Instagram has been updating its features and algorithm from time to time. As we know that the chronological feed does not work anymore, people on Instagram have shifted their attention to the Instagram search option.
but what better way other than getting your posts featured on Instagram. Also, this feature can help you discover people you want to follow on Instagram.
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When you open the Instagram app on your mobile device, at the bottom, you will see the explore icon showing the search feature. Want to know more about Instagram search and how does it work? Let’s find out:-
How Does Instagram Algorithm Work?
According to Instagram, they have built the search feature to let users find accounts and their topics of interest. Compared to feed posts, reels, stories, and explore features, it is different because it shows the results based on what users search on Instagram.
Whenever someone clicks on the discover icon, the explore page will option showing the suggested based on the interest of the user. Based on whatever you have searched, it would show you the accounts that you want to follow.
For suppose if you are searching for a keyword, you will see the following option:-
- Top (all the top posts)
- Account (accounts)
- Audio (music)
- Tags (hashtags)
- Places (relevant locations)
Under the Top section, you will find the top suggested posts. In the Account, you will see the user names of other creators whom you may want to follow. The audio section shows the list of music. Under the Tags, you will find relevant hashtags, and likewise, in the Location, it will show you the list of most relevant locations based on what you have searched.
The search results you see on Instagram depend on several other kinds of factors than just the typed keyword. Based on the search intent of the user and the people they follow on Instagram, it shows the recommendations. The Instagram algorithm is capable enough to learn about interest, timeliness, relationship, frequency, followers, and some other factors and accordingly shows the results.
Impact of Instagram Algorithm on Instagram Search :
The new Instagram search feature allows you to get specific posts rather than just hashtags. You can type any keyword, and it will show your relevant results. Thanks to that, it makes it easier for people to find their contacts on Instagram (user accounts) with whom they want to connect. Also, now you don’t Google for hashtags anymore, as here you have the option to search that as well. Quite cool, isn’t it? But that’s not all!
If you want to get your posts and profile recommendations at the top to gain better exposure, then you need to be really great with your content. Other than that, having an engaging and optimized Insta profile is also a must. You can make use of more relevant hashtags and captions in your post that would help you to attract a larger audience.
Following the above points not only help you to get your posts recommendations in the feed but get you better exposure whether we talk about stories, reels, images, explore pages or hashtags, etc.
Let’s learn more about how Instagram ranks user profiles, reels, videos, and photos in their search results.
How Instagram Rank Search Results?
Based on what you typed in the search box, Instagram collects the information gathered from various posts, accounts, hashtags, and places – called signals. Basically, these are some of the most important signals that Instagram uses to rank the search results.
- The first signal depends on the text that you have typed in the search box. Accordingly, it will show relevant usernames, bios, captions, hashtags, and places.
- The second signal comes from the activity of the user- like whom they follow and what type of content they would like to see.
- The signal shows the popularity and what most people have searched for. It can also depend upon the number of views, likes, and engagement received by any post or profile on Instagram.
How To Appear On Instagram Search?
Make use of New Features On Your Posts
Instagram notices its user’s activities. If you are posting reels, creating stories, or making usual image posts. It definitely depends on the content people would get recommendations for. That is why most creators try to use new features and updates on Instagram to create more engaging content. Eventually, such creators also get great exposure for their content on Instagram.
Publish At The Right Time
On research done by Instagram, posts that got live between 9 am-11 am EST have the most engagement. Based on the country and the audience, the right time to post on Instagram may change also. But the fact is that by publishing content at the time (when your potential audiences are active on Instagram), you can increase your chances of getting more views, likes, and even followers.
Engaging Captions & Hashtags
One of the best ways to grab attention on Instagram is through using hashtags and captions in your posts. If you optimize your content with relevant hashtags and captions, there is quite a chance that your post will get recommended to more people. And it might also help you to get a better position on Instagram search results.
Focus On Engagement
Instagram notices accounts which get more engagement from the audience. The more you interact with the audience, the better will be engagement on your content. So make sure to focus on engagement as it will help you to gain better exposure on Instagram.
Automate The Process
If you can automate your simple activities on Instagram, you will have the time to focus more on creativity. Socinator is an automation tool that allows you to auto-schedule posts ahead of time. Moreover, it has other auto engaging features (like auto-likes, auto-commenting, direct messages, etc). With the help of Socinator, you can even manage other social media accounts. That also allows you to cross promote yourself and gain better attention from the audience.
Conclusion:
We have seen that Instagram has a smart algorithm which keeps track of what the user does. With the new updates, creators have more options to publish attractive and engaging content. However, the competition for creators on Instagram is also growing quite intense. Hope you follow all the Instagram guidelines and follow above shown criteria to gain yourself a better position on Instagram search. In case you have further queries, mention in the comments below.
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