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How Instagram’s Algorithm Works

Instagram’s Algorithm

Instagram’s algorithm has been a hot topic of discussion this past 2 years since they moved away from the reverse chronological “Explore” feed. Instagram has been very tight lipped about the details of the algorithm until a recent release to reporters at their new San Francisco office. Here are the main bullet points extracted from Tech Crunch’s write-up (full article here):

Interest: How much Instagram predicts you’ll care about a post, with higher ranking for what matters to you, determined by past behavior on similar content and potentially machine vision analyzing the actual content of the post.

Recency: How recently the post was shared, with prioritization for timely posts over weeks-old ones.

Relationship: How close you are to the person who shared it, with higher ranking for people you’ve interacted with a lot in the past on Instagram, such as by commenting on their posts or being tagged together in photos.

 

Beyond those core factors, three additional signals that influence rankings are:

  • Frequency: How often you open Instagram, as it will try to show you the best posts since your last visit.
  • Following: If you follow a lot of people, Instagram will be picking from a wider breadth of authors so you might see less of any specific person.
  • Usage: How long you spend on Instagram determines if you’re just seeing the best posts during short sessions, or it’s digging deeper into its catalog if you spend more total time browsing.

Instagram Myths Busted

(continued from Tech Crunch)

Instagram’s team also responded to many of the most common questions and conspiracy theories about how its feed works. TechCrunch can’t verify the accuracy of these claims, but this is what Instagram’s team told us:

  • Instagram is not at this time considering an option to see the old reverse chronological feed because it doesn’t want to add more complexity (users might forget what feed they’re set to), but it is listening to users who dislike the algorithm.
  • Instagram does not hide posts in the feed, and you’ll see everything posted by everyone you follow if you keep scrolling.
  • Feed ranking does not favor the photo or video format universally, but people’s feeds are tuned based on what kind of content they engage with, so if you never stop to watch videos you might see fewer of them.
  • Instagram’s feed doesn’t favor users who use Stories, Live, or other special features of the app.
  • Instagram doesn’t downrank users for posting too frequently or for other specific behaviors, but it might swap in other content in between someone’s if they rapid-fire separate posts.
  • Instagram doesn’t give extra feed presence to personal accounts or business accounts, so switching won’t help your reach.
  • Shadowbanning is not a real thing, and Instagram says it doesn’t hide people’s content for posting too many hashtags or taking other actions.

This is all great information to keep in mind as you leverage Instagram in your marketing efforts. See the full article at Tech Crunch.

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Collabor8 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ

  1. I have signed up for the beta so why haven’t I received an invite yet?
    • We have a limited capacity of people that Apple allows beta tests to have at any given time. We are cleaning up accounts that don’t have much activity so that we can send you an invite as soon as possible.
  2. What does “POSTPONED” mean?
    • See #4 above!
  3. I have some suggestions for the app. What is the best way to let you guys know?
    • We LOVE getting your feedback. After all, that is what this beta is for. Please send us an email to  jake@collabor8app.com  and/or  aaron@collabor8app.com
  4. When will the app be available in the app store? 
    • If all checks out well and according to plan, we should be accepted into the app store in 3-6 weeks.
  5. I have Android and I am so bummed I can’t join the app!
    • First of all, why do you still have Android 😉  Just messin’. After we are securely in the app store and working out any additional kinks, we will roll out a version for Android. At the soonest it will be later this fall.
  6. We have both accepted each other for a collab. What do we do now? 
    • Now is where the rubber meets the road! There are no rules on who needs to start the conversation, so just get in there and open up a dialogue! One message we like to send looks like this: “Thanks for accepting my collab request! I love your products and would love to do a styled shoot for you. What are  your thoughts?”
  7. How does the payment process work if we are doing a paid collab?
    • First of all, the influencer will go into the details screen and set the rate of the collab after they have agreed upon it in the chat screen. Influencer will also set the expected due/post date. Once those 2 items are filled out, the brand will go to the details screen and make the 1-click payment which will debit the card information you have set up. The money then is held in Collabor8’s escrow account until the collab has been completed and verified by the brand. Once it has been verified, the full amount of the funds (we don’t take anything from the fee) will be deposited into the influencers Paypal or Square account. **If the collab goes dark or the influencer does not end up posting for whatever reason, the funds will be released back to the brand.
  8. I have tried connecting my PayPay but is says there is a payout method error.
    • First you need to delete your app and then reinstall the newest version. Should be good to go after that.
  9. What does it mean when I have collabs in my ACTIVE screen?
    • This means that you have both agreed to collabor8 with each other and you are ready to spark up a chat and proceed with collab.
  10. We have multiple people on our team who would like access to our Collabor8 account. How can they access it.
    • We can send an invite to their phones and they will be able access your Collabor8 acct.
  11. I accidentally sent a collab request. How do I Un-Request?
    • We are working on a option to recall the request, however as of now there is not a way within the app to do so.
  12. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to email us!
    • Jake@collabor8app.com
    • Aaron@collabor8app.com
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7 Tips to Optimize Your Collabor8 App Experience

Good afternoon Collabor8ers!

