All you need to know about Instagram Pods and how to use them to your advantage.

When Instagram changed the personal feeds from chronological to algorithm-based Instagram Pods began appearing. To ‘trick’ the algorithm, users in an Instagram Pod would comment and like each other’s photos seconds after sharing them. The quick activity would deem the post as relevant and therefore more likely to appear on someone’s feed.

So in 2018 when Instagram changed their algorithm again, further prioritizing content that fans like and comment on, Instagram Pods resurfaced. While some deem the activity as fraudulent, others believe it’s an important strategy. Either way, Instagram Pods work, and by the looks of it, they aren’t disappearing anytime soon. 

What are Instagram Pods?

Also referred to as comment/engagement pod, Instagram Pods are groups of 10-15 like-minded users that collaborate to increase activity on posts. When an individual shares a post with the group, members must engage with it by commenting on it and liking it. For the actual comments, Instagram Pods will usually outline a simple set of rules, such as: must be longer than 4-words as to not look like spam. The activity tricks the algorithm into believing the post is important, making it more likely to be seen by followers, show up on the Explore page, go viral, etc. 

How do they work?

Instagram Pods are exclusive and invitation only. They are very hard to find or become apart of; groups are generally kept secret so that they don’t hurt the member’s image. Though most are hard to join, they are easy to create by simply gathering a group of friends or like-minded people.

Due to Instagram recognizing this activity, Pods can no longer communicate on the Instagram platform. Instagram now tracks the activity and penalizes you for being apart of one. Instead, many groups communicate via Telegram. 

Things to Consider Before Joining an Instagram Pod

1. Join a group that shares similar content as you. The smaller the niche the better.
2. Find one that isn’t too active or too big. If an Instagram Pod consists of 15-20 people who all post 2-3 times a day, you will spend hours commenting on posts.
3. Understand your comfort level before joining one. It can manipulate your analytics providing you with semi-false data as the pod members may not actually be interested in your brand.
4. Some social media managers frown on Pods, so be sure you have a good reason for joining one as it can hurt your image.