Ever feel like your content just isn’t getting “seen” anymore? Or maybe you feel like it’s next to impossible to grow. But I promise it isn’t.
If you feel like you’re on the struggle bus and understanding how to beat the 2023 Instagram algorithm is bringing you down, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Developing a fool-proof content strategy goes BEYOND just posting pretty pictures and videos.
You’ve come to the right place!
In this post, we’re going to cover the techniques I used to beat the Instagram algorithm and maintain 100,000 Instagram followers—I know they work because I teach these to my Instagram influencer course students too!
Let’s start by quickly covering how the Instagram algorithm works in 2023.
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Written by influencer coach Dani The Explorer
First, What is the Algorithm?
“Algorithm” is just a fancy term experts use to describe decision-making technology. Or as head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, puts it, “The algorithm just means a process.”
Algorithms make apps we love more enjoyable!
Instead of us sorting though THOUSANDS of content pieces to find what we like, the algorithm does most of the filtering for us.
It’s a process.
It curates content it thinks we’ll like—helpful, right?
I need an algorithm to clean my apartment, sheesh!
Recently, Adam Mosseri let everyone know that there is no one god-almighty algorithm, “At Instagram there are actually many, many algorithms that we use to try and predict what you might be interested in at any given moment.”
That means there’s an algorithm for Instagram Stories, viral Reels, and so on.
Now, we don’t need to worry about that, and I’ll explain why.
To make things easy in this blog, we’ll continue to say “algorithm.”
You should also read this: How the TikTok Algorithm Works
How the Instagram Algorithm Works in 2023
The Instagram algorithm works by noting what content you enjoy and aims to show you similar content pieces.
We know this! And the more ya know about the algo, the more you grow!
From my experience, while there are multiple algorithms, the same basic principles can be applied to your overall content strategy.
All you have to understand is how Instagram ranks content.
Knowing how Insta ranks content can help you create photos, videos, etc., that your ideal followers will love, all while nudging the algorithm to show it off.
And when you create content your followers love, that helps improve your relationship with your audience—paid Instagram sponsors love that!
So let’s talk about the ranking factors below!
Insider Tip: If you’re a content creator wanting to work with brands, you should also read this post: How to Pitch to Brands.
How the Instagram Algorithm Ranks Content
Four primary ranking factors go into determining what content appears on our newsfeed:
- The Content
- The Poster
- User Activity
- User Interaction
I’m not pullin’ these outta my @$$. These four ranking factors were confirmed by Instagram.
Anyhow, let’s explain these a bit more!
The Content
First, “content” refers to when a post is live and what kind of post it is. Is it a video post? A photo?
With features like Instagram Reels, Guides and Instagram Lives, the IG algorithm uses post types to decide who should see this content.
In addition, Instagram is less likely to show users content posted three months ago and more likely to show users content posted three hours ago.
Fresher than a LA juice bar—hayyyyy.
The Poster
“Poster” is who posted the content! Ever notice that when you like someone’s post, you see more of them? The IG algorithm factors in who and what you engage with.
That determines the order of your newsfeed and the content you’ll see.
And there’s more!
If you comment or are even tagged in someone’s posts often, the algorithm assumes you two have some sort of relationship.
It’s like saying, “Hey, this person is important to me, and I want to see more of them on my Feed.”
Read Next: How to Get 100K Instagram Followers
User Activity and Interests
The way you consume content on the app creates your in-app experience.
To see this in action, head to the Menu in the upper righthand corner of the app, then “Manage Interests.”
You will see a list of all the post topics Instagram believes you like.
You can add or remove Instagram interests as you see fit.
The interests you choose determine what content you see.
User Engagement History
Yes, the Instagram algorithm keeps tabs on your app history. Need proof of this?
Next time you’re on the app, click on the three dots on your newsfeed’s upper righthand corner of the post.
Then click “Why you’re seeing this post.” Instagram will tell you why!
For example, it could be how long you follow a person. But, it could also be the likes on a post.
Now let’s talk about 16 tips for beating the Instagram algorithm!
