Word on the Feed: The Metric That’s More Important Than Instagram Likes Right Now

In a world where likes and comments reign supreme – that’s you, Instagram – a new metric is taking top billing for post algorithm greatness.

Have you looked at your “Saves” lately?

That’s right, the little bookmark symbol is the current must-tap, or be-tapped, for brand and content creator posts on IG.

Similar to Pinterest board pinning, Instagram Saves allow users to save posts in their own private collections, essentially curated feeds only they can see. Multiple collections can be created under “Saved” for post sorting.

The more saves your post gets, the more likely it is to be seen. Saves also increase the likeliness of being found on your audience’s Discover tabs.

“But how can I get more saves?”

Think of what people like to bookmark, then plug that into your Instagram strategy.

For food, beverage and foodservice brands, saveworthy content can include infographics, essential brand info (promos, hours, announcements), recipes, demos & hacks, product posts, quotes, etc. The more evergreen, the better.

It’s not even morally “illegal” to ASK for saves in your captioning! Just don’t beg. Frame the benefit of a save to your audience and they’ll think nothing of it.