The Chronological Feed is back at Instagram - here are my thoughts
For those of us who were the first to fall in love with Instagram back in 2014 or so… we remember a very different platform than what is around today. Some of those memories I’m happy to see go away… pictures of everything you ate… weird hued filters… and bad photography are thankfully a thing of the past for the most part.
But there was one aspect that was beloved by many… the chronological Instagram feed. This feed allowed us to see in real time what was happening on Instagram from everyone you followed, not just by the few the gods of Instagram deemed desired.
Ever since the disappearance of the beloved chronological feed, people have been crying for its return, dreaming of thousands of organic likes, and seeing more accounts.
But not me.
Why? Did I not love the old style Instagram? Do I not want to have more control over what I see and when? Sure. But the reality is that dreamy golden age of Instagram is gone. It’s not coming back with a chronological feed and its not coming back with the perfect marketing strategy either.
After YEARS of being programmed on how to absorb content on Instagram our behaviors are simply NOT the same. What you think you want is not what chronological can actually deliver. And now the proof is out there.
With old Instagram, people posted frequently if not feverishly and worked hard to post at just the right time to be seen by the masses… when was the last time you did that?
With old Instagram, people stayed active and engaged on the platform often having full discussions and making meaningful connections just in the comments alone… when was the last time you did that?
The reality is, behavior has changed. And now that the chronological feed is back at Instagram, it's not a return to the Golden Age. It's a bit of a cringe worthy look at the infrequency of posting that has happened on the platform.
In reality, my “Following” feed as its called, is often able to be consumed in about 5 minutes before I again hit what I’ve already seen.
Okay, I get it. This is not my usual inspiring commentary and can do attitude so let’s find the plus. The plus is that whether someone uses the Following feed or the Home feed, quality content posted on a realistically consistent schedule with active engagement is STILL the best plan for marketing on Instagram. Period.
The rest is just more noise feed to us by Instagram to keep us off TikTok. So keep at it! You’ve got this!
