The Truth Behind Engagements on Instagram

How frustrating is it when you spend hours creating content, only to receive a handful of engagements? Then notice a similar account, posting similar things has hundreds, if not thousands of likes. What's happening? No, you're not going crazy, it's likely engagement pods.

Engagement pods are brands and influencers' way of "beating the algorithm." They get together in a group, either on Instagram DM, Facebook group, Telegram or other ways, essentially to comment, like, save, and share each other's posts to trick the algorithm into thinking it should show in more people's feeds. It kind of seems like a good idea, right? Not so much. While these engagement pods might provide a boost in the beginning, the algorithm is ultimately smarter than we realize and it catches on. Not to mention, engagement pods can be a ton of work.

If you're looking for more engagement on Instagram, do it organically. There's no quick way to do it, and if there is, it won't last long. Follow these tips:

1. Engage with your ideal audience. Find them through hashtags or Facebook groups you partake in.

2. Leave genuine, thoughtful comments that are at least 4 words in length, not including emojis.

3. Engage with in-feed posts and stories for at least 30 minutes a day.

4. Share posts you love to your Stories, and be sure to tag the account so they get notified.

Growth and engagement are not things that happen overnight. They take time and work, but in turn, you'll cultivate an active, engaged audience that genuinely has interest in your brand and product.

Have more questions about engagement? Let me know!