If you could just figure out the algorithms, your Instagram account would take off. Right?
According to Brock Johnson, not really. He recently shared why you don’t need to worry about the Instagram algorithm—and what you should focus on instead.
If you’re not familiar with Brock Johnson, here’s a quick breakdown: he’s an Instagram Growth Coach who grew his personal following from 50,000 to 650,000 in two years. That’s a staggering rate of approximately 1,000 new followers each day, with the majority of his growth attributed to organic methods. Oh, and, The Broke Agent might just be his biggest fan.
So when REFER was able to secure Brock for an exclusive Q&A Mastermind, The Broke Agent was prepped with questions. Here’s one of the biggest takeaways from the session.
The Best Way to Stay Up to Date on All the Instagram Changes
Navigating the ever-changing landscape of Instagram can feel like a whirlwind, with updates and announcements coming at us from every direction. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, is always discussing new features and offering tips for creators, aiming to keep followers informed about the latest developments on the app.
With what seems like never-ending updates and social media “gurus” always talking about the algorithm, it can get overwhelming. Brock spoke to the frustration many agents and entrepreneurs feel when trying to keep up with it all:
Your job is to help people buy and sell homes. Your job is not to become an Instagram expert. Yet I understand why trying to grow on social media, trying to grow on Instagram, makes you feel like you have to be a social media expert. And that sucks because that’s not what you signed up for.
According to Brock, you have a few options to navigate this challenge:
- Try to become your own social media expert (which is a full-time job in itself).
- Seek guidance from other social media experts, (like Brock himself, by following them on social, tuning into podcasts, and subscribing to newsletters like the BAM newsletter (which is obviously a smart move).
- Hire a coach or join a membership tailored to your social media needs.
But, when it comes to perfecting the algorithm, Brock shared a little-known secret: it doesn’t actually change that often.
Stop worrying about the algorithm. Because in reality, it doesn’t change very often. I know Instagram coaches like to make these bold claims and these clickbaity titles…but the algorithm rarely changes. What changes are people’s preferences. What changes is what people are looking for.
Stop Worrying About the Algorithm—Focus on Your Followers Instead
As Brock shared, actual changes to the algorithm don’t happen that often—and when they do, they aren’t kept a secret. In fact, any significant changes are officially announced by Instagram itself. Remember when IG decided to dial back on pushing Reels last year? Yeah, that was clearly spelled out.
So, rather than fixating on the elusive algorithm, direct your focus toward understanding your audience’s desires and adapting your content accordingly. After all, it’s the ever-changing tastes and interests of Instagram users that truly drive engagement and growth.
Take time to analyze the following:
- What type of content are your followers looking for?
- What are the demographics of your followers?
- What videos and photos resonate with them?
Once you understand what your audience is looking for, lean more into that. This probably makes you wonder, “Ok, but how do I figure out what my audience wants?”
According to Brock, there’s a pretty simple strategy:
Have conversations with people. At the end of the day, you’re a person communicating with other people. Have conversations and ask genuine questions and get to know your followers and your community in order to serve them better.
When you shift your focus to serving the people who follow you, your posts will naturally be more engaging, and you’ll build authentic connections—and with that, your account will grow.
