Whether you hate or love Instagram, it is just 8 years old and one of the most downloaded apps and biggest social media platforms. If you own a small business or are someone trying to grow your following on Instagram, here are 4 trends to pay attention to this upcoming year.

1.Analytics: If you have a business profile, you can see in your Insights when the majority of your followers are on Instagram (Analytics -> Audience -> Followers). Post your content according to the time when your followers will be using the app. Everyone hates the Instagram Algorithm and thinks it hurts them, however if you are engaging and posting at the correct times you can beat the algorithm and your posts will get shown! If you can’t post during the time when your analytics tells you to do so, consider getting an app like Later and scheduling your posts.

2. Direct Messages: This is another way to beat the algorithm! Have you noticed that many influencers are saying “DM me with…” It isn’t just because they want to get to know you personally, but it also drives people to your inbox which allows you to build relationships with your followers which then in turn will increase your chances of your posts showing up on their feed.

3. Authenticity: As Jenna Kutcher becomes a household name, more and more influencers are taking her lead and becoming more authentic. This means sharing the YOU behind your business; your struggles, wins and how you got there, and personal life. Yes it is hard, but if people can connect with you they will trust you with their business.

View this post on Instagram

New year, new goals. Last year I didn’t accomplish all my goals. I didn’t match the salary I was making before. I don’t tell you this to pity me and hopefully you don’t think less of me, but to encourage you. Not reaching all your goals doesn’t make you a failure. I took a leap and the first year of my business was met with unexpected changes of moving to a new state and big purchases that down the line will help me be able to grow. I’m proud of where I’ve come and I won’t let not making one of my many goals stop me from dreaming. I have big aspirations for 2019 and I will give it my all ✨ Pillows from @cottonandcospokane Posters from @aruskdesign Photo by @meganjamesphotography Side note, support small businesses, these ladies are amazing.

A post shared by Bekah Read (@rebekahreadcreative) on Jan 3, 2019 at 7:07am PST

4. Stickers: Stickers took the Instagram world by storm in 2018 and they will continue to be very popular this year. They are a great way to engage with your followers as you can post polls, a heart slider (to see how much people “love” what you are posting), ask a question, etc. This engages your followers and tells Instagram that people are enjoying your content. The more users interact with your stories, the higher the chance is that your posts will show up in their feed.