. So for that, I have two questions for you. The first one, usually you ask yourself, why would people follow you? But I have a different question. Why would people on follow you? And second question, what stimulates dare contribution to share, comment, and discuss. So now let's take a few minutes to answer these two questions and then I'm going to see you in the next class. 8. How to get your Followers to engage: Hey, welcome back. And now let's talk a bit more on how to get engaged following. So you have to activate your community. And one way to do that, that I don't actually see that many brands doing is to click on your followers profile or at least some of them and then comment on their picture. It doesn't have to be the most thoughtful comment, but maybe should be better than just nice pig. So look at their pictures, like actually look at the pictures and look at the captures and then post something. That means something. And they're gonna be super happy and engaged with it even more. And their fathers are going to see it and maybe click on your profile. So now let's take a look at how we can use our stories to get and more engaged following. So one of the options that I have for you is to use sticker. That's actually a very easy way. So you could use the multi cider for example, which is super easy and gets people engaged. Or you could do a pole, pole, pole, pole, you know what I mean? And then he could also use the Q and a sticker is something that I would definitely recommend because a lot of times people have questions but they don't really want to ask. Are you too shy? So if you have just one person who asked the question and then he answered publicly, These people will get their answers Well. And you ever more engaged audience. Also, you could ask them for feedback. What content they want, what topics they want you to cover, what they want to see more of and what they want to see less of. It's a super easy way that I would definitely recommend doing. Because first of all, that people are going to feel like you listen to them and that they can decide the account that they want or that they have a say in what you post. And second of all, you know what your people would like to see, you know what the people are going to engage with life and know what the people are gonna like a lot. So this is definitely something that I would recommend for you to try out. So the next option you have is a quiz. You could ask your followers to answer questions about your company, you as a person, something about the knees to the very end. And it's a fun way to get people to engage. Also, you could ask them what they think about a specific topic. It doesn't even have to be what they think about a piece of content, but just post a fun picture about Tanzania. Say if you're a travel company. And then asked the people what they think about Tanzania. If they've been there, what they think about the photo or what they think about something when you put it in a caption. And another thing to remember is to always put your exact location. That's also important for pictures that you post on your feet. But you should definitely do it in your story as well, because that's an easy way to help people can find you and they can also find stories into search. Search section. Something that I recommend for you to try as well as user generated content. So you might ask what user generated content is, don't worry him, unexpected CQ. So user-generated content with any sort of continents produced by anyone but an official representative for brands. So it can be any random user. And actually users are way more likely to trust that person who pulses user-generated content than any other brand. So with that, you could start a movement or draw attention campaign. And it also helps you stay active because if you repulsive of user generated content, you'll always have something you up on your story and you don't even need to work that much for it basically. And it's also super into active and it tells to people who posted, I noticed you and I appreciate your work or I appreciate you're posting something that can use for my account swell. Something to think about though, is whether you ask for permission or how. And I would definitely recommend to do that. I mean, the paper get credit for it anyway because if you repost it, their names gotta be in the story or in whatever you choose to repost it in. But I would still ask them anyway because next we're gonna hear later It's important too. The people via DNS gains. And if you think about where to give them credit just into caption, or if you want to pack them in a picture, if you decide to post something in her feet, I would do both because it never hurt and it's going to make the people happy. So why not do both? 9. What to post to please the algorithm: Hey, welcome. In this new section of the class, you've already talked about how important it is to write good captions and how we can people to engage with our content. And the third thing that I want to talk to you about today is to post pictures that people don't see every day. Not only quality emerged images in short, engagement, also extraordinary images that don't appear in your photos feed every day. So to posted immediately catch an eye and encourage people to look at them for as long as possible. That like we've heard before, uh, suggests interests. The heart consequences post less pictures of your lunch or breakfast, but pictures with interesting vandalism alike. Random things you see on your way to work, or like random things that happened in work or on us. Just try to think of something that you don't see every day on Instagram. And I'm sure you're going to come up with a lot of things that you see in your everyday life. My next tip for you on how to create content that's gonna make the algorithm happy and it's gonna make you happy by lot of pupil engaging is to post videos. That's actually something that I think is going to be super important moving forward and moving into 2021. Because our attention span is getting shorter and shorter. And Assad has dat is videos help, especially short videos, because when you scroll through Instagram, the videos autoplay. So people are more likely to stop and watch them. And by watching that post and increase the time people spend on your post. So short videos are super important and that's something that I would definitely focus on. So it doesn't even have to be full or production. It can be super simple, especially cellphone videos. There always a fun way and the fuels feel like they're there with you. If they can get the form a connection with you basically. And simpler reveals make them like they're there with you as well. And then within that I can recommend is to post carousel posts for a few of the same reasons because people are going to stay on that post phenomena. Because of course, there's five different videos or pictures that they can look at. So it's going to automatically take longer for them to look at the polls. And you can recycle a lot of the pictures or videos that you have in these posts. So I would recommend carousel posts over a single picture posts. 