5 reasons Instagram’s algorithm can benefit you

(Editors note: This post was originally written for Latina Bloggers Connect)

Instagram recently announced a change in their algorithm, which, as many of you saw, sent the Instagramming community off the deep end. Users started requesting that notifications be turned on, which does nothing. They started several petitions to keep things the way they are with the hope that Instagram would say “My bad, you’re right.” Not happening. I’m pretty sure Instagram went over all of the pros and cons before deciding to announce that user experience is slowly going to change. In all its simplicity, it’s a brilliant app that changed the landscape of visual communication online. Let’s give them the credit of understanding how users can get the best experience out of it, shall we?

Here’s the deal: Instagram has grown substantially since its start in 2010. There are now more than 400 million monthly users. Let that sink in for a minute. That’s a lot of content. Our feeds are filled with amazing photos and stories of people around the world doing extraordinary things inspiring us to live healthier lives, travel and dream. We get to see what our long-distance friends and loved ones are up to, and live vicariously through their images. There’s a tremendous amount of power in that.

There’s also a lot of, well, junk. How many Kermit memes can our brains take before becoming desensitized by the same type of content? Sorry, Kermit, but you many need to sip tea elsewhere. Instagram is all about quality of the user experience, and chronology of content was no longer cutting it. Users were missing out on 70 percent of Instagram content. In other words, that amazing #OOTD you put up only gets viewed by about 30 percent of your followers. Chances are they saw that Kermit meme before they saw you slay in that red dress.

If you’re still not convinced, here are 5 ways Instagram’s new algorithm can benefit you:

The content you’re creating will be more visible to the users you’re creating it for. Your great content will grab their attention much faster if it’s at the start of the scroll.
You will still see all the content on your feed. It will just be moved around a bit to make your first few seconds on the app a more enjoyable experience.
Your time will no longer be wasted scrolling through junk content to get to the good stuff. There’s enough of that online.
Instead of going directly to your favorite Instagrammer’s account to see content you may have missed, you will likely see their images first.
The golden nugget: You will have a deeper understanding of what your audience likes, which will in turn help you become a stronger brand.

As bloggers, we’re always trying to perfect our brand and develop a stronger, more engaged audience. Instead of being resistant to the change, let’s just do what bloggers are known for doing: collectively mastering change. Bring it, Instagram!
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