Guess what? It is nearing the end of the first month in 2018 and Instagram is changing their algorithm again, like many people have seen by decreased engagement on their posts from what used to work so well! 

Instagram's algorithm is a never ending game that we will never figure out but people have found strategies to get around the newest and one of the algorithm changes with the most drastic changes.

This new update to the algorithm might have totally changed the way we use, engage and post content on Instagram!

It has turned what many believed to be loopholes in the Instagram algorithm and turned them into things that can actually hurt your account, engagement and follower count.

Are you reliant on hashtags, engagement groups or "pods?" to grow your account? You might want to keep reading then!

Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms out there and also one of the most engaged platforms... meaning it is the perfect setup for growing a community around your brand, gaining a following and marketing your products or services!

Instagram makes it easy to engage with your followers through commenting, which is crucial to building a trusting community that will buy from you.

They also have one of my favorite direct message tools that makes it easy to send and respond to your direct messages. I have found this to be an unmatched sales strategy as people check and respond to their Instagram direct messages much more than they do on other platforms.

Also, Instagram allows you to create a business account that will show you your demographics and what time is the best time to post at. This is a golden resource as it pretty much tells you what time to post in order to get the best engagement on your account.

Instagram is an unmatched tool for marketing when you figure out how to correctly use it... and that is the hard part! people are always looking for those "gain followers fast" strategies and there are strategies out there that help you grow but everything takes time... anything that happens "fast" is likely fake followers that might like and comment but will NEVER buy from you!

Ever since Instagram got rid of the chronological timeline, people have been trying to figure out the loopholes in the algorithm to help them grow at the same rate or even faster than they were before.

And many of them were working very well, possibly until now...

What used to be working well and now many be changing include things like engagement groups and hashtags... two of the main growth strategies so this could be a big deal!

The first thing that many people use to increase engagement are what they call "pods" or engagement groups on apps like Telegram or just in the Dm section of Instagram. In these groups, pages share their posts and everyone in the group comments and likes the picture in order to "boost" the post on newsfeeds and trick Instagram into thinking the post is performing well so they show it to more people!

Another strategy, based around hashtags, was to add up to 30 relevant hashtags in the comments section of your post in order to get more exposure and in turn get more followers!

That has actually been a really effective strategy the past year to help gain exposure but it just hasn't had the same results as it used to this year and the new algorithm might be to blame for that!

Finally, a less common, but still popular strategy, was autolikers and auto comments on Instagram posts that would comment "love this!" or "Nice Post!" on accounts to help you get exposure and while this did help, it was very "blackhat" (not the most ethical) when it came to Instagram and could even get you banned if used wrong.

How have these strategies changed with the new algorithm though?

​​While nobody REALLY knows what the Instagram algorithm is, it is mostly just speculation, there are people consistently testing things and seeing what is and isn't working.

I will start out by going over the strategies that used to work and I listed above and then move onto other things people have found with the new algorithm.

To start off, the engagement groups or "pods" that used to work, no have the potnetial to get flagged and even get you "shadow banned" or have even less exposure on your content than before if Instagram notices this type of action.

No longer are these "pods" a loophole in the system, they can actually hurt your Instagram account.

Next, in terms of hashtags... the 30 hashtags in the comment section just isn't working like it used to work. Now it seems that you could potentially get shadowbanned with that many hashtags in your captions as Instagram could mark it as spam. 

Also, hashtags show be within the caption of the post now and not the comments as they might not get put in the hashtag search if they are in the comment section.

As for the people commenting short little comments with just emojis or comments such as "nice post." Those might not even be marked as engagement on pictures anymore! Now, it appears Instagram is looking for anywhere between 3-4 words in order for it to count as engagement!

Here is a list of some of the other things people have noticed and that Instagram has changed with the new algorithm....

Liking what you see so far?

Before I get into some tips to beat this new Instagram algorithm, I wanted to tell you a little more about our community at Profiting Tools.

We are a community for entrepreneurs on their journey to success, looking for some tips, resources, tools and strategies to help multiply their results and get going down teh path to their success!

If you would like to join the community I'll include a link to follow us on Instagram and if you are looking to catch more content like this first, be sure to subscribe to our email list... which will be the second button below!

Step #1: Try dropping the engagement group and see how engagement is impacted!

Step #2: Use 5-10 (test out best number for you) hashtags and put them in the caption rather than in the comment section. Also, use hashtags that have a large following but not large enough that you will just get pushed out of the feed right away. Aim for medium sized hashtags where you have the potential to rank in the top posts.

