Platforms like Instagram change their algorithms constantly, so it can be hard to keep up with the best way to beat the system, and get your posts seen. And while some tips and tricks might be more about making your feed look good (changing the font in your Instagram bio, for example), others yield more concrete results.
Illustrator and character artist Mariana Avila has uncovered one such trick. She's discovered that Instagram favours posts that use its filters – as opposed to #nofilter or VSCO filters from elsewhere.
The problem is that many artists and illustrators are importing an image they are already happy with to Instagram, and so don't want to add an extra filter, but Avila has a way round this. She suggests using any IG filter with a low percentage. To do this, select a picture to upload in Instagram, choose a filter, and then tap that filter again. A slider will appear, and you can use it to adjust the filter strength. Go for a low strength, between 2-5 per cent should do.
(Image credit: @marianaavilal on Twitter)
It's a simple trick, but one that divided opinion on Twitter. Some people, such as @foxville_art thought the whole thing was ridiculous.
(Image credit: @foxville_art on Twitter)
While others thought it had already worked for them, and could be the reason why some of their posts do better than others.
@thedragonsen said: "Sometimes I up the brightness of my art in Instagram before posting or do some last minute touch-ups and I realise now those posts always seemed to do a little better."
While @RobbyBloom5 said the trick explained, "why some of my older posts got so much traction because I slapped filters on there".
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Others, such as @sandforte were willing to give it a go and report back.
(Image credit: @sandforte on Twitter)
When Avila saw her tweet was getting a lot of attention, she flagged up the Instagram influencer who she got the tip from, Courtney Quinn (aka @colormecourtney). See Quinn's post below.
A photo posted by @colormecourtney on Aug 2, 2019 at 4:21pm PDT
Quinn also has some tips about timing, stating you should schedule your posts 15 minutes before your audience is most active. You can find out when they're online by switching to a business profile – this post on making money on Instagram shows you how.
But of course, this could all be set to change soon, as it's recently been announced that both Instagram and WhatsApp are being rebranded in order to make it clearer that they're owned by Facebook. Fingers crossed this filter hack still works on what is soon to be 'Instagram by/from Facebook'.
Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.
