Algorithms and Advertising: The Real Impact of Instagram’s Changes

Although the party of organic reach on Instagram isn’t over just yet, the lights are on, the music has been turned down and the cops are on their way.

Several weeks later, the dust has settled, and the different reactions have emerged. With a little more time to reflect, now is a good time to explore a bit more deeply and see what the real reasons are for the change.

In a post last month, I explored my predictions for the longer-term changes, but all the way back in 2014, a report outlined the circumstances that would lead to this change in the first place.

Is the party over?

In a 2014 Forrester Research report titled, “Use Instagram Now,” Nate Elliott, vice president and principal analyst of Forrester, laid down the facts in no uncertain terms:

As users and marketers flock to Instagram, clutter will increase and Instagram will likely begin filtering out brands’ posts in the name of relevance.

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