How to End Up on Instagram’s Explore Page in 2024
The Explore page is where you want to be, but how in the world do you end up there? Let us take you through the various tips and tricks to get your content on Instagram’s Explore Page.
Posted 3 months ago
Written by
Mackenzie TaylorPosted 3 months ago
Oh, the mighty, mighty Instagram Explore page. It’s the holy grail of Instagram. The Golden Ticket in Willy Wonka. It’s where you want your content to appear if you want to grow more and more on Instagram. Instagram’s algorithm has improved more and more throughout the years (although a lot of us still feel very burnt by it…), and it has gotten incredibly good at recommending content to people they would be interested in. From TV shows to poetry to new influencers to follow.
For brands and businesses, the Explore page is where they want to be, but the big question is: How in the world do you end up there? Let us take you through the various tips and tricks to get your content on Instagram’s Explore Page.
Jump to a section ✨
- 1. Evaluate your Explore page
- 2. Understand your target market
- 3. Share engaging content
- 4. Try Reels
- 5. Post when your followers are online
- 6. Set up a schedule and get a steady flow of engagement
- 7. Discover the Best Time To Post
- 8.Use relevant hashtags
- 9. Partner with influencers and brands
- 10. Add keywords to your captions
- 11. Build an active community
- 12. Run contests and giveaways
- 13. Reels and shoppable posts
- 14. Pay attention to your analytics
- 15. Abide by the rules
- 16. Instagram Explore Ads
- How frequently does the Instagram Explore page algorithm update?
- What should content creators do to end up on the Explore Page?
- How can businesses leverage the Instagram Explore Page?
- What kind of content ends up on the Instagram Explore Page?
- What’s the difference between the Instagram Explore Page and the Main Feed algorithm?
- Can you customize your Explore Page?
What is the Explore page?
The Instagram Explore page is a collection of photos, Reels, videos, and even Stories that are tailored to things Instagram believes you will want to engage with. The algorithm behind the Explore page uses AI technology to learn what content you engage with to improve the content it recommends to you.
According to Instagram, they are “working to update the types of photos and videos you see in Explore to better tailor it to you.” You can find the Explore page by tapping the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the menu. At the top of the page, you can search for other accounts, hashtags, locations, and keywords. You’ll also be able to see different categories that Instagram believes you’ll want to explore, like sports, travel, and beauty.
The best part of the Explore page? Once you click on a photo, it will open up a continuous scroll feed of content that is related to that photo.
How does the Explore page work?
Well, as we stated above, it’s based on how you interact with the app already. If you’re seeking out images of your favorite band or TV show, you will see a lot of that band and TV show on your Explore page.
According to Instagram, the content on a user’s Explore page is based on:
- The accounts that someone already follows
- What the people an account follows like
- The types of posts an account engages with most often
- Posts with high engagement
Why do you want to be on the Explore page?
The question should be, why wouldn’t you want to be on the Explore page? The main reason is that your content will get more reach and exposure by being on the Explore page.
If you end up on the Explore page, the benefits are:
- Higher engagement on the content that you have shared as your content gets shared with more people
- More conversions, if you have a call-to-action on your content
- More followers if your content is engaging enough and can convert people into following you
Now, ready to get your content seen on Explore? Of course, you do. Let’s get started:
How to get on Explore page Instagram 2024
Now, ready to get your content seen on Explore? Of course, you do. Let’s get started:
1. Evaluate your Explore page
Before you create and post content on Instagram, perform some research to know what works and what doesn’t. Dig deeper into your Explore page by asking yourself these questions:
- What type of content do users post?
- What keywords and hashtags do people use in the captions?
- What makes the posts captivating?
2. Understand your target market
You won’t be able to get new audiences onboard unless you have a good understanding of what content already engages them. Dive into the Instagram demographics to identify the target group you want to interact with on the Explore page. Learn more about the content that your audience loves and shares.
Earlier, you learned that it’s a great idea to assess your Explore page. Build on this aspect by checking the following in your business account:
- Look at the niche feeds, categories, and posts to discover techniques you can imitate.
- What tone is relatable to your audience?
- What visual styles have a great impact?