I recommend all content creators read this next: How to Become a Successful Instagram Influencer
16 Ways to Beat the 2023 Instagram Algorithm
In the following sections, we’re going to dive right into my best tips for beating the Instagram algorithm in 2023.
These are all based on my experience as a full-time content creator and influencer.
#1 Create Reels Consistently & Frequently
Reels will be your best bet for beating the 2023 Instagram algorithm.
So, how do you make good Reels?
We discuss this quite a bit in my Instagram influencer course, but value-driven content is king.
Value can come in many different forms, from entertaining to relatable content.
Above all, think about the value you can bring to the table and how you can deliver that in a 15 second video.
And even though Reels are short, your Reels should tell a cohesive story that is engaging.
To beat the Instagram algorithm in 2023, aim to post Reels at least 5 times a week.
If that’s hard, find a posting schedule that works for you, and be consistent!
Insider Tip: If you want to learn how to create viral Reels that will help you grow an engaged audience, then you should click here to enroll in my free Reels Course!
#2 Keep Up with Trends
Additionally, creating trendy content is an EXCELLENT way to get the algorithm on your side!
In other words, any time there is a new Instagram trend, you can assume that most IG users are consuming it.
That’s why it’s trending, after all.
When you re-create those trends in your way, the algorithm takes your content and shoots it to users already engaging with said trend.
All you have to do is put your name in the hat! The key with trends is to act FAST on them.
Trends could potentially get thousands of new eyeballs on your content!
#3 Make Stories Fun
Find ways to get your audience involved with your Stories.
For example, use polls, funny gifs, and “questions” stickers to engage your audience.
You can also incorporate videos into your Instagram Stories.
Are you a content creator? You might like this post: How to Turn a Gifted Collab Into a Paid Partnership
#4 Post Stories Day
Post Stories daily, but don’t overdo it. Instagram is currently testing a “preview” Stories feature.
I explain it more in my Instagram Stories blog, but for now, try to aim for 3-5 Stories a day.
Stories are probably the easiest thing you can post!
Again, if that is difficult, find a posting schedule that is right for you.
#5 Use Hashtags Wisely
Hashtags are a bit hit or miss for me. I wouldn’t RELY on them, but I still use them.
At the end of the day, if your content is bad, a hashtag will not save you.
I would also argue that for Instagram Reels, Topics are more important than hashtags. If you need more help with this, enroll in my free Reels course!
Insider Tip: Think of hashtags like a tool. They’re just there to add to your organic Instagram growth strategy!
#6 Make Your Content Shareable
Shareable can mean many things, but for us, it means making your content easy to share on multiple platforms.
For example, creating Reels that you post on TikTok. And that right there is great strategy for becoming an Instagram influencer 😉
Aside from Reels, you can also use new features like the “Add Yours” Story sticker to get others to share your content.
Calling all content creators! Read this next: 6 Reasons You Aren’t Landing Brand Deals
#7 Post Carousels Instead of One Photo (Instagram Algorithm 2023 Hot Tip)
Remember, we want our followers to spend more time looking at what we post, so the Instagram algorithm favors us.
When we share a carousel, our followers naturally spend more time looking at it.
And generally speaking, they’re more engaging.
#8 Write Good Captions
Knowing how to write engaging Instagram captions that people want to read is a great way to get users to spend more time on your posts so you can beat the 2023 Instagram algorithm.
I have an easy way to do this. It’s called “microblogging.”
In short, microblog Instagram captions are when you write an Instagram caption that is informative and tells your audience about a specific topic.
This makes captions interesting!
#9 Get Personal with Your Content
Your followers want to know you. So, you should form a relationship with them!
This will help you appear on their newsfeeds more often.
Also, brands love influencers who have a rock-solid relationship with their audience.
That relationship is something you can easily highlight in your influencer media kit.
Insider Tip: f you’re looking for brand deals, you’ll wanna check out my guide on how to land paid sponsorships!
