Instagram wants to use an algorithm so that it can show users better quality content, filtering out the poorer quality images which are a result of the platforms increased popularity.
It will also show more content that users want to see by tracking engagement habits pretty similar to Facebook. In fact, pretty similar to the way most social media feeds are now run.
But why is Instagram pushing ahead with these changes, given the outcry from its users Simply put, it all comes down to money.
This move will help Instagram make money through advertising in the same ways that Facebook and Twitter have, to varying degrees of success.
Lets not forget that Instagram is owned by Facebook, so has access to the masses of personal data that users divulge on that platform.
This is incredibly powerful tool for advertisers and the new algorithm will help them take advantage of it, shoring up Instagrams future as a social media giant.
Now, to ensure their posts are seen, the onus is on brands to create content that is liked by users both figuratively and literally.
This could lead to new levels of creativity in Instagram posts, which would make a welcome change from avocado on toast and sunset shots.
Read more on Instagram for business:
- How Instagram enabled small UK businesses to recruit, grow sales and boost brands
- Joe Wicks: The sprint from personal trainer to business sensation The Body Coach
- Five years in: Instagram is the epitome of line-of-sight marketing for the digital age
According to Instagram, users miss around 70 per cent of the content posted. For a marketer, thats bad news and the move to non-chronological newsfeeds will help ease the pain.
So, what content will Instagram prioritise in its algorithms Sadly, we dont know and we are unlikely to. Just like Google and Facebook, the influencing factors are kept a close-guarded secret.
However, it’s pretty likely that the higher quality your image and the more engagement your posts get from your user base, the higher up the algorithm you will go.
Just like other social media platforms, expect to see a priority given to video. Instagram allows users to post three-15 second videos and this will present a whole new world of opportunity to marketers seeking to take advantage of the move to the upgraded newsfeed.
Expect to see brands creating a visual portfolio of their work and using Instagram videos to field questions from their users in a Q&A-style engagement.
Ultimately, this move by Instagram has added a small layer of complexity to what was previously the simplest of social media platforms. Whilst users may despair, marketers should rejoice and embrace the age of non-chron!
Meanwhile, they’re not perfect, but these are the ten big brands leading the charge on social media.
Ran Berger is the CEO of Flat Rock Technology