3. Share engaging content
To ensure your content outshines others, you need to know how Instagram’s Explore page works. The app’s algorithm curates content and determines what posts to distribute due to two primary factors:
- The type of posts you have previously engaged with
- Your engagement with the content in terms of shares, likes, and comments.
As a result, creating appealing content is the chief way to get your content on the Instagram Explore page.
While this seems like a no-brainer, it’s definitely important for us to highlight. Always make sure that you’re sharing content that you know your niche audience is going to like and engage with! If you want to land on the explore page, engagement is the #1 way to get there. Go through past photos and videos to see what caused the biggest engagement on your feed. Was it a photo? Video? Were you giving tips and tricks? Was it a styling post? Something that was more real and BTS? Give your audience what it wants, get the engagement you need, and you might start seeing your posts on the Explore page.
4. Try Reels
Newsflash: Instagram wants (and needs!) Reels to do well, so they are pushing HARD to make sure that people use them. So what does that mean? With that push, they’re also pushing more and more Reels onto the Explore page.
Not only that, Reels has its own dedicated tab, and if you’re discovered and go viral in the tab, the chances of you ending up on the Explore page are incredibly high.
Beware though: Instagram does mark down those who have the TikTok watermark on their video. Thankfully for all of us, TikTok now lets people download videos without a watermark. Yay!
💡 Flick’s tip: Want to jump on a trending video to help boost your reach? Try Flick’s Viral Trends Suggestions! You will get instant access to current trending audio, image memes, and video memes to recreate. Our AI Assistant will even give you ideas tailored to your brand on how to make the trend. Try for FREE today!
5. Post when your followers are online
Spoiler alert: Post when your followers are online. I know, wild concept. Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes timeliness and quick engagement when someone posts, so making sure that you’re actually posting when your followers are active is going to be key. ICYMI: We broke down the best times to post on Instagram here, and you can see the best times to post for your own personal account by using Flick.
6. Set up a schedule and get a steady flow of engagement
A key to getting onto the Explorer page is consistency. The Instagram algorithm wants to see that you are an active poster who is going to bring a steady flow of content to its users. That’s why you want to make sure that you are always posting. But, let’s be honest, not everyone has time to sit on Instagram and set up posts all day. That’s where Flick’s Scheduler tool comes in.
Flick’s Scheduler makes it easy for you to post consistently, helping put you on the Explore page
With Flick’s Scheduler, you simply create your posts and then send them to the schedule app to be posted at the times when you will get the best engagement.
Now you can create an account that brings consistent content to the platform. Instagram will see that you are an active poster and will likely push some of your best engagement posts onto the Explorer page.
Create a batch of posts
To make things easy for you, the Scheduler allows you to batch schedule your posts. That means that you can schedule one or two weeks’ worth of posts and you are done. As you can see, with the right tools, creating an active Instagram account is easier than you would expect!
Optimizing your schedule
While there are other apps out there that let you schedule your Instagram posts, Flick goes a step further and helps you figure out the best time to post your content. This gives you a major edge on getting onto the Explorer page. Now, let’s take a look at how you can optimize your posting times!
7. Discover the Best Time To Post
After posting for a month or so with Flick’s scheduler, you will begin to get a good idea of which posting times are going to be your best performers. For some people, posting during the afternoon will work better. For others, posting at night will lead to the best engagement.
Flick’s Best Time to Post will show you when your posts are likely to get the best engagement
Flick’s Best Time to Post feature will analyze your account’s audience analytics to highlight the best times to post your content. The system uses a one to five-star system with five stars being the best time for you to post.
Making the most of Best Time To Post
Now that you know when you should post for the next week, scheduling all of your content becomes easier than ever. You should see your overall engagement rate go up. This will make you more attractive in the eyes of the Instagram algorithm and increase your chances of getting on the Explorer page.
Here’s an example:
Let’s say that you are posting three times a day using Flick’s scheduler function. You are posting in the morning, noon, and night to test the best time of day to post. After a week, the Best Time to Post feature tells you that you are getting the best engagement at night and the poorest engagement in the morning.
With that knowledge in mind, you can schedule the majority of your posts at night. This should boost your overall engagement rate. From there, The Best Time to Post feature will tell you exactly what time of night you are getting top engagement.
