The Instagram Algorithm, Buzz Words, and Mass Panic on the Social Media Front

Last week, this article took the Instagram community by storm.  It popped up EVERYWHERE as people panicked about the possibility that Instagram majorly changed its algorithm.

This followed closely on the recent changes announced to Facebook, and I have to give the author props for capitalizing on the fear that was stirred up by these changes to Facebook.  The social media world was primed and ready for more changes, and so many people immediately scrambled to follow the advice published in this article without checking the facts.

This post is a combination of things that are hearsay from around the web.  Instagram has never publicly announced what they do, what they don’t like, and what their algorithm is really all about.  Because of this, it’s impossible to say if the meat of this article is true or false.

While it’s always good to hear opinion and insight from others, it’s SO important to check the sources.

The beauty of the internet is that anyone can have a voice.  That’s also the ugly side of the internet.  Seriously, anyone can have a voice.  That means, unfortunately, that there are a lot of clickbait articles out there.

The Power of Buzz Words

Let’s talk for a minute about the power of buzz words.  When something becomes a “hot topic,” everyone starts talking about it, and everyone starts searching for it.  These topics move up from just an occasional random mention to suddenly blasting everyone’s feed – and smart marketers learn how to harness the power that comes along with these buzz words.

Because everyone has been talking about the changes to Facebook’s algorithm, the word “algorithm,” especially when connected to some kind of social media, has become a buzz word.  Everyone wants to stay on top of it and understand it.  And so, when someone publishes an article about “New Instagram Algorithm Changes,” that someone effectively harnessed the power of a very hot buzz word!

Here’s the Problem.

It’s vital to recognize that, just because an article uses one of these buzz words, it doesn’t mean the information inside is from an authoritative source.  Don’t panic or frantically share when you read something that is different from what you thought you knew.  Instead, search out sources and make sure they are reputable.

Instagram’s algorithms are extremely complex.  They are based on many things, including the age and standing of your account, and so you will always have different results than anyone else.  The most important thing is to test, test, test and see what works for YOU!

Setting a Few Things Straight

Hashtags.  The author of the Instagram algorithm article suggests only using 5 hashtags per post.  There is nothing I’ve found or heard anywhere to back this up.  She also makes the claim that hashtags in comments don’t rank, and that’s also not true…these hashtags rank just fine for me and others who use them.  Just try both ways yourself and see what works for you! Ultimately, hashtags are a powerful tool on Instagram, and you need to learn to use them effectively.

Hashtags are the roadmap to getting found on Instagram.Click To Tweet Think of them as the directions your ideal client follows that will lead them right to you.

Now, not using the same hashtags over and over is good advice. In order to keep yourself from appearing spammy, have a few sets of different hashtags that you rotate through to keep yourself safe.

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