Remember when you were really excited because you figured out the Instagram algorithm was based on engagement? You thought you finally cracked the code. Yeah, well it's not so exciting anymore because it changed.
What does this even mean?
Firstly, if you didn't know, the Instagram algorithm is what decides which posts show up in your Instagram feed when your browsing your home page. It used to be based on engagement, so the more comments (of 4 words or more, not including emojis) your post received, the higher precedence it got and the more followers it would be shown to. That's not the case anymore.
OK, great. So what is it based on now?
From now on, your algorithm is based on a handful of things, which is good and bad. It means a lack of engagement won't make or break your post, but now there are more factors to consider when posting.
Past Behavior. Instagram will actually take into consideration the posts you've been interacting with and how you react to them to determine what to show you next.
Personal Content. They are actually scanning your profile to find similar types of content that your posting in your own feed to show from others.
Consistent Quality. Now, quality actually beats quantity, meaning, a "better," more tailored post beats one that had a ton of comments.
Timing. This has always been pretty important, so I suppose I'm just reiterating old news, but it's essential that you're posting when your audience is there.
Friends and family matter. Instagram is now also basing your feed off of relationships, hence, family and friends mattering the most. They used to only show 50% of this type of content when it was a chronological feed, but now it will be closer to 90%, so become friends with your followers!
Frequency matters. If you open Instagram a lot, your feed will appear more chronological, but if your not as active, it will be based simply on what they think you'll like. Naturally, if you use Instagram more, you'll see more.
Follower count. If you follow a lot of people, Instagram has a bigger pool of posts to choose from; if your feed isn't something you like, consider unfollowing some accounts you don't care as much about.
In addition, Instagram does not show precedence to personal over business accounts, all accounts are created equal. Instagram stories, live and TV also do not affect your feed posts anymore, all posts are inherently created equal. It's about what you make of them that matters, when you post, who it's tailored to.
How does this effect business profiles on Instagram?
There's a few simple steps that business accounts can take to make sure their content is a top priority to Instagram. Determining how Instagram decides who falls into a "family and friends" category probably seems the most difficult at first, but it is key. So think about that when you're engaging on Instagram. If you're commenting on other's posts, Instagram is more likely to see you as a friend. Additionally, if you can make sure your followers are tagging you in posts, whether it's your location or product, they are also more likely to throw you in that category.
The other big thing for businesses is timing. If you have your profile set as a business, you can actually view in the "audience" tab in analytics (right corner of your profile) when your followers are most active each day. The new part to all this is that Instagram will prioritize more recent posts, so basically, stay consistent and post at good times.
TL;DR
Basically, your feed is personalized to you, not as much on what analytics has been saying (like before). For example, Instagram knows I love Kahwa, I'm always liking or commenting on their posts, so they always put their content at the top. They're trying to predict what you will like, think about your "explore" section, it's going to feel a bit more like that.