Instagram: Real Talk About Reels, and more

Let’s talk about Instagram. It continues to be one of the fastest growing social media platforms. (And yeah, we’re on Clubhouse – watch this space for more on that new app later).

But today, let’s talk Instagram, because we’ve been getting a lot of inquiries from clients on how best practices have changed and how to tailor content strategies appropriately.

First things first: consistency matters. A while back, Instagram moved from a chronological feed. Feeds are now created based on interest. When you show up in a consistent way, your followers can interact with your content, which shows up as demonstrated interest to the algorithm. Consistency requires a content strategy, a content calendar, and the right scheduling tools. If you don’t have those things, ask us. We can help.

Next, you need to post engaging content. You want to share content that elicits comments, likes, reshares, and views in the case of videos. Think about a party (remember those?). Your content should be like the life of the party – demonstrate interest in others by asking questions. Start a good conversation by posting something that makes people think; something provocative. Make people smile and laugh. Connect people, and in this case, accounts. Wallflowers need not apply.

Speaking of parties, while following lots of accounts is a good way to build your own following, at some point, you’re going to want to pare down your digital guest list. That’s because inactive followers negatively affect the algorithm.

Make sure you post at optimal times, as Instagram’s algorithm doesn’t just factor in engagement, it factors in how quickly you get engagement. Every teenager I know has this figured out and you can too. Later, a scheduling app, has a comprehensive guide on best times to post.

Critical to your Instagram strategy, incorporate Stories and Reels, consistently,  into your content. New Stories are bumped to the front of your followers’ feed every time you post. And Reels, if you haven’t seen them, or you’re not yet integrating them into your content, are 15 to 30-second video clips set to music, similar to TikTok. Reels are shown on both the Explore page and the Reels tab so, even users who don’t follow you will see your content.

And finally, how frequently should you post? Well that depends. There is no hard and fast rule, and different industries have different success formulas. But quality always trumps quantity.

Have more Instagram questions? We’re here to help.