Step #3: Start leaving comments, on posts in your niche, that are thoughtful and pose a question or give your opinion, rather than just leaving comments like "nice post!"

Step #4: Switch over your account to a business account to see engagement and data points.

Step #5: Start responding to comments within an hour of getting them to keep engagement up... to make this easier just turn on your notifications to see when people comment!

Step #6: Switch up the hashtags you use on posts, don't keep using the same ones.

Step #7: Use the stories feature to get your account to pop up more often!

Step #8: Don't change the caption within 24 hours. Also, don't delete and repost right away...

Hope you all gained a little understanding about the new Instagram Algorithm and how it can impact your business.

Look forward to hearing your comments!

Thanks again,
​Taylor

Have you tried paying for Instagram service that just don't help you grow, or just gie you fake followers that aren't engaged?

Well, you aren't alone... I was in the same boat! It actually sucks because even if they work its not at the level you thought or they are fake followers that don't really care about you, your business or your brand!

Time to change that and start getting real and engaged Instagram followers for your page! 

I have been testing out a few strategies that I found around the internet from people like Gary Vaynerchuk, and also some that I created and found some that work really well!!

So let's get started, what do you say?!

Okay, there is one misconception  that I have found when people start looking for ways to grow on Instagram...

That misconception is quantity over quality.. and that couldn't be more wrong. They think that following then unfollowing people when they follow back, posting a shit ton or boring content, or just leaving comments such as "nice post" on as many posts as they can will result in more followers for them.

Well, they obviously have never tried those things out because then they would know that they DON'T WORK! The only thing they are going to get you is some fake followers that don't give a fuck about your brand.

Just think about it, would you want to follow or even look at the profile of someone that just left a ton of emojis as a comment on your account? Probably not, they didn't take time to engage with you so why would you follow or engage with them?

Once you understand that misconception, we can move onto what you need to understand.... and that is that Instagram is a COMMUNITY of pages, not just a platform to post your content and leave it.

A community is a place where you comment and engage with others in your niche, build relationships, and they will do the same for you!

Focus on this and the whole game of Instagram will change... Instead of just posting pictures and hashtags then leaving the app, try building relationships with those in your niche!

In a few sections I will get into my favorite strategy I will go over some of the other strategies that I have used in the past and that still work when trying to grow organically on Instagram.

The first strategy is the simple hashtag strategy which has actually changed with the new Instagram algorithm... Two approaches here to try out, it used to be adding 30 hashtags related to your niche in the comments of your post.. 

But with the new algorithm change many people have found this not working, instead they are saying the new update is having 5 niche hashtags in the caption work the best.

Try out both strategies and let me know what works and what doesn't... would love to hear some feedback!

The other strategy that has worked very well for me is shoutout for shoutouts with larger and similar sized accounts.

You can either pay for shoutouts by going to large accounts, paying them a fee and creating an ad for their page (video ads work best) for them to promote! This way results in much faster growth but can cost a couple hundred dollars for a couple posts on these larger pages!

The other way is to find similar size accounts and exchange a shoutout on your page for a shoutout on their page.. just make sure they have an engaged following and aren't just getting a couple likes per post!

Before I get to explaining one of my favorite strategies for growing organically on Instagram, on that I have been personally using... I would love to invite you to join the community for entrepreneurs over on our Instagram Page!

If you like this type of content then you will love our Instagram community as we are contently sharing tips, tricks and resources for growing on social media!

Click the button below and join us on Instagram!

And if you are looking for more content like this, stay tuned for when I drop more on the blog by being the first to hear in my newsletter!

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Okay so now for the good part! How to get real and organic Instagram followers... this is one of my favorite strategies that I have been testing out on both the @profitingtools Instagram and the other accounts I own (@entrepreneur_motion, @wealthyunion and @rules2riches).

This strategy is super simple actually and I combined it with Gary Vaynerchuk's commenting strategy about leaving real comments on the top 9 posts in 10 niche hashtags...

It just takes some time but so does everything else that works in business!

So here are the steps to the strategy....

Step #1: Make sure you are following almost strictly larger accounts or people in your Instagram and business niche...

Step #2: Go to the 10 top hashtags in your niche (or more if you want) and press the follow button to allow top posts in those hashtags to appear in your newsfeed.

Step #3: Go into your newsfeed where there should be recent posts for large accounts you are following, smaller accounts in your niche and then some random posts that are in the hashtags you are following.

Start engaging in your newsfeed by liking and then leaving REAL comments that you put time into on the posts... Don't just be like "great post" relate it to your life, share advice, share a story, comment on something specific... this is the key and how you create relationships/ grow an organic following.

