In 2022, it seemed like Instagram prioritized videos over photos. Maybe in response to the rise in popularity of TikTok, Instagram really pushed their Reels platform. But, 2023 might be somewhat of a return to photos. The CEO of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, recently stated, “We were over focused on video in 2022 and pushing ranking too far, and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced…”
This is good news for those of us who prefer photos to videos on Instagram. But, what does it mean for content creators? As we get into thee second month of 2023, here’s the strategy I’ll be using to continue ot grow my Instagram account:
Post Shareable Content
- The posts that bring me the most followers are not always the ones that are the most liked, but are the ones that are most shared. Focusing on content that is relatable and shareable is also my secret “hack” to growing without worrying about how to figure out the freakin’ algorithm. Instead of waiting for the algorithm to push my content to more people, I create content that my followers will want to share on their stories. This tactic alone has brought me thousands of followers. If you are unsure of what content to create that others might share, think about what types of content you share on your own IG stories.
Frequently Evaluating a Posting Schedule
- During the holidays and over the last month, I have slowed my posting schedule due to events, travel, burnout prevention and strategic planning. But I am going to now be ramping up my posting back to 2x per day during the week and 1x over the weekend. This schedule helped me to grow and I have found that it’s a simple math equation for my account – more posts + more views = more followers. But, if that schedule doesn’t seem to be working for me, I will be open to posting more or less if my insights show it’s necessary.
Keep Making Reels
- Love them or hate them, reels are here to stay. Even though IG has said that in 2023 they will push photos more than last year, video content is here to stay. You don’t have to post a Reel daily, but it’s still important to create them. Don’t overthink it, though. Just do them. They will compromise around 25% of my content.
Make Bite-Sized Reels
- The good news for anyone who is resistant to creating reels, bite-sized reels are currently performing the best. A reel that’s just 5-7 seconds long, like this one, are what people are engaging with the most. Feeling like your have to make complicated reels with lots of transitions and professional graphics are no longer necessary. Instead, focus on giving your audience something good in a short amount of time. BTS videos and simple ones, like this one, are trending, too.
Keep Posts Authentic and Real
- Speaking about giving people something good, make sure all of your posts are authentic and real. Beautifully styled photos and curated feeds are no longer as important. Consistency in the message and mission are more important than consistency in your color palette. In addition, being authentic and vulnerable will also be the key building true engagement. Connecting deeply with your audience will not only help grow your account, but will help make social media a much nicer and authentic space.
Take Advice from Experts, Lightly
- So often, self-proclaimed IG experts have grown their account to over 100K, but their posts are all about how to grow on Instagram. If you are not a social media growth content creator, but create other types of content, make sure you also look to see how/what others in YOUR niche are doing. For example, if you are an artist/illustrator, see if other artists/illustrators share tips for how they grew. Or if you are an enneagram or wellness coach, look to other enneagram or wellness coaches who have built large followings for their strategy. I’m not saying to no longer follow Instagram growth experts because a lot of them are fantastic, but know that what works for them may not always work for you. And, make sure to listen to a few experts in your niche, too!
Focus on Serving
- No matter what type of account you are trying to build, keep focused on your mission and serving others. Sharing content that will educate or inspire others will always be on trend. There’s another benefit to consistently serving others with your content – if you end up going viral for one posts, when people come to your account to see what it’s all about, you are going to have a vault of great, valuable content they can binge on. So many people ask how they can go viral without realizing that if they go viral, but don’t have much other content built up before that, then going viral won’t even matter because it won’t lead to more follows. One viral post won’t lead to IG growth if there isn’t a solid foundation. So keep posting impactful content, even when it doesn’t feel like you are growing as quickly as you’d like. It will eventually pay off. Remember that IG growth requires a long-term strategy not just a lucky, overnight success story!
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