A section created especially for you to discover new content on your topics of interest.
Upon entering the Explore section, you will find a grid that includes photo or video recommendations especially for you. It usually differs a lot from the feed and the stories that, as we have seen in the previous case, are usually shown to your Instagram followers and community.
We will try to summarize it in simple terms. Instagram begins to define a set of posts in order to classify them. So that you can find videos or photos that interest you, the signals that determine your preferences are evaluated again.
Once Instagram recognizes and identifies a group of photos and videos you’re interested in, they’re sorted based on how interested you might be in each post. A classification that we find very similar to the case of Feed and IG Stories.
The best way for the app to know the topics that interest you is by following the signals you give it (likes, saved or shared content). But what about the order of interest? We explain it to you!
Post insights: Various signals, such as how many and how quickly people like, share, save, or comment on your post. These are the signals that Instagram uses to recognize if a post is popular or not.
The history of interaction with the account that made the post: It’s likely that the post was shared by someone you don’t know, but having interacted with that person gives us an idea of how interested you might be in what they shared.
Your activity: In this case, the signals would be publications that you have saved, commented on or liked. Also, how you have interacted with posts in the “Explore” section in the past.
Information about the posting account: For example, the number of times users have interacted with the person in the past few weeks. This helps find engaging content within a community with similar interests.
Since you don’t actually “follow” the people you see in the Explore section, the dynamics of problematic content are different. For example, if an acquaintance you follow shares offensive content and you see it in your feed, “it’s between you guys”, but in the Explore section, the situation changes.
That is why, in addition to being governed by the Community Standards, the standards of recommendations are followed. And within them are included, avoid publications that may be annoying or delicate.
What you should know about the Instagram Reels section:
Reels, a relatively new video entertainment format. And it has come to stay! We teach you what you should take into account to evaluate the quality of your Reels publications for personal or company accounts.
Designed to entertain us, the reels combine a part of the Explore section, since if you have seen reels, surely many have been from accounts that you did not follow, but their content does interest you. A very similar process applies, Instagram searches for videos you might like and sorts them based on what might interest you more or less.
Now, we have to keep in mind that in the case of Reels, IG specifically focuses on what can entertain you. People are surveyed to find out if a reel seems fun or not, you learn from the answers to get a better experience.
A very important aspect to take into account. Instagram Reels has smaller creators in mind.
Many aspects are evaluated, such as the chances that you will see a Reels until the end, that you like it and go to the video audio page. Signals such as:
Your activity: Depending on the Reels that you have liked, with which you have interacted and commented, the platform will show you more relevant content.
Your interaction history with the account that made the post: As with the Explore section, the video was most likely created by an account you don’t know. Having interacted with this person gives the tool an idea of how interested a person might be in this content.
Information about the Reel: This is where entrepreneurs should pay special attention! The signals that Instagram takes into account are: audio track of the video, the perception of the video, based on pixels and whole frames and of course its popularity.
Information about the account that made the publication: Considering that popularity helps to find attractive content in a wide variety of users. It also gives everyone the opportunity to find their right audience.
Like the Explore section, Instagram applies the same Recommendation Rules to Reels. Avoid recommending reels with low resolution, watermarks, reels with political themes or parties.
An important aspect that Instagram has added:
If you have a business and you manage it through Social Networks, surely more than once you have been tempted to carry out paid advertising. And that is why just a few days ago Instagram introduced the option of Paid Advertising in Reels format.
With these ads, businesses will be able to reach broader audiences and encourage discovery of inspiring content designed by brands and creators. This Instagram product is great for reaching people who don’t follow you yet and represents a growing global space where brands and creators can be discovered by anyone.
Reel ads are in a vertical, full-screen format similar to ads in Stories, and run between reels. These ads play on a loop and can be up to 30 seconds long, just like regular Reels content. People will be able to comment on, like, view, save, and share them.
If you are thinking of creating a paid advertisement to promote your business, this is one of the new favorites in Social Networks.
You just have to find some inspiration, make good transitions and offer your product or service in an original way to get more customers.
Do you dare to create your paid ads in Reels? What did you think of the update?
Conclusion:
With this new update in terms of how Instagram works, we can create quality content and participate much more in our communities of interest, in order to generate more reach in the publications. Whether they are in Reels, Stories and Post format or to appear in the Explore section, you already have the tricks to achieve the best results.
Until a while ago, I remember that we were all following the advice provided by some “Social Network Guru” and luckily now we have relevant information offered by the same platform in which we work, take the opportunity to make the most of these tips and recommendations.
What are you waiting for to put them into practice?
Remember that you always have professional help to manage the Digital Marketing of your business. From Xavier Sánchez we carry out all the tasks that your company needs to achieve the best results.
