What is social commerce? Definition, examples, stats
Social commerce is the use of a social platform for e-commerce sales, and it's huge: By 2027, it's projected to drive $604 billion in sales.
For the first time since 2016, Instagram users can opt to view their feed chronologically rather than based on the platform’s algorithms. The new dropdown menu under the Instagram logo allows users to choose between two additional feed filtering configurations: “following” and “favorites.” Instagram says it wants to give users greater choice and control over what they see in their feed.
Maybe it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Any changes to social media algorithms and functionality are likely to impact how brands engage with fans and reach new users.
Social feed commerce is enormously important for brands to stay relevant and compete. Chronological feeds can be a brand’s best friend.
Showing posts in the order in which they were posted allows social media marketing teams to optimize campaigns and targeted content by knowing not only what kinds of content customers want, but also when they will most likely be online and most likely to engage with that content.
When algorithms become a screener for all content and shuffle posts out of chronological order, it can mean that users take longer to find timely content, or they may not see it at all. If they do see it, the timeliness may have expired.
As with SEO teams adjusting to Google algorithm updates, so marketing teams must adapt to changes like Instagram moving to the “Home,” “Following,” and “Favorites” feed options. And, as always, new changes and challenges present new opportunities.
First, let’s go over the basics of what Instagram’s chronological feeds look like.
What are Instagram’s “following” and “favorites” feeds?
Here’s a quick breakdown of the difference between the new Instagram feed options:
- Home is the feed driven by algorithms that has been the only option since 2016. Algorithms select and present content based on user information with the intention of driving engagement.
- Following refers to the return of the option to view your feed chronologically, the order in which content is posted, without the influence of algorithmic ranking for other reasons.
- Favorites is the feed option that allows users to view up to 50 favorited accounts, offering users another method to segment or categorize their feed.
Critics have raised concerns about social media platforms using algorithms to rank content that values engagement and clicks without regard to the nature of the content. They argue that the practice may have contributed to problems ranging from increased mental health problems among young people to extremist radicalization.
Social commerce growth: A matter of trust
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Can I set the chronological feed as the default?
The short answer is: No. Currently, the new feed settings cannot be made the default for your Instagram account. The algorithm-driven “Home” setting remains the default feed option. Users must manually choose to change their feed to “Following” (chronological) or “Favorites” settings.
Ultimately, the setting difference isn’t likely to impact the experience of those who don’t use Instagram very often. The most vocal group demanding a default chronological feed tend to be “power users” of the platform.
How to switch to Instagram’s chronological feed
So, how do you change your feed from the algorithmic “Home” feed to the chronological “Following” feed?
At the top of the app (this doesn’t work on the desktop/browser version), you’ll see the Instagram name logo in the upper left. Next to that is a down arrow indicating a dropdown menu. Tap on the arrow to drop the menu. You should see this:
Tap your chosen feed type and scroll your timeline, relatively algorithm-free.
Tapping “Favorites” will allow you to curate a list of up to 50 accounts to narrow your core list of content creators.
Remember, you’ll have to choose your feed type each time you open the app. It’s a clever move by Instagram to create just a little bit of friction, a slight inconvenience, that may perhaps wear on users so that leaving their feed to the algorithms—therefore more scrolling, greater engagement, and more ads—is just easier.
But, users still have the choice. It would be interesting to see the metrics to gauge whether interest in the chronological feed sustains or wanes over time.
Like and buy: How to strike gold with social commerce
Social platforms provide brands with a unique window to meet shoppers where they are most engaged. Find out how brands can build a profitable social commerce strategy.
Instagram chronological feed: Optimizing for engagement
Ultimately, the interest (or lack thereof) in using the chronological “Following” feed will play an important role in how brands can optimize profiles for engagement.
When Instagram feeds are set to chronological and users see posts in the order they are posted, social media marketing campaigns can target certain days, times, and frequencies to post content to maximize reach and engagement at more accurate times.
However, when algorithmic social feeds sort, rank, and prioritize posts for users to engage with, Instagram marketing strategies have to create and share relevant content for algorithms at least as much as for the humans it’s intended to reach. No doubt, this can make reaching the right customer at the right time, in the right place, with the right message a lot more challenging in real time.
One way to capture more branded search intent is to use Instagram account branded hashtags to reach people searching for your brand.
Marketers who are nimble and rapidly adapt to changes like the return of Instagram’s chronological feed will win competitive edge.
