Hack the algorithm: Tips for better reach
Social media managers know what it's like - one day your post spreads like wildfire, the next, your posts just aren’t picking up momentum. Then you realise... the platform has changed its algorithm!
Facebook and Instagram's algorithm is currently composed of four main ranking factors:
- Recency
- Popularity
- Content type
- Relationship
Did you know that an algorithm works much like a maths problem? It uses different variables to calculate the position of a post in the feed, in the order of stories, or elsewhere in the app. Facebook calls these variables ‘signals’.
An interesting new addition to Facebook’s algorithm is that events and posts in groups have been given more visibility. This is because these types of posts keep people coming back every day. Videos (not just live streams!) continue to perform very well, and the algorithm rewards accounts that use them with better metrics. This might be because videos are less common than photos and receive more attention.
- On Instagram, the algorithm generally favours content that gets a lot of engagement. The most important metrics are comments, likes and reshares, as well as how often a post is saved by users.
- The algorithm measures how long your posts are viewed for, i.e. how much time users take to read a caption or watch your video. In other words, good content is still most important!
Instagram Reels
- An engaging mix of photos, videos, Reels and stories is essential. Using Reels is the best way to go viral on Instagram and increase your organic reach without spending money on advertising. Publishing a great Reel will attract new users to your account and get you more engagement.
- Another exciting feature of Reels is that Instagram creates an entry point into a ‘discovery’ world using a navigation point located at the bottom centre of the screen. After each Reel a user watches, they see content made by a new creator. The algorithm shows users new Reels in line with their interests or content they have interacted with in the past.
Tip 1: Post relevant, current content that encourages your audience to like, comment or share. Posts with clear added value bring additional benefits to you and your community.
What role do hashtags currently play?
It is well known that hashtags can significantly increase your visibility on social media, but you have to use them correctly. Here is how to use them best on each platform:
- Optimal number of hashtags: one to two
- You can use hashtags at any point in your tweets. Use them at the beginning of a tweet for emphasis, in the middle to highlight a keyword, or at the end for context. You can use multiple hashtags, but Twitter recommends no more than two.
- Hashtags in the profile description help the algorithm to assign your account to certain topics. The rule here is a maximum of three.
- You can monitor your brand's hashtags to find out which public profiles are participating in the conversation. You can do this using services like Meltwalter or Tweetdeck.
- Optimal number of hashtags: one to two.
- Hashtags are much less common on Facebook, so use them sparingly, but they can be useful for the algorithm. For example, we like to use them to tag a series, so users can find more posts in the same series.
- You can use hashtags anywhere in the body of a post or list them in the comments. They are useful for grouping content by topic in private Facebook groups. Since many user profiles on Facebook are private, it is more difficult for brands to track user engagement with a hashtag.
- Optimal number of hashtags: five to ten
- List hashtags below the caption in your post. You can also add them in the comment section when interacting with your followers. According to Instagram, it doesn't matter if hashtags are included in the caption itself or the comments.
- You can also use hashtags in stories, Reels, on IGTV and in your profile bio. Instagram stories accept up to ten hashtags.Precise, relevant and thoughtful hashtags signal to users and to the algorithm what your post is about and who might be interested.
Tip 2: Get to know your niche. Do your research and use hashtags that effectively describe the content of your post.
Tip 3: Use a specific hashtag such as #throwbackthursday and schedule this section in your editorial schedule regularly.
Tip 4: You can access Instagram Insights with an Instagram business account. This shows you how many impressions your profile receives through hashtags!
- Optimal number of hashtags: one to two
- Use hashtags throughout the text of your LinkedIn updates and articles. They help the algorithm to categorise your content and make your posts stand out. Enter the hashtag you are looking for on LinkedIn’s search bar, and the system will show you the most common relevant hashtags and the number of their followers. This feature is very handy!
- The LinkedIn algorithm is based on regularity. Those who post frequently, preferably daily, make it into the top three posts in their subscribers’ feeds. This means consistency is more important than likes! LinkedIn values long-form text and lots of comments more highly than many likes.
- The algorithm prefers to show users content from accounts they have interacted with before. Also of note: Posts from company pages are only seen by about 5-10% of users.
Tip 4: Consistently involve your employees in your LinkedIn content planning. Their contribution as ambassadors is significant and more impactful here than on other platforms.
- Optimal number of hashtags: two to five
- Pinterest is constantly tweaking its algorithm, just as its competitors are! For example, if its algorithm gets the impression that content is frequently pinned from a website that generates interest, the ranking is improved.
- If you use Pinterest as a company, you can integrate hashtags into the description texts of your pins and when re-pinning. The hashtags should be as specific as possible and contain relevant keywords. Pinterest even offers hashtag suggestions in the mobile version when creating pins.
Did you know Instagram cares about real relationships?
The Instagram algorithm shows you posts from your friends, family and accounts you interact with regularly as a matter of priority. How often you message someone directly also affects how early their posts are displayed in your feed. Have you searched for someone’s profile? The algorithm registers this too.
All of this means it is important to build good relationships with your audience. Not only does the algorithm reward this, but it works wonders for your customer relationships, too.
Tip 5: Be inspired by other high-performing content - you can bring back a successful older post from time to time.
An insight that applies to all platforms is, consistency pays off! It is better to reliably post twice a week than to share 20 posts at once, followed by a three-week gap.
When is the best time to post?
Social media platforms do not work magic. Find the time when your contacts are most likely to be online to interact with your posts - you can check this on Instagram Insights. For LinkedIn, we know that posting on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. works well. You can find the ideal times to post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the graphic. Does this ring true for your community as well? Try it out and let us know in the comments!
As you can see, the algorithm can have a huge impact on the performance of your posts. We recommend being well aware of all the factors it takes into consideration and staying informed at all times, so you are well prepared to make good decisions.
For more tips on social media marketing, check out our blog post: Using different formats to achieve social media success.
We are happy to support you in planning your social media calendar. To book a consultation and find out how social media can drive your business forward, contact us at info@schwedin.ch or call Barbara directly at 079 758 96 20.
