INSTAGRAM Y SU ALGORITMO
INSTAGRAM AND ITS ALGORITHM
English / Español
The digital transformation of the Spanish fashion creators sector has one of its main hubs in social networks. ¿Do you want to know how to get along with the Instagram algorithm and increase your posts visibility, achieve more notoriety for your brand, and more followers and customers for your online store? Read on…
Instagram is a natural medium for the fashion sector. It is a social network that stands out for its enriched visual content and its incredible capacity to share content through his followers. To enjoy Instagram, and to get the most out of all the possibilities that the social network offers for your brand and for your fashion design company, you have to understand how the algorithm works. “I do not know what an algorithm is” you will be thinking, well actually yes, you do know what an algorithm is, and you also use it continuously and all the time.
You find algorithms not only in social networks or in computer science and they are very useful for many things. Basically an algorithm is a series of instructions (which can be mathematical, which can be very basic or very complex) that, in the case of Instagram and other social networks, serve to determine what you see on your timeline, or what your followers see in your timeline when you upload and share a post.
Until recently Instagram shared the posts in reverse chronological order, this is that you saw most recent shared posts first in your timeline, but not anymore. Very recently Instagram shared some ranking signals that determine the visibility of the posts you share in your Instagram account. And also of the posts you see on your own timeline. If you follow these recommendations, and if you are consistent, you will get Instagram’s algorithm to work with you improving your results. Take note.
The ranking signals determine the visibility of the posts you share in your Instagram account.
Create unique and original content
In the fashion industry we already know that the sum of quality images and texts are an effective communication tool that everyone likes, Instagram’s algorithm as well.
Find your own visual style and activate the voice of your brand. Tell your fashion story through a visual tale, the storytelling of your experiences as a fashion creator. Plan your posts. Remember that there are 365 days a year, you need a minimum of 365 posts a year (an average of 1 post a day) think about how you are going to generate that content. Make a posting schedule in advance, visualize, plan, create.
Post and share
Remember that what Instagram is pursuing is that you and your followers spend a lot of time in the social network, interacting and generating quality content to share.
The Instagram algorithm does not really take note if you share content through photos or videos, posts, stories, Live or Instagram TV. It wants you to post. A minimum of four posts a week is recommended. It is very important to make a posting schedule in advance to visualize your contents and to define your fashion brand’s voice.
Interact with your followers, socialize
Instagram is a social network made up by people. Behind your 20,000 followers there are 20,000 people, think about it. Be sociable and amicable, socialize.
Quickly reply to comments and messages from your followers. Call on your followers to activate notifications for your account and ask them to tag you. Take time to be on Instagram, not just when posting, browse, interact and socialize.
Hit the Like, but be real
The Instagram algorithm predicts what kind of posts you like based on how you’ve interacted in the past. It is therefore very important that you do not Like all the posts that you see, only those that you really like or that really interest you.
To understand Instagram’s algorithm, and to have a positive experience navigating in your timeline, be authentic in your actions and reactions in the social network. If you Like all posts, or you think that leaving lots of comments in accounts which you want to follow you, is positive for your relationship with Instagram’s algorithm, you’re wrong.
Get to know your followers
If you have already passed the phase of being followed by your friends, their friends and your extended family, the time has come to meet your followers.
Assuming you have a business account on Instagram, you’ll have access to the statistics of your audience of followers from your profile on your Instagram account. You’ll find very useful information such as age ranges and cities from where they follow you, and very important! which are the maximum audience hours so that your posts can reach maximum visibility.
#UseHashtags
Today the important thing is not that they look for you, but that they find you. Think of the incredible amount of information available to the consumer in the digital environment. Use well Hashtags – HTs, so that the followers who until now did not know you, find you.
I know that there is a lot of confusion around HTs, but you should use them in your posts. There are different levels of HTs. Use an HT that identifies you #myfashionbrand, another that distinguishes you #spanishfashion, and HTs that describe your fashion product, #minimalfashion or #blackdress, are options that you should explore and check the results.
Contests
Instagram and its algorithm love contests. Why? Because people do too. Instagram also knows that a contest is an effective formula for you to decide to promote posts on Instagram.
An attractive contest, together with a campaign of promoted posts, that does imply costly investments, usually renders good results increasing your followers, which in many cases are likely to become customers and buy your fashion products.
The digital transformation forces us to change our mindset regarding established rules. Follow these tips and advice, and be persistent in it and you will see not only your followers grow. Additionally, the learning curve that you are undertaking will open the door to finding innovative ways of monetization for your creative fashion projects.
Today, your communication strategy must be aimed at encouraging people, your future clients, to find you. Think about it.
CREADORES DE MODA EN INSTAGRAM / List of Spanish designers and their followers on Instagram.
Made with love for the sector of Spanish fashion creators, the designers.
To be continued…