Many of you are new to the app and are just getting familiar with the platform. Others have been on for a couple weeks now and may have already started working on collabs. Either way, we have compiled 7 tips for you to optimize your profile so that you are pleasing to the eye AND the brain.

  1. Profile Photos – When you first create an account, Collabor8 will automatically pull in your most recent Instagram photo and use it as your profile image. This is to avoid blank profiles and help beautify the EXPLORE page. We recommend that you add additional photos by clicking the “PHOTOS” button in the upper-left corner and selecting Instagram as the source. It will allow you to bring in as many photos from your Instagram feed as you want. After doing so, decide which image you want to be on the cover of your profile and hit the “PROFILE” button in the upper-right corner of your screen. If you want to see some great examples of profile photos, check out Gigi Pip (brand) or Salome Brimhall (Influencer) inside the app.Add Photos to your Collabor8 Profile
  2. Location and Bio – Many brands and influencers are trying to get word out to new geographical areas, so it is important that you specify where you are located, or where most of your followers are located. (NOTE: This will soon be a “smart” location that will allow you to select your geo location and then be able to search by area, radius, etc.). Your Bio gives you a unique opportunity to tell others about yourself and what may set you apart from others. In today’s world, we are dying to “connect” with others on a new level. This might be through a style of photography, a charitable cause, a life story, etc. Let others get to know you! After all, they need to trust who they are working with and a bio definitely helps. Check out Chelsey Hale (Influencer) or Halftee (Brand) to get an idea of a good bio. Short and sweet is OK!Bio and Location
  3. Link Social Media Accounts – Collabor8 populates a “Total Reach” that accounts for all of your social media followings. It is important to add each outlet you have because some brands are looking to grow a specific platform. For example, “Brand A” might have a huge Instagram following but they really want to get more exposure to their Periscope account. So they might pass on somebody with a big Instagram for someone with a smaller Periscope following, because they are new Periscope. You never know what will pique their interest! Jane.com has done a great job at completely filling out their social media.Jane.comAs a side note, some of you have asked about the difference between VERIFIED and UNVERIFIED social accounts. VERIFIED means that we currently have an api connection that allows us to automatically tap into Instagram and Twitter (Facebook pages soon) and update the follower counts. The UNVERIFIED accounts do not currently have api connections so you must enter the number of followers that you have manually. However they do still contribute to your Total Reach.
  4. Respond to Requests ASAP – When somebody sends you a request, think of it as an opportunity to reach a new pool of people and get new content for your account. If they are a good fit, accept quickly and spark up a conversation. There are no rules on who needs to begin the chat! Feel free to send a message right away and break the ice. They are likely just as eager to work with you as you are with them. On the other hand, if they are not a good fit at the moment, click the “x” on their request sooner rather than later so they can move on as well. COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
    • Quick side note: If you get a “POSTPONED” message back from an account that you have requested, this could mean a few different things. For example, it could mean that they are currently booked for collabs, they have surpassed their collab budget for a given time frame, or they’d like to revisit the opportunity after 30-60 days. Do not feel like they have denied you. Timing is everything 🙂
  5. Keep up on collabs – On the detail screen (the blue circle with 3 lines) within each collaboration, there is a progress bar that shows how the collaboration is moving along. You can click the bar and it will open a flyout window that shows the progress in more detail. One of the BIGGEST concerns we have heard about is people who are not responded to chat messages in a timely manner. We understand that you are busy, but try your best to be as prompt as possible. See below for a graphic:Detail screen tips
  6. Keep your app updated to the most current version!! – This is unique situation for you guys as beta testers because we publish updates quite often (every 1-2 weeks) and they typically have significant changes to them. Although you can’t always see the changes, we are squashing bugs, fixing crashes and making the app faster. If you don’t update your app, the platform will be slower for you AND possibly cause issues for those that you collaborate with. So please update your app as soon as you recieve the TestFlight email notification that there is a new version. You can also open your TestFlight app at any time to see if there is an update available. NOTE: To avoid bugs being carried over to the new version, try to delete the current app on your phone first and then update to the new version via TestFlight.
  7. Curate an AMAZING platform of Collabor8ers – We want to have the best brands and the best influencers on this app so we can all work together seamlessly. If there are brands or influencers that you have wanted to work with and are not currently on the app, please let us know and we will reach out them personally to invite them to the platform. We are at your service in this regard and want Collabor8 to be a 1-stop-shop for you and your business. We are actively inactivating accounts that are stagnant to make room for people who are truly wanting to be part of this family!

