Instagram: the resilient and ever-changing social network

If Instagram were a zodiac sign, it would certainly be Gemini. In constant search of change, of new horizons, of unexplored places, the application par excellence of Gen Z does not stop mutating. 

Like all social networks, it is constantly changing and what worked for you a year ago may no longer work and vice versa. That's why it's important to keep up to date with the latest developments and be able to squeeze the most out of the algorithm.

Take pen and paper and take note of the recommendations to position your content at number one in 2023:
The best format?

Our tip is to go for a complete strategy that combines all publication formats. Each one of them favours profiles in a different way, improving engagement. 
However, the two favourite formats of the algorithm and the ones we recommend to give more prominence to are reels and carousels.

1. Reels

Reels are the format with the highest reach and interactions. It is true that all brands have increased this type of content and as a consequence its overall reach is lower than last year. Even so, it continues to be the king par excellence.

2. Carousel

Both static photographs and carousels favour interactions with your community, but given the choice, we'd go for the carousel: just below Reels, it's the format that generates the most interactions and reach. 

When is it recommended to post?

The best time to post on Instagram is 8PM and around 3PM considering the weekend. The worst? 5am and from 10PM onwards. 

The best days to post are Mondays and Thursdays. 

Even so, we always recommend doing an in-depth analysis in the profile analytics. Here you can find out when your followers are most active on Instagram. 

Does posting frequency influence followers?

According to the latest studies, profiles with more followers have a higher posting frequency than accounts with fewer followers. Moreover, this applies to all formats: stories, reels and posts in the feed, etc.

Therefore, keeping profiles alive, with current content, is fundamental to achieve a good positioning. 

The greater the reach, the greater the number of interactions?

The answer is yes. Reach and interactions are directly linked. Posts with a good reach rate also have a higher number of interactions.

So, designing reach levers translates into good engagement.

Now is the time to put all these tips into practice! All this combined with a strategy of quality content, are the perfect potion to make your Instagram profile a window to a great world of possibilities. 

All this data has been studied in Metricool's Instagram 2023 Study.

Paula Almazán, Content Specialist at SOMOS Experiences