The great thing about the Best Time To Post feature is that it reduces the time it takes to get your Instagram engagement off the ground. Instead of waiting over a year to get some traction, you can optimize your account right away and begin to see positive results.
Pro tip: Be sure to engage with the people who leave comments on your top posts. Your audience will be more likely to come back to your account if they know that you are reading and responding to their comments. To help get the most “bang for your buck,” focus on responding to posts that get the best engagement.
As you can see, Flick’s Best Time To Post feature can transform the way that you engage with your audience and lead to transformative growth for your Instagram account.
8.Use relevant hashtags
One of the crucial ways you can get on the Explore page is by geotagging, account tags, and hashtagging your content. Most of the time, people use the Explore page to search hashtags, locations, and accounts. One of the best features on Instagram currently is being able to follow a specific hashtag. If you choose hashtags well, your content can appear on someone’s feed if they follow that hashtag.
Account tags also provide a way for you to reach new audiences. Your post will appear on the user’s page under the “tagged” tab. So, if you tag a restaurant, store, or anything else, anyone who is looking up that Instagram account can be able to see your content too.
The more reach and engagement you get from your posts, the more likely they will end up on the Explore page of Instagram. Hashtags, geotags, and account tags will all help you reach new people and increase your engagement. Need help with a hashtag finder for your content, why not try a 7-day free trial with Flick?
How to locate the right hashtags
To get onto the Explorer page, you need to have the right hashtags. This can be a challenge because you need to figure out which hashtags are going to work best with a given post. Flick makes it easy to find those winning hashtags with its popular Hashtag Finder.
Flick’s Hashtag Tool shows you which hashtags are likely to lead to better engagement rates
The hashtag tool will show the competition and opportunity that each hashtag offers. Therefore, you can know which hashtags will be winners before you put them into your post. This will give you a huge edge over your competitors who are guessing which hashtags will work best for them.
The Hashtag Tool will even give you an estimate of the average likes that a hashtag will deliver for your post. As you know, more likes mean more engagement. Before you know it, you will have a grouping of hashtags that will help make your posts take off!
9. Partner with influencers and brands
You can leverage the power of influencer marketing to get your content in front of thousands of people. An influencer is an individual with over 1000 followers, and Instagram is a great platform to begin an influencer marketing campaign. Influencers already have an engaged fanbase, which you can tap into to promote your brand.
Another great thing about influencers is that they know the type of content their audience loves. You can partner with them to create and share highly engaging posts on your Explore Page.
10. Add keywords to your captions
Ensure you include keywords in your captions to enable the Explore Page’s algorithm to grasp your content. Effective Instagram captions usually include:
- An attention-grabbing line introduces the subject that makes people want to learn more
- A crystal-clear call-to-action, like asking your readers to sign up for a newsletter
- Easy-to-understand language
- A consistent brand voice that makes you stand out
11. Build an active community
Instagram lets you connect with like-minded people, so you can take advantage of this feature to build your own community. You can engage with other brands and creators in the DMs or comments sections.
Remind your audience to turn on their notifications so they’ll be kept in the loop when you post content updates. Keeping your brand community engaged prompts Instagram to recommend it to people who are likely to follow and like your posts on the Explore page.
12. Run contests and giveaways
Want more engagement on Instagram? Consider giveaways and contests to improve interactions, reach a wider audience, and get on the Explore Page. They can also help you get more comments, likes, and shares if they are related to Instagram content.
For example, you can promote a photo contest where you ask your audience to share a photo related to your brand or product. Or you can request them to create a caption for a post and reward the winner who has a creative description. You can offer them a product or service.
13. Reels and shoppable posts
According to the latest findings, 93% of customers said that videos helped them make purchases and were the preferred content type for social media brands. And it’s no wonder Instagram is one of the top social media platforms where customers can find the latest services and products through video marketing.
In addition, 64% of buyers bought something online because of the impact of videos. So video is the best content format to get your brand on the Explore Page, and Reels leverages the power of visuals to hook and delight your followers. It’s effective because it has its own topic bar at the top, and Instagram always pins it for the user.
