The season of love is upon us and if there is one thing that all social media managers are wishing for this Valentine’s Day it’s yet another Instagram update. Okay, yes, I’d definitely prefer chocolate or a nice bottle of wine, but this update is something most of us in the field have been waiting for!

Last year, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri announced that Instagram would be returning to a chronological feed after years of debate over the user experience, and the time is finally here!

As of 2022, you will now see Instagram posts in the order they were posted, from newer to older, as you scroll through the app. Additionally, a new “Favorites” feature is being tested that allows users to create a segment of the accounts they don’t want to miss updates from — Maybe friends, family, or with a little hard work…your brand!

With this change comes a change to how users will interact on Instagram, including:

• Users may spend more time scrolling, as they switch between the chronological feed, their favorites, Reels, etc.

• Discoverability and reach will increase as scrolling increases, but engagement may taper off as a result of user fatigue and an overabundance of content.

• However, you can expect to see a rise in engagement from random followers as opposed to your brand’s biggest fans if they elect to scroll using the chronological feed.

• We also expect to see a huge spike in the use of the call to action (CTA) “add us to Favorites”

So, what can your brand do to get ahead of the curve? Create content that your followers can’t live without! Whether it’s the funniest memes, the most timely updates, or a look behind-the-scenes of their favorite business, good content will drive followers to add you to their favorites and become mega-fans. Just as sweet as those Valentine’s Day treats, right?