10. The right strategy for Hashtags: Okay, now we've already talked about a lot of different things that you can do to get your content to work better and to please the algorithm, let's say like that. But I have another thing that I want to talk to you about, which is hashtags. I feel like there's a lot of myths about hashtags and there's love, different opinions or even the internet. I'm just gonna give you my kinda way of looking at it and then you can decide there's always trial-and-error. So post with hashtags in general have a twelv percent, more, have trump percent more engagement than post hashset. So, yeah, I think you should try some hashtags. Technically, 30 hashtags is to limit posting a ton of hash sex doesn't really look good, can come across as too promotional, I'd say. So. I personally always advise brands to use nine to 11 hashtags. But like I said, traveling arrow tried to see what works best with your niche. It's always different in different professions or different niches. So try it out. Maybe sometimes use fire for me, sometimes use 30 and then see what works best and where you can get the most legs and get discovered the most. It's also best practice to keep them brief short hashtags are more likely to be searched and shared. Then the next thing I want to share with you is a chip on which hash checks to choose when. So the first hashtag that you can choose is to kind of category Gorgon. So if you're a fashion label, then put fashion first. If you're a photographer that put photography first, second hashtag to try should fit the picture. So if you're a photographer, let's keep with that. Then say, let's stick with that. Then let's say the picture that you took it from a water bottle. So the second hash tag should be a water bottle. The third Hashing used to be the location then and try to be very specific with that. So don't just put in photographer Germany, but put in photographer burn-in. That's what I do. The next thing to talk about is something that I don't feel like everybody knows is that hatch texts are still time sensible. So that means it doesn't count when they weren't posted. But when you published a picture, Instagram says about that and let's, let me read it out for you. Keep in mind that if you add a hashtag to a photo after it was posted to photo will soon appear on a hashtag pitch according to the time it was originally posted, Not at the time that the hashtag was. So don't add hash LexLeader, don't add hashtags and then delete them a day later and add new hashtag. That's not gonna work. And that's not going to be very effective of the hash links that I use and the hashes that vice for brands that I've worked with the US, two thirds of them are always the same and 1 third of them is tainted specific to the picture. But all of them a talented and eat. The diamond or the company that I advice for, isn't there or some online m iterations for the most popular hashtags like keyhole or has Travefy, they analyzed the hashtag success and draw attention to other hashtags that are successful. So Stefano I think that you should check out, but you don't have to use these platforms. You should also check out similar counselor competitors. Check to Instagram of companies and people that are in your niche and see what hashtags Date Use and see how many of them devs and tried to see what works best for them and put that into account. But do you think about which hashtags to use and how many? That's also a good way to find new treasures there. Another thing to think about is to see if hashtags are still active. So put the hashtag and search box and see how many people post pictures with that. If the last picture that was three weeks ago, it's probably not the most active hashes and it's not a hashtag that you should use as well. But that also works the other way around. So if you have to scroll five-minutes to see the pictures that were posted in the last minute, then a hashtags probably too active, and it's not a hashtag that you should use quite simply because there's just too much competition with your picture. When it comes to hashtags, always also think about your needs. So instead of choosing standard hashtags such as travel or reagan, look at really nice has to hashtags related to your topic so that you can be found in the feet of this hashtag. Another thing that I would recommend are branded hashtags. So these are hashtags, have lunches, us accompany use, but also your followers. And you can start a movement with that, get creative with it, and get a lot of engagement and get the followers of your followers to see that hashtag and to see your account. I'm still not done with talking about hashtags. There's still a few more things that you can do to improve the hashtags that iis. So one of them is to look at who was using the hashtag as well. If it's random people who do something way differently than you or some of them just don't wanna be associated with that, don't use that hashtag. Another thing that I would like to mention is a local reference. So let's say you're a restaurant that does breakfast in Berlin. One just put breakfast in Berlin in English, I mean, that's you can use, but you should also do one in German. So fluid stick in Berlin, which is the German version of breakfast yet. And so try to use both hashtags and both languages. Or let's say I'm from Vienna originally. So if you're a place, a breakfast based in Vienna that PUT acoustic intervene because mean is the German version of Vienna, but you should also put breakfast and be an asset at international people who follow the hashtag five-year. Another thing that I don't see that many people doing is adding hashtags to use stories. Stories can also be found in the Discover page. So why not use hashtag stare as well to let more people see you? The last thing that I want to talk to you about is to enter act with people who used to save hashed. It gives you so comment under pictures of people who use the same hashtags you and then people who don't follow you never seen your profile are going to see that comment that you made under the picture. Someone else who's probably the same niche or probably has followers who are interested in the same thing that you can offer. So a carbon Under pictures of people who use the same hash Nexus you. That was with all the tips that I have on how to choose the right hashtags. And I'm excited to see you in the next lesson. 