Here’s how Instagram’s algorithm works, plus how to game it for the most likes

First of all, let's all stop pretending like the whole point of Instagram is anything other than engagement. I want likes and followers, you want likes and followers. The end! The flat tummy tea rejects from Bachelor Nation can’t have all of the fun. One of the latest algorithm updates for Instagram may help you get on par with the most popular users by getting you some more likes. How does the Instagram algorithm work exactly? Suffice it to say, if you want more likes, you definitely need to take advantage of it.

According to Tech Crunch, Instagram finally explained why it got rid of the chronological feed that you used to know and love. They learned that there are three factors that determine what you see on your more personalized feed now: Interest, timeliness, and relationship. While posts from everyone you follow will still all show up on your feed, what you see first is dependent on your engagements on the app. If you like one of your friends’ posts, any subsequent posts from your friend are more likely to show up first on your feed.

So, what does this algorithm mean for you, specifically (since that’s what’s most important, after all)? Interestingly enough, one of the aspects of the new algorithm concerns with the time that a photo was posted. As Falcon.io noted, it’s more important than ever to post at the right time. More eyes on your posts means that users will be more likely to like and comment. I might be a little tricky to figure out exactly when to post, though. Hey, I never said it’d be an easy process. If you really want to find out when the best time to post is, you can use an Instagram analytics tool such as Sprout Social or Hootsuite. By testing out different times that you post, you’re bound to find the sweet spot for maximum comments and likes.

You may have to use a little math in order to find out what time your followers’ are most likely to be on the app with this method.

Of course, you can also utilize some other tried and true methods to increase your engagement if this one doesn’t float your boat. You could try asking a direct question in your caption or even starting up a giveaway of some sort. Basically, anything that gets people to like is fair game on Insta. And, before you even ask, don’t worry, you can totally thank me later for all of these life-changing tips.