We are so pumped that so many of you are loving the app and we hope to only make it better for you. We have some rad updates in the works and we hope you are excited 🙂

Have a great weekend!

-Collabor8

 

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5 Tips for Working with Influencers to Grow Your Brand

Where do you go when you’re in need of an opinion for a new dentist? A trusted plumber? A favorite travel destination?  If you’re like most people, you’ll ask those who are close to you, those whose recommendations you trust.

It’s likely no surprise then that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know and that this ranks as the #1 form of advertising. Ranking in second and third respectively are consumer opinions posted online (70%) and editorial content from various forms of media (58%).

The rapid emergence of social media has enabled everyday people to share their opinions all over the world with the mere click of a button. When people begin to share content that is valuable and relevant, oftentimes they amass large amounts of followers. While the physical world is restrained by language, cultural and geopolitical barriers, the virtual world is one large online community united in differences. This community respects the opinions of influencers. Therefore, influencers have a very powerful sway over their followers buying behaviors.

So the question becomes, how do brands effectively tap into an influencers’ audience? We’ve compiled below 5 tips when working with influencers to help brands do it more effectively.

  • Don’t Be Afraid – When we talk with brands about working with influencers they’re often skittish about how to approach one another. Many brands think that influencers are untouchable because of their large communities of followers and their celebrity status. The truth is, many influencers share a lot in common with brand owners. They in essence are a brand, marketing themselves and adding value to the lives of their respective followers. They appreciate honest and sincere relationships.

    @melburchyoga collaborating with @ifit. Beauty meets grace.
    @melburchyoga collaborating with @ifit
  • Respect Their Profession – While it can be natural to be intimidated by influencers, the opposite problem might also occur. Some brands don’t understand the many hours and the extensive effort influencers put into curating just the right content for their followers. They hear those rare stories of “Blogger X” making 7 figures and apply that stereotype to all other influencers. The truth is, most bloggers don’t make much money blogging – it’s a passion project. Therefore, respect their media kits and their rate sheets. Always be professional in dealing with influencers, because as quickly as they can become your biggest advocate, they could also become your quickest nay-sayer.
  • Be Timely – If an influencer mentions that they’d enjoy working with you and you’ve agreed on terms (product trade, rates, dates, etc.) be sure to follow through with your side of the bargain. Don’t leave the influencer wondering if you’re still interested in working with them by not replying or delaying to send product or payment. Show them respect and they’ll return it.
  • They Don’t Owe You Anything – Oftentimes brands will send product to influencers without any advance notice and just expect for that influencer to post about their product. Unfortunately, this is not the way it works! Can you imagine if your customers came into your business and expected to barter with you on your price and offered random objects as a trade? If you’d still like to send out product with no strings attached, so be it. But keep in mind – influencers don’t owe you anything until they’ve committed to help you.

    @chaserzsd and @brandonmichaelbb showing off their @blenderseyewear
    @chaserzsd and @brandonmichaelbb showing off their @blenderseyewear
  • Be Creative – Influencer marketing is a hot new avenue for brand growth and as such it is still experiencing some growing pains. Therefore, don’t always do what your competitors are doing with their social media and collaborations. Be different! Think outside the box. Find ways to engage not just an influencer and his/her followers but your followers as well. Giveaways offer lots of neat perks, but don’t always do the same types of giveaways and sponsored posts. Make them fun and engaging. PS – Looped Giveaways are soooo 2015!

As founders of Collabor8, we’ve learned these 5 tips often the hard way as we sought to grow Arvo from its infancy. Learn from our mistakes and you can thank us later. Always strive to keep things fun and engaging, and don’t be bummed if a couple of collabs don’t bring you any results. Continually fine tune your strategy and eventually you’ll understand which types of influencers and posts will drive the most value to your brand.

Did we miss any suggestions?! If so, be sure to leave us a comment below!

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