OUTFIT DETAILS: Kohl's sweater // Zara turtleneck (similar style here) // Zara skirt (similar style here) // Goorin Brothers beret (similar style and price point here) // Sarah Flint heels // Fishnet socks bought in Japan (similar style here) // Olympia Le-Tan clutch

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Let's get down to business...

When I shared last week's reader survey results, a lot of you weighed in saying you were a bit, let's say, tired of influencers sharing the "business of blogging" posts unless there was something actionable and different to say about it. And I get that. I think it's safe to say at this point, most consumers of social media are aware of how influencer marketing works so you don't need another person chiming in to explain what a sponsored post is.

So, we've been there, done that, right? Moving on...

What I did find interesting is that a lot of you asked for more posts like my 10 Instagram Engagement Tips -- primarily because it was well, actionable and differentiated. I also loved the discussion that it sparked after the fact -- a lot of you sent in your own tips, like paying for Instagram likes - the best place to buy them, with the option of companies such as Buzzoid being a popular route to go down, tricks and, yes, frustrations with Instagram, making for a welcomed venting turned workshop session. Some of you also mentioned the importance of instagram story scheduling - this is definitely something I'll be covering in a future post. So in light of the recent algorithm change that went into effect around the holidays and this great write up by The Pigeon Letters that I shared over on Insta Stories, I figured I'd kick off round two. Put up your dukes, here are some recent things I've either been experimenting with myself or that I've noticed others experimenting with...

1. Aim for immediate engagement: As The Pigeon Letters points out, it's likely your posts are only being seen by a fraction of your followers at first (perhaps around 10%), so the initial immediate engagement is paramount in determining whether or not your post is shown to the rest of your followers. This means, a lot rides on those first 10 to 20 minutes after you post. If you're looking for ways to improve the engagement of some of your posts, then why not have a look for an app for instagram followers that can help your followers rise and rise?

There's a few ways to go about this, but I generally try to catch up on my feed favorites, liking and commenting as I go before I post, and then making sure I respond to all subsequent comments once I do post, as soon as I notice they're there. Side note: comment pods used to be seen as the answer to this, but rumor has it that this type of activity may actually work against you. Jury is out on that one still.

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Similarly, I've also noticed a few of my favorites who I follow (and admire!), have been leaving follow up comments themselves, tagging the brands and photographers in addition to a caption call out. I've yet to try this many times myself, but I could see how from an engagement standpoint, it might help? Have you guys tried this? I'm curious what your thoughts are on this?

2. Hashtags: As you all probably noticed recently, Instagram launched a new feature allowing folks to essentially follow a hashtag, just as you would an account. Again, in the spirit of trying out new features, there's always a hunch that by experimenting with new launches, you'll win algorithm favoring, which of course sounds like something straight out of The Hunger Games, but I digress.

While we're on the subject of hashtags, it's now rumored that follow up comments with a slew of hashtags will no longer render your post in search results related to those tags, thereby forcing you to add them to the caption itself.

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Good rule of thumb here is to use 3 to 5 and try to vary them up each time, to avoid looking like a bot. Admittedly, I'm bad at researching hashtags, so when I see relevant ones I like while scrolling, I jot them onto an ongoing note I have on my phone.

3. Image tags: This is another one that I haven't done much of, but I've noticed quite a few other influencers dabbling in it. In addition to tagging all brands worn in a certain image, I've noticed folks tagging a large number of reader submission accounts, like ootdmagazine, ootdsubmit, and ootd_inspirations, just to name a few. There's a great degree of ambiguity here as to how they select who to feature, so my advice would be selective in choosing ones that best reflect your style and aesthetic.

4. Captions as CTAs: We've talked about engaging captions before, so this may sound like old news to you. What's shifting for me now, even though I'm far from perfect at it, is to think of captions as a way of sharing a story and then ending with a direct call to action, whether that's to leave a specific answer in the comments below or to click the link in my bio to read more. Consider the following phrases the next time you're writing out your caption:

Engagement: "Double tap if you agree!"

Sharing the post: "Tag a friend who could use this today..."

Travel content: "What are your recommendations for (insert city name here)?"

Story swapping: "Leave me a comment with the (insert emoji of choice here) and tell me about a time you... "

Driving traffic: "To read more about this, head over to my blog today. Direct link in bio."

Seeking advice: "What are you guys currently reading? Any faves you'd like to recommend?"

And there you have it -- just a few quick and easy engagement tips I've noticed recently, but I'd love to hear what you guys have been seeing and experimenting with. I see that the use of an IG bot on Instagram has become more prevalent...it would be interesting to hear how well this worked in terms of engagement for any of you who have tried it. Let me know in the comments below! And, in case you missed it, check out my original 10 Instagram Engagement Tips here.

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Photos by Nora Varcho