How Bloggers Can “Beat” the Instagram Algorithm

I’m sorry I have to be the one to tell you this but growing your brand on Instagram is a lot harder than it used to be. When Instagram first started you could literally post a picture with no caption, no hashtags, no location and get tons of likes and authentic comments.

Now you need to use filters outside of Instagram, hashtags, geotags, tag brands, have your followers turn on your post notifications, and you now have to post at specific times for the maximum effect. It’s a lot of work, to say the least.

Not to mention in order to reach new audiences is a lot more complex than hosting a follow Friday with your blogger besties. A lot of bloggers are having to pay to get noticed, whether it be in the form of a loop giveaway, Instagram ad or feature, or using a bot. While we could complain that these new ways “suck” and are annoying, there’s nothing we can do about it besides adjust. So, that’s what this post is all about.

loop giveaways

In case you missed it, here are all my thoughts on loop giveaways. And as much as I wasn’t the biggest fan of loop giveaways at first, they have quickly become my favorite way to effectively and authentically grow your Instagram.

Yes, it’s kind of like taking a short cut, but since you’re working smarter and hopefully harder, I don’t see any harm in it. Plus it’s a great way to give back to your followers by giving them the chance to win a major prize. Once the giveaway is over you’ll know whether or not your content is good enough by how many of your new followers stick around. So in that sense, loop giveaways are also a great analytics tool.

instagram ads

Instagram hopped right on the Facebook bandwagon by changing its algorithm so that only your highly engaged followers see your content. This means bloggers are now paying for their posts to be seen. This isn’t super common yet but it’s there.

Usually, bloggers will use this feature if they have a big collaboration and they want it to reach a bigger audience. Some bloggers will also advertise a hi-res image with an introductory caption like “Hi! I’m Brittany from Not Another Blonde. Come follow me for style advice and blog tips”. I’ve talked to a few bloggers that have done this and they said it wasn’t that effective so I’ve yet to try it myself.

Instagram ads are also extremely valuable if you’re trying to promote your own product or service. I saw Lauryn from The Skinny Confidential do this for her Bombshell Body Guide.

IG story features

Since Instastories is still relatively new it hasn’t been altered that much like the actual photo feed. Still, the stories you watch the most will appear at the front, so if you can find a way to get into another blogger’s or brand’s Instastory… you’ll be golden.

Whenever I’ve been featured on someone’s Instastory, it’s had a really positive impact. I’ve gained followers, authentic comments, more likes, etc.

Like I said video is king now so followers are more likely to see an Instastory first before an actual Instagram picture, which means you have a better shot at reaching more people than through a #followfriday picture or something like that.

So if you are doing a #followfriday, consider using Instastories instead of a regular picture. If you’re doing a brand collaboration, try and have them shout you out on their story.

You have to utilize the tools in front of you while they’re still new, otherwise, their effect could change and it’ll be too late.

paid features

Again, not the biggest fan of this method but, sometimes it works. Here’s what happens: a fashion (or food, or fitness, or travel) account reaches out to you asked if you’d like to be featured on their page. They have 100,000+ followers with a reach of

I’ve never paid for a feature but I’ve had friends who have. The tricky part about this is, you have to be careful who you choose to pay because they could have fake followers, therefore, you would get fake followers. And nothing is worse than fake followers…

using bots

Another time saving, somewhat cheating option is to invest in a service that automates your comments. Again, the only thing with something like this is… it’s inauthentic and people catch on. I get these types of comments all the time.

I had one blogger comment on my picture and I was ecstatic because I genuinely liked her. She was super cool, like the effortlessly, wear-your-sunglasses-at-night-never-brush-your-hair-borrow-your-boyfriend’s-clothes, kind of cool. But she only commented “Love” with a black heart.

And then she did it again, and again, and again. Until I was realized it was a bot that she had programmed to comment the same comment on people’s profiles who used a specific hashtag ::insert sad face emoji here::.

While using a bot will increase your own engagement, it won’t guarantee new followers or a loyal readership. Usually people will comment back just to be polite. They don’t genuinely care about what you have to say.

That’s not to say some people won’t care but I think the ROI is pretty low which means you might want to reconsider using that bot after all. Authenticity is always the way to go.

Now, do you have to do these things to get ahead on Instagram today? No. Does it make things easier for you? Yes. Are there negative side effects? Also yes.

Maybe next week we can talk about the side negative effects of “cheating” your way to the top on Instagram. Let me know in the comments if this is something you’re interested in!

Sunnies: Ray Ban | Earrings: Forever 21 | Top: Zara (similar) size S | Jeans: Topshop size 28 | Shoes: Forever 21 (similar) size 7 | Bag: Zara (similar)

The truth is the only way to truly win at Instagram is to be patient. Pump out the highest quality content you can, engage with your community, and be patient! Instagram is a slow growth game… that’s just the way it is.

What questions do you have? I’ll answer all of them in the comments. And remember to let me know if you’d like me to do a follow-up post of the negative side effects of each method. 

xx

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