How to Increase Instagram Coverage? | 5 Practical Tips

Instagram has become an indispensable platform for every digital marketer. At least 50% of Instagram users are already following brand profiles, and this number will increase in the future. The question you need to answer is: “How do you increase Instagram coverage to target new audiences and turn them into customers?” A few years ago, building a marketing strategy on Instagram was relatively easy. Instagram displayed posts chronologically, so if you found the right time to post content, all you had to do was stick to it. However, since then, Instagram has changed and it has become more difficult to increase its reach and provide content to its target audience. This post will help you increase your organic reach and improve your Instagram presence. Here is our plan: 1. Instagram algorithm 2. What does reach on Instagram mean? 3. How to increase Instagram coverage? 4. The benefits of greater coverage on Instagram

Instagram algorithm

Due to rapid development, Instagram had to implement a certain algorithm. The Instagram algorithm selects photos with a high engagement rate and presents them first on the ‘boards’ of users. For many Instagrammers, the introduction of this algorithm meant a decrease in organic reach. Much fewer people could see individual photos and videos. As a result, conversion rates have decreased.// Almost everyone asked the question – How can you reverse the effects of this algorithm? In this text, I present some tricks and tips on increasing Instagram coverage, attracting new followers, and improving the conversion rate. As it turns out, the algorithm is not going to change, so we must learn to use it in our favor. Of course, it’s much harder to increase organic reach on Instagram, but it’s not impossible. The key to success is understanding the algorithm and implementing some simple techniques to improve your Instagram presence.

What is important for the Instagram algorithm?

There are 3 key factors that Instagram’s algorithm considers when displaying posts:
1. Interest
Social platforms currently emphasize significant interaction between users. That is why publishing content that will interest your target group is so important. Encourage your followers to interact with your Instagram profile by publishing carefully selected photos with interesting descriptions and strong calls to action. Try to get their attention at the beginning so that they spend more time on your profile.
2. Timing
Instagram does not display content chronologically, but the time of publication of your post is still important. In March 2018, Instagram announced an update of its algorithm to: Give newer posts a better chance of showing them first. Thanks to this, your channel will be fresher and you will not miss the moments you care about. Determining the best time to publish is still important, and it’s worth sticking to increase your organic reach on Instagram.
3. Significant interactions
After the Cambridge Analytical scandal, social media had to change. The Instagram algorithm analyzes the level of relationship between you and your followers. If someone likes and comments on your posts more often than the content of other Instagram users, those users will see your content more often. What does it matter in terms of increasing your reach on Instagram? It is better to have a steady flow of engagement, even if it is not the highest than to have a few jumps in likes and comments on various posts.

What does reach on Instagram mean?

Let’s start with the basics. If you want to increase Instagram coverage, you must first determine what it means. When it comes to social media, reach is the number of unique people who can see your content. There are two types of coverage: Organic reach – in which you create attractive content, use hashtags and use other techniques that make you appear high in the feed of your audience. Paid reach – where you buy Instagram ads to sponsor your content. Organic coverage on Instagram is much harder to achieve, but it’s also much more beneficial in terms of maximizing conversion rates from Instagram or any social media channel. What exactly do you need to do to increase Instagram coverage?

How to increase Instagram coverage?

There are a few simple techniques to increase the reach of your posts. These tips will help you combat the effects of Instagram’s algorithm, as well as reaching and influencing new audiences. Let’s take a closer look!
1. Time is the foundation
For Instagram coverage, the number of likes and comments received immediately after publishing is extremely important. If the initial engagement round is high, then there is a greater likelihood of positioning your post higher in the feed. If you have an Instagram Business account, it should be trivial to notice the appropriate time to post to Instagram. Take a look at Instagram Insights and see when your followers are the most active. Don’t worry if you don’t have an Instagram Business account. There are Instagram analysis tools that can help you. Look out for Iconosquare, Buzzsumo or Sprout Social. These tools analyze when your target group is the most active and present this data in the form of a table.

2. Use the appropriate hashtags Increasing Instagram coverage does not exist without using the appropriate hashtags. Hashtags are the basis on Instagram. They not only help other users discover your content but also analyze the effectiveness of an Instagram marketing campaign. Hashtags can be divided into:

• Popular Hashtags
• General Hashtags
• Industry-specific Hashtags

3. Learn about the social face of Instagram
Instagram is a social network after all, so if you want to increase your organic reach on Instagram, it’s important to interact with other users. The changes introduced to social media algorithms after the Cambridge Analytical scandal were aimed at encouraging true, positive relationships. What does this mean in the context of interaction on Instagram? Best practices can be summarized in three points:

• Quickly answer the questions asked by your followers,
• Thank you for liking and commenting on your posts,
• Discover other people’s posts and get involved in their content.

Thank Internet Users for all positive mentions to build brand awareness and associate it with positive emotions. Negative comments can be a blessing in disguise. First, they are gold mines when it comes to knowledge about the needs of your followers. It gives you an idea of ​​the direction in which you should develop your presence on Instagram. Secondly, they give you a chance to prevent the escalation of the crisis on social media. Try quickly addressing your questions to show your followers that you care about them.

4. Handle content created by users
User-generated content is a great way to increase Instagram engagement. This will encourage Instagrammer’s to interact with photos or videos and share them further. Instagram makes sharing content even easier, especially when it comes to Instagram Stories, which I will discuss in more detail later. Publishing user-created content will help you build relationships with followers, and as you already know, fruitful relationships with followers can have a positive impact on Instagram’s algorithm.

5. Discover Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are important for two reasons.

• They let you show the human face of your company. Record your company’s behind-the-scenes content, organize competitions, or create separate content on Instagram Stories. It’s a great way to provide additional exposure to your brand.
• They are also great for brand exposure because they are above the feed. Your company logo will be the first image people will see when they login to Instagram. This opportunity should not be missed!

The same applies to Instagram Livestream. Stories are also algorithm-based, so it’s important to publish them regularly and provide valuable, inspirational content.

The benefits of greater coverage on Instagram

To increase organic reach on Instagram, you must follow the Instagram algorithm, which mainly focuses on high user involvement. When it comes to organic reach on Instagram, think about your profile as a whole. If you have a lot of views on Instagram Stories, but few likes and comments under the pictures, then everything is fine. This means that your target audience is more interested in video content and you should focus on creating attractive short clips. Get to know your recipients and try to meet their expectations. Building organic reach on Instagram is not something that can be done overnight, but with the right attitude, you will succeed.