A few months ago, Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, shared that direct messages on Instagram were now a key metric in algorithmic preference.

Here’s the thing, when Meta says do something, you should do it. Regardless of all the reasons I’m about to share with you in this blog post, Meta has said that they are focusing heavily on direct messaging on Instagram. Just like back in the day when Facebook groups were the “thing” and if you wanted reach, you had to have a FB group… well Instagram wants you in the DMs, so slide on in there!

Chances are you’ve noticed that engagement is down on Instagram. Less likes, less comments, less website clicks, and honestly, less reach overall. The thing is, this is the case for everyone, not just you. And while, to some extent, there’s “nothing” you can do about that, there are some things you can do to get better results on Instagram.

If you’ve noticed your Instagram engagement is down, well, you’re not alone! It’s down for everyone, across the board.

The reality is that engagement has taken a hit on Instagram in recent years – and it’s totally understandable. So, first, let’s talk about why and how engagement is down. Then let’s figure out if yours is really as bad as you think it is.

Engagement on Instagram today, in early 2023, is about 0.9% on average. Back in 2020, it was about 3%. So, yes, it’s taken a hit.

Finally. Seriously. After allllll these years, Instagram was like, hey, yes, you can more than one link in your bio!

Yay!

Or is it that exciting? Is it helpful?

Not all Reels are created equal!

Depending on the length of your Reel, you are more likely to reach certain people. So it’s important that you choose the “right” length of video to serve your ultimate goals with the Reel.