Instagram’s New Chronological Feed

Instagram’s New Chronological Feed

21 April 2022 |

Social Media

At the end of March 2022, Instagram introduced two new ways to choose what posts you see in your feed: Favourites and Following. Both “Favourites” and “Following” will show posts in chronological order. Any major algorithm change can be a difficult adjustment, especially if you’ve spent time optimising your brand’s social content for a certain kind of feed format. Here’s everything to know about what Instagram’s latest news means for social media marketing.

 

What Are Favourites and Following?

 

The two new features allow users to tailor and personalise content most relevant to them. The first setting is called Following, which allows users to see posts and stories by the accounts they follow in the order they were posted. The second setting is called Favourites and it shows the latest content from accounts selected as a favourite.

This shift brings more choice and control to what users see, as well as making the time spent on the app feel more intentional.

It’s important to note that these two new feed options are in addition to (not instead of) the algorithmic feed we’ve all become accustomed to. Users will have to manually switch to either their Favourites or Following feed each time they open the app.

 

How will Instagram’s new changes impact marketers?

 

Firstly, marketers may need to revisit posting times. Chronological feeds rely heavily on both understanding when your audience is online, as well as the type of content they want to consume at any given time. Brands will have to think more carefully about who they want to connect with and what timezone they are posting from. 

Secondly, creating engaging content could pay off in organic visibility within the Favourites and Following feed – something that hasn’t really happened since the dawn of the algorithm.

Finally, marketers will need to ensure they are sharing relevant content. Users will have more control over the brands they follow and may start to unfollow brands they deem irrelevant. 

 

Want to learn more about how your brand can tap into Instagram’s most recent changes? Get in touch!