11. How to get you content seen by a bigger audience: Okay, now we've talked about so much how to choose the right captions, how to create more engagement, to post videos, to post carousel posts, which hash texts, the 2s. And the next tip that I have for you is to post at the right time. Of course, your post-lunch can generate the highest and fastest engagement when your audience's online. So time, like we've just heard before, it's still important to Instagram. The best time to post data to your target group can easily be found directory in the Instagram analytics than you find under inset. There you can see when you follow us on most often online on our derek, Welcome to like your content quicker. Another thing that I want to talk to you about is adds. It's something that I think I had to mention this court, but it's not something that you have to do as a company or as a private person to get more followers. But it does help you become more visible and sometimes you just have to pay for that, especially if you want to generate new followers. So it's on you to decide if you want to put, if you want to pay for ads or not. You don't have to. But yeah, I just wanted to mention it in this course. The next thing that I want to talk to you about as to be shareable and to be stable because let's say marine follows you and she has something that she thinks is so fun or so cool and helped her so much. Wants to read posted, because then Murray's followers are going to see you and probably they haven't heard of you before, are probably BE haven't senior account yet. But if they liked what Murray's posting and a2 because he fought over because I want to see something that she thinks at school. So they're going to visit your profile and there maybe even going and even follow. So create content that people are gonna like so much to their one share. It also videos more likely to be saved because sometimes you don't watch videos right away because they don't have the time. Or maybe do you want to listen to it? And people don't always have their earphones and like you know, and the next day would wash it for later. That also helps with the algorithm. So to be shared and to be saved helps not only speak to the follower, but also the network of followers. And then a way to beat the algorithm and to get your content to work better is to cross promoted. That's actually such a quick and easy way and I would definitely recommend for you to try it. Not and we can post an RF feed in our stories on HGTV and even wheels. It drives different audiences to different content that you post these different channels. So you can put a preview of your Instagram TV video on your feed, for example. And I think that I would like to mention is to post fear posts to his story. I mean, you've probably already seen that on different accounts. Maybe you've even tried it yourself, but I still wanted to mention it because it's super easy and it's so important. And that draws people who only watch his story to you feed post. You should cover in the post with x hat here emoji or like draw something over it. But then people can click on your story and see your whole picture in your feed. But perhaps draw a lot of people to impose the Normally when z that quickly. 12. How to beat the Algorithm: I pay you made it super far. I hope you've already learned a lot about how to play with the algorithm and how to create content that's gonna get clicked more. The last thing I want to talk to you about is to DM and to encourage people to the m. And also super uneasy but soar port and reply. 88% of brands don't reply to your questions that need to be answered on social media. And what do you reply? Tried to do it quick because when people get quick responses, they feel heard and myText to in the future. And together 3M, DMZ and two replies you MBS also has with the algorithm because then you actively engage one on one with your follower. And another thing that I would like to mention this and not just anxious to ds directly, but to comment and like pictures of people Indonesia where Decca said followers that follow you because then people are going to see you in the DMZ. Only the person of texts to directly is gonna see it. If you're not that big of a fan on replying to messages on your phone all day. I get that. It's not that good for the thumbs. I've been there before. You could also do that on your laptop because face about faced abrupt Facebook instead tool now where you can reply to insert your messages on the same side for your apply to Facebook messages. So try it out for me, it's way easier way to reply to messages. So to summarize, these are the ten ways on how to be a little rhythm. First into improve your captions and include a compelling call to action. You'll post should be different. And that's something that the user C10 feed every day. Post videos and Carousel posts and set the right hashtags, post at the right time. And you can think about placing ads, but it's not something that you have to do to be successful, but you have to be shareable and salable. Tried to cross promote content. And lastly, DM and encouraged people to the m, u. 13. Conclusion: Hey, there's d n with the class. I'm super happy that we're still here. And I hope you've learned a lot about how the algorithm works and how you can produce content that works with the algorithm. Yeah. I'm excited to see all of your guides as class projects. And yeah, that is it for me.