#10 Reply to DMs
Because the IG algorithm aims to show off the most engaging pages/ content, you should be looking for the best ways to interact with your audience!
You want the Instagram algorithm to sense that your followers care about your page.
Insider Tip: Replying to DMs is a great way to establish trust with followers and beat the algorithm.
#11 Reply to Comments
See above. If we want to beat the 2023 Instagram algorithm, we need to engage!
Your followers want to interact with you. But when you engage with your audience, this helps increase the number of interactions they have with you.
When that happens, Instagram will begin to see you two have a “relationship” and, therefore, your content will be recommended to them more.
Insider Tip: Want to get paid to post? Check out my free Influencer Rate Calculator!
#12 Engage with Accounts You Follow
Engaging with accounts you follow will not move the needle for you, but it’s good practice to be active in the app and interact with other accounts.
There are no specific amount of accounts you need to comment on, but overdoing it will look spammy.
If you like a piece of content, go ahead and leave a comment; otherwise, just move on!
Ultimately, from experience, I’ve found that engaging with accounts I follow has helped me network.
But engaging with people who use similar hashtags as you or post the same kind of content as you, has turned into a spammy growth hack “furus” have capitalized on.
It doesn’t work like that. At the best, engaging with accounts you follow can help you network AND find people to collaborate with—which can help you grow.
Needless to say, don’t make this a priority if you’re already limited on time.
You’re better off posting videos 5x a week to grow!
And PSSSSSST: Did you know that even if you have a small following, as long as you have a good engagement rate and relationship with your audience, you can make money as an influencer?
Insider Tip: Read my guide on how to make money as a content creator—even with under 5K followers!
#13 Collab with Other Creators
One of the fastest ways to beat the new Instagram algorithm, and get exposure to new followers, is to connect with others.
Instagram is a social network, so you’ll benefit from being social.
Most importantly, with how 2020 went, people are craving connection through a screen.
Try to collab with other creators and find ways to share your audiences!
This is even easier with the new Instagram Collab Post feature.
#14 Give Your Feed a “Look”
I do think a color-graded Feed helps with engagement.
You want your followers to recognize your work and love it, which is what having an overall Instagram aesthetic can help you do!
Insider Tip: Also, there are plenty of aesthetic photo editing apps out there you can use!
#15 Read Up on Insights
To beat the Instagram algorithm, you need to post quality content and note what your followers enjoy.
Part of posting quality content uses Instagram Insights to get into how followers interact with your page.
And of course, when you have good insights, you’ll want to highlight that on your influencer media kit (for when you pitch brand deals).
Insider Tip: Not sure wtf a media kit is? Click here to read my guide on influencer media kits.
#16 Stop Deleting and Reposting on Instagram
Finally, while deleting and reposting on Instagram will not do any long-term damage to your account, it’s a waste of time.
In short, if a piece of content doesn’t do well for you, move on!
You can maybe archive it and repost it at a later date, but you’re better off just posting fresh content consistently.
List of Ways to Beat the 2023 Instagram Algorithm
- Create Reels Frequently & Consistently
- Keep Up with Trends
- Make Stories Fun
- Post Stories Daily
- Use Hashtags Wisely
- Make Your Content Shareable
- Post Carousels Instead of One Photo
- Write Good Captions
- Get Personal with Your Content
- Reply to Your DMs
- Respond to Comments
- Engage with Accounts You Follow
- Collab with Other Creators
- Give Your Feed a “Look”
- Read Up on Insights
- Stop Deleting and Reposting on Instagram
Instagram Algorithm 2023 FAQ
Let’s use this section to answer some frequently asked questions about how to beat the Instagram Algorithm in 2023.
So, What Content Should You Create in 2023?
To beat the 2023 Instagram algorithm, you need to post:
- Reels
- Stories
- Photos (Bonus)
Now, let’s discuss why these are the only 3 content types you need to worry about.
Reels—Users share Reels more often. So, if your Reels are relatable or entertaining and give people something to talk about, they are more likely to generate shares. That means more engagement with your content!
