Surely I'm not the only one that, at many times over the years, started questioning why I bothered trying to build an Instagram business after being bombarded by 'gurus' warning me that I will only succeed if I learn their method to crack the infamous "Instagram Algorithm Code".

Well let me say it loud and clear... I am sick and tired of hearing it and I call BS on the whole idea that without those "insider" tips we are all wasting our time and doomed to fail.

As a professional Instagrammer myself I finally learned to ignore all of those experts claiming that they have the inside scoop on all things algorithm and how to supposedly crack the code, so I can imagine how intimidating it must be for you as you start your journey on Instagram.

This mysterious algorithm seems to be demanding more and more from creators to the point that social media success feels impossible. Despite this information never being confirmed to have come from inside Instagram itself, ordinary Instagrammers continue to share this misinformation and hype as though it is 100% fact, and a new requirement that you could not possibly continue without making the recommended changes.

Seriously, where the hell did this idea that we need to be posting 5 in-feed posts PER DAY come from and why the hell are people still sharing it as though it's some kind of 'secret sauce'? Do you really think Instagram wants to promote an account that posts any old crap content just to get to that daily quota?

Instagram knows that to stay relevant and fight off the growing number of competitors is needs to be highlighting the best content to be found on the platform. So just because you post a lot doesn't mean Instagram will reward you. However, if your 5 times-per-day content is exceptional then you will probably get some traction. But who has that much exceptional content?

The algorithm 'gurus' and up getting some credibility by playing the system, because whether it did originate from Instagram insiders or not, enough people will share the info as though it is gospel. And the more we share it...

The more pressure builds on content creators to think that have to keep up to this outrageous standard to get results, and so they change their habits...

After they start to post more content just to try to keep up, the algorithm starts to think that everyone wants to post that often, and so they change the algorithm to favor people who post that often.

It is no secret that Instagram will reward creators for utilising its features and wants you on the app as much as possible, but even if these ridiculous content requests were true to increase your engagement I want you to ask yourself, is it really worth it?

The way that I see it there are two strong arguments against trying to keep up with that type of schedule...

1. It is highly unlikely that you have enough high-quality content to post that often. So even in the unlikely event that Instagram does promote you more, potential followers will be seeing second-rate content from you more often than not.
2. Trying to do this long-term will likely result in massive stress buildup for you and can have detrimental effects on your mental health. And I assure you, your mental health is WAY more important than the possibility of a few extra social media followers!

So don't try to keep up with unrealistic expectations and questionable "expert secrets", it stands to reason that Instagram will prefer to promote high-quality content over quantity. Anything less reflects badly on their own brand.

• The most important thing to remember about Instagram and building your brand is to only post high quality content. If you wouldn't be excited to see it show up on your feed, don't make it show up on other people's feed.
• Whether you decide to post twice per day, twice per week, or even only every second week, the secret is to be consistent so that your followers expect a new post from you at around the same time, every time.
• As I mentioned earlier, Instagram always highlights their new content delivery systems. If you use Stories and Reels, and not just still images, you have a much better chance of being given wider reach by the algorithm.
• Don't waste time panicking when you see someone yelling that you will be a loser if you don't follow the secret method they just discovered. Just stick to the 3 tips above and you will continue to do pretty well, and spare yourself the stress and extra work.