Making Friends with the Instagram Algorithm- Tips for Artists in 2022

Let me preface this article by saying I’m no social media wiz kid. I’ve been posting on Instagram for about eight years now and have seen only slow to moderate growth in my following. I’ve even invested as much as $1000 in one year for “boosted” Instagram or Facebook ad posts. For a while, I felt like the only way I could get more followers was to trade dollars for them. 

Then in the last half of 2021, I felt like I cracked the algorithm code. All of a sudden I was gaining followers without paying for them! I resolved to NOT pay for any followers in 2022 and so far my experiment has been paying off. I’m not claiming I know the secrets, but I do know that I’ve been averaging about 700 new followers per month for the last six months. I want to share some of my strategies in the hopes that other creatives will find similar success! 

In no particular order, here are my tips for appeasing the Algorithm:

1. Post more reels

Yes, we all kind of hate doing it, but Reels are the crown Prince of the Algorithm’s kingdom. I try to take process videos that can be turned into Reels for nearly every artwork I do- especially commissions! Your clients will really appreciate getting to see behind the scenes as you create their artwork. At the very least, take photos of your artwork as you go, these can be put together for a process slideshow. Watch Reels from your favorite fellow creatives for ideas and experiment to find what works for you to get the best footage with the least disruption to your creative flow

2. Post a variety of content

People get tired of seeing the same thing too often. Even if you post a different artwork every time, don’t always post it from the same angle on the same desk with the same lighting. Since I post a lot of pet portraits, I often post a single portrait on a solid background. The next post might show my hand holding a piece, the next could be a grouping of several pieces together. Trade off posting Reels, Posts, and different Post types. I also think it’s good to intersperse other types of content on occasion, like your dog or a pretty flower from a walk! People like to feel like they know the person behind the artwork. Which brings me to my next item…

3. Post your face!

You don’t have to be a narcissist, but you should share yourself with your audience! Share a get to know you post, or share a photo of you at a gallery or holding one of your artworks. Don’t be too shy to post photos of yourself from time to time, it gives your artwork a human element which is what people connect with most!

4. Pay attention to how your page grid looks

You don’t have to have a perfectly curated grid where each post is part of a bigger picture (unless you want to!) But do try to think about how each individual post fits in with the others. Take a look at your profile to see how your whole grid looks. Is it appealing? Cohesive? Easy to look at? Interesting? I like to think of my posts in groups of three since that is how they are divided in the grid. You don’t have to stick to a strict guideline, but I find that keeping the overall grid in mind can help with the aesthetic when people visit your page.

5. Utilize Stories and Story Highlights

The glorious thing about Instagram stories is that they show up at the top of your followers feed. Your story is a second chance for you to point followers to your recent posts that they may have missed! I often like to use my stories for sharing additional content that relates to my latest post. For example: you post an artwork to your page, use your story to share process shots, a quick video of the artwork, a side by side of the artwork vs your reference image, or even just a partially covered “NeW pOsT!” image (we’ve all seen ‘em, you know what I’m talking about!)

Additionally, these types of stories can be grouped and added to the “Story Highlights” on your page so people can quickly flip through if they land on your page.

6. Post Every day/same time

Of course we know consistency is very important. Post everyday or almost everyday if you can. Each artwork you create can be used for two or three posts. Just share different types of content so your audience doesn’t get bored. I also try to post around the same time everyday. You don’t have to follow this exactly, it won’t kill your momentum to miss a day or two or three, but it’s a good general guideline to post every day.

7. Comment, interact with other people

Finally, don’t forget that Instagram is meant to be a community! You don’t have to spend hours each day scrolling, but follow people who inspire you and then interact with their content! Leave thoughtful comments, encourage people, and support other creatives. You might be surprised at the connections you make :]

And one last word, it is also ok to unfollow people that’s not related to your follower account, but just your sanity. If you find that someone’s content is no longer interesting to you or makes you feel bad for whatever reason, don’t feel guilty about unfollowing. It doesn’t need to be personal. You should feel inspired by what you see on Instagram!

I hope these tips will be helpful or at least spark your creative juices on how to approach Instagram in some new ways. Now go out there and get more followers! 

And may the odds be ever in your favor.