Stories—Above all, Stories are the easiest thing to post for busy influencers like us. They’re mainly there to help you stay top of mind with your audience. Treat Stories like an easy way to get more engagement.
Photos (Bonus)—Photo posts are otherwise known as static content. Static means the post doesn’t move like a video! But, Instagram has repeatedly said that they’re shifting to focus more on video. In other words, photos are becoming less important on Instagram. So, think of posting photos as “bonus” content.
If you ONLY post photos, you can expect your reach to drop. So photos should NOT be your entire strategy.
That’s why you’ll want to be posting Reels too.
Insider Tip: Instagram has recently stated that they’ve moved “too far” from their roots and photos are still a “priority,” but until we see the numbers, video is what will help you grow much faster in 2023.
What Happens When You Hit “Post”?
Here’s the very very diluted process your content goes through once you hit “post.”
- Once a new piece of content is shared, to a tiny group of users
- The algo thinks these users will enjoy the content
- If they do, and post receives likes, comments, shares, the Instagram algorithm will send the content to a larger group
- Repeat
- Along the way, the ranking factors are applied!
Phew! Talk about a process.
In addition, Instagram makes money from ads. To make more money, they need your followers to see ads.
The longer they’re on the app, the more money Instagram gets!
So, we can assume that the algorithm “rewards” influencers who keep people on longer.
But Isn’t Reach Still Down?
Maybe you’ve been posting Reels, photos, and Stories but you still find yourself asking, “Why is my reach so low on Instagram?” or “Is Instagram reach down in 2023?” If that’s you, then listen up:
Reach is not down!
Reach has simply shifted to accommodate creators posting what Instagram users want to see. Remember, the 2023 Instagram algorithm wants to show people what they like!
So, to increase your reach on Instagram, you have to make your content more engaging. In addition, your content needs to be timely and specific to your audience.
This will help the Instagram algorithm push your content to the right people.
Insider Tip: And more people seeing your content can result in a more engaged audience—that can help you charge more for sponsored posts!
How Does the Explore Page Work?
The Explore Page algorithm works by showing you a summary of what Instagram thinks you will enjoy.
Your Explore Page and your friends’ might look entirely different for this reason!
Believe it or not, the Explore Page also operates under its algorithm.
It shows you photos, videos, and content categories hand-picked for you!
However, getting on the Explore Page isn’t hard.
An easy way to get on the Instagram Explore page is to start using Reels and ensure you’re using great Instagram SEO to help IG understand what your content is about.
Insider Tip: Reels have their section on the Explore page, which can be massive growth for you in 2023.
Your Next Steps for Beating the 2023 Instagram Algorithm
The key takeaway I want you to get from this guide is that beating the Instagram algorithm isn’t impossible, but it isn’t easy!
As an influencer, if you apply these strategies to your profile, you’ll create a solid foundation to beat any new algorithms to come.
If you want more tips for growing an engaged community, read these:
Want to make money on IG? Read these:
Very useful and well organized content. I’m going to try this to boost my business. Cross out fingers ????
Hahaha! Glad I could help!
Well that is a very cool revelation on how to beat the instagram algorithm, even i am a freelance photographer and the points brought out by you can be helpful to a lot of people.
Thanks for this!! I’ve been struggling a lot with my account since the algorithm update . If you have a chance could you pick out a few things you think I should focus on so I can improve my growth? My handle @oliver_howells
I agree with Dani for explained tips here. I’m following these tips to grow my business for few months. Recently, my presence in Instagram is almost double this year. I recommend Instagram user to follow this tips and increase your presence and followers.
Very well written and informative!! Will definitely try these techniques! Thanks!
I’m so glad you liked them! I really hope the tips help 🙂
10 000 per mounth?! And Im asking HOW? 😀
Thank you for the tips, im gonna use them and see whats happend 🙂
I really hope they work for you! Let me know!
yeah! your blog is so awesome.! i really love your ideas.
i used zeinsta.com to manage my instagram page and growing my followers
This is a load of BS! I’ve done all of these and more over months and months of time. These are the same tips that you get from multiple other blogs. This is simply clickbait. You DO NOT get 100’s or 10’s of thousands of followers doing all of these things. I am retired and a huge tech geek. These tips only work up to a point. I have grown my page to nearly 26k over a two year period. I’ve tried everything imaginable and my content is really good. Please stop trying to sell lies just to get a bigger mailing list and subscribers.
