So here’s the tea…..I’m sure you have seen the many posts talking about “Turn on my notifications” due to the Instagram change to come. It’s literally going viral on the internet as people are reacting to the news both in a good and bad way. There are some saying the change is fine if you are putting out good content and others are saying it’s really bad for those just coming into the Instagram game.

So what does this change mean?

What’s happening is that your Instagram feed will no longer be in chronological newsfeed order. This means that your Insta feed will now show the moments Instagram believes you will care about the most, first. To better understand this, the order of the posts you see will be more like Facebook, in which you will see the photos the app believes you are more likely to be interested in. The great thing is, all the post will STILL BE THERE, it’ll just be in a different order.

Is it bad and what does this mean for you biz? 

This change can be bad if you let it be bad for you and your business. If your post are being pushed down in people’s feed, then it could cause them not to view or skip your posts. This could mean that less people are seeing you, which could hinder your sales in the long run.

How you can overcome it and win the new game of Instagram.

So what do you do when they switch up the rules? You can either sit back and be salty about the new change, or you can get plugged in and change up your game plan to win. There is a way to still grow your brand on Instagram, and I’m going to show you how now! Let’s goooooooooo

There are certain action steps that you can take to continue using Instagram to grow your business online. You can start by…

1. Offer quality content. The more your followers engage with you, the more you will come up in their feed. This means you have to offer quality content to your audience that they enjoy. Look over some of your old posts that got the most engagement and follow that format for future posts.
2. You should show more love. It’s so true, you reap what you sow. When you begin to like, comment and reach out to other people, they will show you love back. Part of social media is being SOCIAL, so start SOCIALIZING! Also, start conversations with your audience. When they comment, respond back to them and thank them for engaging with you. If you want to really win at this new Instagram game, you have to intentionally respond.
3. Schedule your posts. A great way to increase your visibility is to schedule your posts when your followers are most active. A great way to see when your posts get the most interaction is by using Iconosquare.

Now I’m going to show you steps you can do behind the scenes to continue growing your BUSINESS online…

1. Build a quality website: Though Instagram has been very helpful in growing and increasing sales for businesses, including mine, nothing can beat having your personal website in order. Have your shopping cart set up for people to shop your products or services, easily, and make it attractive for your audience. If you find your website viewers saying that it’s hard to navigate your site, listen to them and make it user friendly. Your website is the place to hold your content and it’s a place where people can connect with you personally. Plus, you are able to do whatever you want on your site. No rules, no algorithms. Just you and your audience.
2. Create a quality newsletter: A great way to grow your business online is to have a quality newsletter. I use a weekly newsletter to stay connected with my audience. I give out advice and content for millennial entrepreneurs and I show them a piece of my personal life.
3. Build your list: You can build your list through your newsletter. Don’t be passive, boldly ask people to sign up for your newsletter list to stay up to date with what you and your business offers. Your list is like gold because this is the audience who will support you, buy from you and show up for you.
4. Use other apps: Though Instagram is awesome, there are other apps that you should be using and mastering right now. I use my Snapchat (ArianaPierce) and Periscope (AriTheHeiress) to connect with with people from around the world. They are both new, and not using algorithms, so your content is able to be viewed by their entire network of users. Also, use these apps to introduce people to your new products and services. You can even tell them about new posts on your Instagram to view, and ask them to comment which will increase your engagement there.

The most obvious way to get people to stay engaged with your Instagram feed is to ask them to turn on your post notifications. If your followers really enjoy your content, they won’t be afraid to do it! For example, this is what I posted today. Turn on my post notifications to stay up to date with my content on millennial entrepreneurship, giveaways and special events on Instagram: @AriTheHeiress

Thanks so much for reading my post. I’d love to hear your ideas on other ways to get your audience to stay engaged with you on Instagram even with the new change. I’m excited to chat with you below!