Transcript
Introduction
Has your Instagram engagement rate dropped recently? We've heard from a ton of creators, and the overall consensus has been that yes, they've all noticed a drop in their engagement rate recently. Guess what? You're not wrong. This talk of engagement dropping is a real thing.
Later recently did a study and found that the average engagement rate for feed posts has decreased by 44% since 2019. Let me say that again: 44% since 2019. That is a massive drop for only three years. But it's not all doom and gloom; there is something you can do about it.
In this video, I'm going to go through why you might be seeing an engagement drop, what this means for your Instagram strategy, and how you can fix it.
What is the average engagement rate for Instagram feed posts?
So, based on the same Later study that I mentioned, the average engagement rate for feed posts in 2019 was 5.16%. By the end of 2021, this number had decreased to 2.88%.
And this downward trend is consistent for images, Carousels and videos too. So, it really brings up the question of what in the world happened? Well, the answer... Let's go all the way back to August 2020, which is when Instagram Reels were first introduced.
Why Instagram posts have seen a decline in performance
Instagram has not been quiet about prioritizing Reels. Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, even announced in July 2021 that Instagram was no longer a photo-sharing app.
Adam Mosseri: "And I want to start by saying we're no longer a photo-sharing app."
So, if you haven't yet embraced Reels or more video content, this might be one of the main reasons why you're seeing a drop in your engagement. Embracing and sharing more Reels really can make all the difference.
At Later, for example, we've seen a 500% increase in our Instagram engagement rate since publishing two to three Reels a week. Back in 2019, Later's average engagement rate was 1.28%. And now in 2022, it's 9.09%. And the majority of this increase is from incorporating Reels into our strategy.
What the Shift to Reels Means for Your Instagram Strategy
What does this mean for your Instagram strategy in 2022? If you've been following our YouTube channel, you've probably heard us say this maybe a thousand times, but Reels really are the best way to reach new audiences and continue to grow your channel.
Easy Instagram Reels Ideas
You don't even need to be in front of the camera or be a professional video editor. For example, you can:
Feature your product;
Do text-only videos;
You can share tweets with a video background;
Try to use Reels templates and drop images timed to a beat; or
Even just make a Vlog of your day-in-the-life.
Another key Reels tip is to use trending audio. This is another great way to get your Reels in front of new audiences. I'll link a blog post below where we share the top Instagram Reels trend sounds, and we update it every week.
Embracing These Changes
So what happens now? Well, first things first, do not panic. Instagram is not over. You aren't doing anything wrong. All this means is that the platform is changing and it's a matter of adjusting your strategy to move with these changes. I'll link a video where we go over some Instagram engagement tactics you can try out and I'll also link a couple of helpful blog posts in the description below.
Schedule Instagram Reels with Later
Now, if you're ready to jump on Reels, Later recently announced scheduling and Auto Publish for Reels, which means you can plan your Reels strategy ahead of time. This is a massive help, especially if you want to start sharing more consistently. You can learn more about that by clicking right over here.
If you found this video to be helpful, let us know in the comments. And remember to like and Subscribe to our channel so you never miss a video. Thank you so much for watching. I'll see you later.
