Instagram is Changing

Instagram has announced several changes that are coming to their platform that will be affecting how your market your vacation rental properties.  

Some of these changes will be added improvements that will enhance your marketing abilities.  Other changes will make it a little more difficult to gain the post reach you desire.

I’ll be sharing ideas for how to work the new Instagram changes into your marketing plan in order to maximize your marketing efforts.

Instagram May Remove Low-Quality Posts from its Explore Feature

When it comes to social media marketing, quality is king!  Quality posts are always going to outweigh quantity when it comes to gaining in the ranks of social media algorithms.  

Instagram will be moving forward with algorithm updates that may limit your ability to reach non-followers in the Explore feature.

Authentic and original video content is still the #1 way to expand your post reach.  Don’t be shy.  Just a short 60 second video of a popular spot around your property destination community will help your reach.  Film a waterfall, wildlife, panoramic scenery, or at a local amusement park.

Instagram is Testing “Hiding” Like Counts

In an effort to make social media a less “pressurized environment”, Instagram is testing the removal of Like counts on photos.  

Zuckerberg mention in his keynote,  “We want people to be less interested in how many likes a post gets, and focus more on connecting with other people.”

The Original Poster (OP) will still be able to see the individual likes in their activity feed.  However, the post itself will be “Liked by john and others”, instead of “Liked by john and 231 others”.

It’s unclear when or if this change will officially roll out for all accounts.

From a marketing standpoint, I consider this good news.  Instagram is pushing users to create original and authentic content that generates post engagement through comments and interaction.  There will be less focus on just hitting the little heart button.  

I mean, isn’t social engagement and comments what we wanted all along from our followers?  Yes, yes it is.

Instagram is Prioritizing Accounts Whose Users Frequently Interact With Its Content

Social media is all about building relationships.  Instagram’s new algorithm will prioritize accounts, and thus show more posts, whose followers and non-followers interact within the feed.

Vacation rental owners can work this algorithm by posting content that encourages interaction.  Some of the ways to encourage interaction are to ask questions, create polls, tag local businesses, tag local events, and begin conversations in the comments.

Another terrific way to build Instagram relationships is to follow, comment on and like other accounts.  Follow local businesses, restaurants, tourism sites, etc.  Share and comment on their content frequently.  Most will return the favor.  Build relationships with your local tourism community and you both will benefit.

Priority in the Instagram Feed Will Be Based on When the Users are Active

Confusing?  A little bit. 

In other words, Instagram’s algorithm will monitor when you post and will measure how many of your followers are active at the time you post.  If the majority of your followers are active, your post will be given priority in the feed and will reach more followers AND non-followers.

Here’s how to take advantage of your analytics. 

• Click on the “hamburger icon” at the top right of your Instagram account screen. 
• Then click on Insights.
• Then click on Audience.

Note the data for your followers.  Their gender, the hours and the days they are most active will tell you when you should be posting most often.

Instagram Tips Specifically for Vacation Rental Owners

I have given you a few tips in this post for how you can work the social media algorithms to your advantage.  However, there are several more things you can do to ensure your social media marketing efforts are not wasted.

In my course, “Facebook & Instagram Training for Vacation Rental Hosts”, I take a deep dive into how Vacation Rental Owners/Hosts can use Facebook and Instagram to successfully market their properties.  This self-paced 5 day course covers how to set up Vacation Rental social media business pages, post and content creation strategies, tips and tools for saving you time and much more!   

Social media is a tremendously beneficial tool in your vacation rental marketing toolbox. 

If you don’t have social media business accounts for your vacation rental property, you’re wasting valuable internet real estate!  Get in the game, friend!

Recent Facebook Changes

Recent Facebook changes could also affect your vacation rental business page’s organic reach.  There are ways to stay in the game.  Vacation rental owners will need to focus on getting potential guests and previous guests to interact with your Facebook Business Page and posts.

Owners will need to rely less on customers finding your business and rely MORE on you seeking out your customers in innovative ways.  

In the next post, I will discuss ideas for how to boost your Facebook metrics to ensure a smooth transition to these recent Facebook changes.  I can help you increase your organic reach, despite these changes, and keep your vacation rental business front and center with your potential and repeat guests.