Step #4: After that, go to 10 hashtags related to your niche, some larger and some medium sized hashtags and engage with the 9 featured posts in those hashtags... and this is Gary Vaynerchuks $1.80 strategy because you are leaving your "2 cents" on 90 posts!

Step #5: Choose another hashtag in your niche, it can be one you have already used... then start going down the feed of most recent posts and leaving your comments on their posts and starting conversations. Just like in step #3!

This is hands down the best strategy to grow organically on Instagram and here is why:

First off, it works a little quicker than trying to organize and arrange a handful of shoutouts for your account everyday or week.

Also, it really hammers down the community aspect of Instagram as these comments can lead to conversations and even business deals. In return, many people start to leave comments like this on your post because you engaged with them!

Finally, it helps you build relationships on this platform by getting to know and connecting with other accounts in your niche. It is all about your relationships in business so start building them!

Thank you for all of the support guys and I hope you learned something and will apply this strategy! Let me know what kind of results you get with it. Stay tuned for more tips, tools and strategies like this!

Thanks again for the support,
​Taylor

Feeling a little stuck with what to do in order to make money online, but you know deep down that a job just isn't for you?

I know the feeling, it's a hard one and many just end up never really pursuing anything and having to go back to work for someone else doing something that they hate!

That is not the goal of the Profiting Tools community at all... I want to help you, "young" entrepreneurs find out how to actually start making money and profiting online. 

So, I am starting with this blog post, in a series of many blogs (free of course) that will help you learn how to become an entrepreneur online and start finding strategies that work for you in order to sell and start seeing real money come in through your entrepreneurial endeavors.

The focus of this first blog is going to be how to learn not just the skills and lessons you need to become an entrepreneur, but also the mindsets... which is one of the most important aspects!

If you are looking to stay informed on when the new blogs drop on more specific strategies and ways to make money online then click the link below and join the newsletter where you will be the first to hear about the new blog posts!!

Businesses used to cost a small fortune to get up and running. It used to costs thousands of dollars just to start a website, which you can now do for just a couple dollars using services like WEEBLY website designs (what I personally use at the moment).

No, with the advancement of the internet, many people are seeing how cheap a business can be started for very little or even no money and they are even more interested at the potnetial that chasing their passions can bring them.

So, how can you "start an online business with no money?"

​Well, there are many options that you can go for, all depending on your personality type and the type of business you are looking to run!

Here are some options on the platforms you can use in order to start your online business with no money:

• An Instagram store business around something that you are passionate about (ex: Shoes)
• A Weebly website for your blog, products, services, etc
• You can create a Facebook group or page for your products
• You can create a YouTube Channel
• And much, much more!

Those were just a few of the options on how to get your business started online because we are going to be focusing more on that in the next blog post...

This post is going to be solely focused on building that business foundation you need in order to get started.

That includes learning the lessons, learning about business and just figuring out who can teach you the skills you need in order to be successful in business.

You don't want to just jump into business without a foundation and a plan, this will save you sooo much time and money down the road if you invest in yourself at the beginning!

So you are "young" right now, not necessarily 18 but just looking to start your entrepreneurial journey... what is the most important thing you can be doing?

Well, there are two things that I did when starting my business that helped me a ton so far!

So, if you are looking to become an entrepreneur at 18 years old or just looking to become one in general, here is what you should start out focusing on....

​Just start working on SOMETHING related to what you are passionate at the moment... whether that is starting a YouTube channel around your favorite activity or a social media page around your passions.

Start doing something that helps you build skills as well as a name for yourself in an industry! Focus on getting attention and growing a following and there is so much you can do with that then!

The second thing to focus on is LEARNING!

This is probably the most important thing to be focused on because it is going to save you time and money in the long run!

Imagine being able to know what is going to work (or is likely to work) and what isn't in business. Or being able to learn how the most successful people in their industries got there.

Well that is exactly what you will do once you start researching and learning about business and entrepreneurship! So, how exactly do you start doing this though?

Well, there are a few ways!

The first is to start reading books, I try and read two per week, which is not crazy at all... you just have to make reading a habit and you will learn soooo much about life and business. Just read fro an hour or two in the morning and/ or at night and see the difference it can make in your life!

The next way, is through podcasts such as the MFCEO Project by Andy Frisella, The School of Greatness by Lewis Howes, The Tai Lopez Show and the Gary Vee Audio Experience by Gary Vaynerchuk, just to name some of my favorites!

The final way to learn, probably the most effective is through online courses... Yes they aren't free but a small investment in the beginning can make all of the difference as you will learn exactly what others have done and their best strategies to maximize sales and success!