Shopping posts are also hot on Instagram, as more people head to the social media platform to hunt for them. The Explore Page displays shopping posts in the user’s feed. According to Facebook, the following tips can help you improve user engagement:
- Creating and sharing original content
- Bringing out the real you in your videos: letting your personality shine
- Keeping a consistent theme across your platform
14. Pay attention to your analytics
As mentioned above, see which of your content is resonating with your audience and the best way to do that? By checking your analytics! You can see all the metrics and what each metric means by checking out our full guide to get started.
When you go through your analytics, see which posts are getting the most reach, impressions, and engagement overall. Focus on what types of posts they are and be sure to create content that is similar to boost the engagement on your account.
You can check to see if your content has hit the Explore page by going to that specific post on Instagram and clicking “View Insights.” It will then tell you how much your reach and engagement came from the Explore tab. If you notice that it’s high, start creating more and more content similar to what hit the Explore page and you’ll keep reaching that tab.
Use an analytics tool
If you are looking to take your Instagram account to the next level, then you need to be able to analyze your account performance. With Flick’s Analytics tool, you can track the performance of your account in one easy-to-read dashboard.
Flick’s Analytics Tool gives you a quick snapshot of your post’s overall engagement and performance.
The Analytics Tool gives you a wealth of data to help refine your posts. This includes your top-performing hashtags, the time it takes for your posts to rank, and the overall engagement of each post. With this information, you can further refine your posting strategy and put yourself in a better position to land on the Explorer page.
15. Abide by the rules
Playing by community guidelines is vital to ensuring you get on the Explore Page without hassle. Here are some things to consider:
- Don’t post content that encourages violence, self-harm, or is sexually suggestive.
- Shoddy content or overpromising posts on finance or health, like unfounded cures or money schemes with 1000% profit.
- Avoid spammy giveaways, clickbait, or engagement bait.
- Don’t share content whose source is unclear, or lacks credibility, or originality.
- Misleading or false content that experts or government bodies have dismissed, like vaccine misinformation.
Violating these rules can make it extremely difficult for your content to appear on the Explore page.
16. Instagram Explore Ads
I know, I know. But spending money on ads is super helpful with getting your content in front of the most amount of users possible. And if you really want to be on the Explore page, you can easily do so by purchasing an ad on the Explore page.
Now, I should point out that these ads won’t land you directly in the Explore feed grid, but they put you in the scrollable feed of photos and videos that appear when someone clicks on a post.
Harness the Power of AI to Get on the Explore Page
Getting on the Instagram Explore page can be a challenge but it isn’t impossible to do. Making sure to check your analytics, create content that your audience is going to engage in (through powerful tools like an AI-fueled Content Generator), and use relevant tags will help you get on that page and in the eyes of more and more users.
Frequently Asked Questions
How frequently does the Instagram Explore page algorithm update?
Instagram regularly fine-tunes its Explore Page algorithm to ensure users receive the most relevant and engaging content. While the exact frequency of updates isn’t publicly disclosed, Instagram aims to keep the Explore experience fresh and dynamic.
What should content creators do to end up on the Explore Page?
Content creators can enhance their chances of featuring on the Explore Page by producing high-quality, engaging content aligned with their niche. Utilizing popular hashtags, posting at peak times, and fostering meaningful interactions with followers can also boost visibility on the Explore feed.
How can businesses leverage the Instagram Explore Page?
Businesses can capitalize on the Explore Page by crafting visually appealing and relevant content that resonates with their target audience. Utilizing Instagram’s advertising features and collaborating with influencers can further amplify brand exposure on the Explore feed, driving valuable engagement and conversions.
What kind of content ends up on the Instagram Explore Page?
Content that elicits strong user engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares, tends to perform well on the Explore Page. Additionally, visually striking imagery, captivating videos, and trending topics often capture users’ attention and increase the likelihood of content appearing on the Explore feed.
What’s the difference between the Instagram Explore Page and the Main Feed algorithm?
While both algorithms prioritize content based on user interests and engagement, the Explore Page algorithm focuses on surfacing content from accounts users may not follow but would find engaging. In contrast, the main feed algorithm prioritizes content from accounts users follow, along with sponsored posts and content deemed relevant by Instagram.
Can you customize your Explore Page?
While users cannot directly customize the content displayed on their Explore Page, Instagram’s algorithm adapts over time based on user interactions and interests. Engaging with posts, exploring diverse content, and following new accounts can influence the types of content showcased on the Explore feed.
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