Hey, I’m sorry you feel that way but this isn’t a load of BS. I’ve been working my ass off to grow my social media business for two years. These ARE the things I’ve been doing. There’s no magic formula. If you want to grow on Instagram, you have to both post good content and play the game, which includes showing up, analyzing what’s working/ what isn’t working and going from there. If something isn’t personally working for you, you can’t just come in here and say that what I’m advising is bullshit. I would have been happy to take a look at your account and offer a bit of help, but not with that attitude.
Realest reply ever lol. I have to admit, after paying for several informational courses, I m a bit disappointed at the outcomes and was a bit skeptical reading this, but I also realize maybe I HAVENT been doing some of the things you mentioned and have to hold myself accountable. Thanks for sharing….gonna give it a try!
And this reply is quite real as well, thank you! 🙂
Dani, some good tips here. Do you think its important to reply to filtered DMs too? I get literally 200+ a week & most are just garbage (asking for free things etc) so i usually dont bother even looking in my “Message requests” folder.
Thoughts?
Hey Justin! Thanks so much for the comment. So I think that you can delete messages like that. They’re often spam and come from bot accounts that might not be following you anyways and likely never will. I typically delete those kinds of messages and focus on replying to the ones that I can tell come from people who care!
Thanks for the tips, I’ve been struggling to try to grow my audience. Now I will try with the color graded feed, I didn’t realize it was so important. I personally prefer natural colorful photos.
Hey Brenda! Thanks so much for being here and taking part in the convo. I want to make something clear, you don’t have to add crazy colors to your feed! Colorgrading can also mean having images of a similar tone (like the blacks, whites and contrast are the same) while still looking more natural. There are some nature photographers out there that I believe do a great job with the natural look and you can always tell which photos are their’s because the tones are similar. I hope this helps!
Thanks for such a great idea, I will apply in my Instagram account.
You’re super welcome!!
Love the amazing post, keep up the good work.
Looks like I’m a little late to the party, but thank you for this! I’m a teen with a dream to mountain bike in all 50 states, and I have a separate Instagram account for that. That’s the account I want to grow! I don’t come from a family with a lot of money, so it’s a big dream for me to grow my account enough that I would be able to get gear and even get paid to advertise for different brands. 🙂 Thanks for the tips! I know I don’t use hashtags nearly enough, and I haven’t used them in stories for a LONG time. It’s a long road but hopefully this will make it faster! 😀
Nice job on the post! Well organized and helpful. Kudos
I have doing reels but not views ????????????????
I really enjoyed the article. I am going to start to incorporate these tips and hopefully increase engagement.
I’ve been reading kind of the same tips on several blogs now and I have read many of your blogposts, Dani. But I keep finding new ideas every time I read one of your articles 🙂
We have started our blog about traveling with health issues in late April this year and I created an IG account to support this.
But I still struggle with constantly engaging 😀 It just takes an awful lot of time to go around and comment on other peoples feeds – but I do see better results every time I do it.
Growing slowly but steadily now 🙂
Thanks Dani!
Getting followers on Instagram is a tough task. I have only 50 followers in the last 9 months. I hope that your tips will work.
But lately it is not easy to grow on Instagram, I have realized that even large accounts do not have the same involvement as before. It is not easy!
Instagram stated that what shows up first in your feed is primarily based on your own activity.
Awesom and informative, thank you for sharing this????
With respect !!!
At first, Thank you so much for sharing the very helpful article. Now I can easily increase Instagram followers.
Such a great read !
Thanks for all the advice
I’ve got so lazy with my socials but this information has given me some motivation
Nice post Dani, will try it fro my Insta account. Thanks
I have heard lots about this place!!!!!