The online courses are also niche specific usually so they allow you to learn and then apply the strategies right away!

Other than through podcasts like I listed above, this is hands down the best way to learn entrepreneurship online...

That is from people who have been where you are and found success. That is exactly the people you want to be learning from, buying books from and buying courses from!

By learning from a top rated mentor as well as a trusted online mentor, you know you are getting the best content for your money!

I know may of you aren't going to like to hear this because a ton of people are always looking for that "free content to learn entrepreneurship" or strategies... but a majority of the free content out there is only a taste of what hat mentor actually teaches.

To get the full strategy and learn the most, you are going to have to pay for a few courses, which are well worth an investment in yourself because that is always the best investment!

Learning business and entrepreneurship is a journey and a process that we have to start to love... We never stop learning so why not find a way to make it fun and enjoyable?

That is what our community at Profiting Tools is all about, bringing together millennial entrepreneurs and those chasing their passions, and creating a community of growth. Helping find and connect you with resources, tools, strategies, lessons and support for your entrepreneurs journey!

Add us on Snapchat: profitingtools or follow the links below to join our community and get the support you need on the journey to success!

Looking to start reading more in 2018? Hopefully trying to make it a habit, as it will be one of the best habits you create? This is the book I started the year out with and I wanted to share a little about it!

Essentially, The Tribe of Mentors, by Tim Ferriss, is a collection of some of the best lessons and advice from countless pro athletes, celebrities, CEOs and entrepreneurs!

Tim created a list of 10 essential questions to ask each person, in order to gain an insight on success, money, health, business and more from each of these successful people!

This book is a guide of their answers to those questions.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the book since it was just a book about the same 10 questions over and over again, just to different people!

But, I was really surprised with the book after finishing it as I gained new insight about so much in life as well as strategies for business and life that I had never heard before, even after reading like 2 business books per week last year!

If you are looking to learn some more about this book, or read some reviews of it (highly recommend before buying any book) then there is a link below to the Amazon page so you can snag your copy! (Yes, it is an affiliate link) :)

1. You will learn from top CEOs, such as the CEO of Spotify as well as celebrities such as Ben Stiller... even one of my favorite online mentors, Gary Vaynerchuk.
2. You will get the best books that each person recommends and why, leaving you with hundreds of options for all life senarios.
3. You will get actionable advice and strategies from each person for business/ life.
4. You will get life advice, probably the most important thing in this book, from the top minds about how they got there and their mindsets!
5. You will get advice on the one thing under $100 that each person found most effective in their life!
6. You will be learning from those farther along the path of life than you, essentially saving yourself time and money down the road!
7. And much more!!!

So, if you are interested now there is another affiliate button below to learn more, read some reviews and then grab your copy for the cheapest price on Amazon:)

Are you looking to really succeed? Find practices and strategies that will help you get 10x the results? Or just looking to learn more than you can through books and podcasts?

How about a more in depth approach through video mentorship?

This was a situation that I was facing as well until I stumbled across the secret Academy!

I felt like some podcasts were selling me short or books were to basic and was looking for something that would go in depth and also have a video course where the mentors could SHOW ME how to do something in a more hands on way!

Well that is exactly what the Secret Academy and Secret Entourage can do! I was following their pages on Instagram for a while because of their great content but never really looked into it that much until I was stuck as I explained above.

The Secret Academy is a group of hundreds of the top entrepreneurs, across all industries, giving video lessons, mentorship and more!

In the course they take you through a three step process in order to build a profitable business:

Step 1: They build your mindset up and help you become more self aware, something that you really can't beat! This allows better decision making, more motivation, more happiness/ fulfillment and more business success down the road!

Step 2: They help you find the correct business formula to help you launch and start growing your business quickly!

Step 3: They give you a support system of some of the top mentors (as mentioned above) as well as a network of other entrepreneurs like us in their community!

So, if you are looking to take on this amazing opportunity, I would really appreciate if you followed the affiliate link below by clicking the button to support the blog as well as become a more successful entrepreneur!!

1. They can help you build the mindset you need to find happiness, success and fulfillment in life.
2. They will help you become more self aware.
3. They will help you earn the business strategies that will take you to the next level and help you start a successful business.
4. They will teach you the lessons that these entrepreneurs have learned over the last decades of them being in business!
5. You will become part of a community all focused around finding success in business!

You always hear the saying "you are the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most" but you ever really know where to find these "better people" to associate with... well here is your chance to do just that!

I hope you all loved the blog and am looking forward to continuing the series of how to become an entrepreneur online with the upcoming blog posts!

Thanks again,
Taylor