Honestly I don’t know anymore I’ve been doing everything in this for like two years straight twitch pretty much the best content I can make consistently and yet I get nowhere
I really like this article. I really appreciate your efforts.
your article provide us much information
I love greece especially their mythology
thanks ..
Thanks for sharing this article. Very helpful for a social media manager.
yeah!! your blog is so awesome.! I truly like reading your post. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a piece of nice information.
Hi Dani,
Thanks so much for this article. You’ve explained everything so well I have shared your post with some friends and colleagues who regularly ask me for tips and advice. I have 28K followers and have been doing most of the things you mentioned for a while now. My engagement since late last year has been very unstable.
My August strategy was to post 2 reels a week and while I saw a big increase in my reach and followers, everything dropped again after 2 weeks. Even the reel views. I’m wondering if there’s something to “overusing” reels that the algorithm then starts ‘penalising’ you for? I love creating content, and I know it helps my audience. It feels like it’s getting harder and harder to reach them, even though they follow me.
Can you tell us more about this? I’d love to find out some additional information.
Wow, superb blog format! How lengthy have you
been blogging for? you make running a blog glance easy. The full glance of your site is excellent, as well as the content material!
Nice post, I will try it for my Instagram account.
Thank you.
Nowadays everyone is excited to know other’s Insta stories.
The content is very nice. Thanks for sharing this.
hi
Since last week, it seems that posts are no longer seen by non-followers, we see this with a lot of peeps happening. they arent posted on the explorer page anymore
do you know anything about that.?
and how to go back to there.?
Neo
Kick ass post! Brilliant! Loads of value and info!
This has helped me a lot. Its a very informative article. thank you 🙂
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[…] to Dani Rodriguez (aka Dani the explorer), a freelance adventure photographer and blogger (as well as a […]
Hi, I loved reading this. It’s very interesting and informative. The question I have is how to increase engagement if your post is not even being shown because of low reach? I am just curious because I have 2 accounts with thousands of followers and recently created a 3rd account but the posts on the 3rd account have had a reach of less than 10 per post ever since starting 5 days ago
Amazing Article, I love to read this you can put more information about using hashtags Instagram services and other ways to get followers or more engagement on your post and all that, BTW the article is so good.
Hi Dani! Where did you get the information in the section “What Happens When You Hit ‘Post'”? I would love to read more about what happens right after a post is posted.
Thank you for this amazing guide. It’s very thought out. I think another aspect you could also include in a future article is a guide on increasing follower count as well as building a very engaging audience. Love instagram!
Excellent content, I follow your posts often, really useful and useful content is shared. As the Za Medya team, we are following.
Your content is great We follow it frequently as Creative Tasarım.
Please make sure this information is available in other languages as well, my friend was struggling a few weeks ago with her instagram
I love this blog post! I’ve been struggling with the same issue as you and I’ve finally found a solution. Thanks for the tips!
I recently came across a post entitled “How I Beat the 2023 Instagram Algorithm” and I have to say, I was blown away by the insights and strategies shared in the post. The author, an expert in social media marketing, shared their personal experiences and strategies for cracking the Instagram algorithm and getting their content seen by a wider audience.
What I appreciated the most about the post is the level of detail and specificity the author went into. They provided examples and step-by-step instructions for implementing different techniques, which made the information easy to understand and apply. The strategies discussed in the post are up-to-date and relevant to the current algorithm, and the author clearly has a deep understanding of how the platform works.
I was particularly impressed by the author’s emphasis on creating quality content and engaging with your audience. They provided useful tips on how to create visually appealing posts, and how to connect with your followers to create a sense of community. The strategies discussed in the post are not focused on tricks or loopholes to the system, but in creating meaningful connections with the audience.
Overall, I highly recommend this post to anyone looking to boost their presence on Instagram. Whether you’re a business owner, influencer, or just looking to grow your personal brand, this post is an invaluable resource that will provide you with the tools and strategies you need to succeed on the platform.
good post, i enjoyed