9 strategies and tactics to outsmart the Instagram algorithm

Based on what we know about how the algorithm works and what we’ve seen firsthand at Sprout, growing your reach and engagement is possible in the face of the algorithm.

Below is a snapshot of the strategies and tactics you should employ if you want to guarantee that more people see your content.

1. Step up your photo quality
According to Instagram themselves, ranking higher in your followers’ feeds goes hand in hand with creating “great content.”

No-brainer, right? Except what constitutes “good content” is in the eye of the beholder and doesn’t give us many specifics.

Regardless, there’s no denying that the most-liked and shared content on Instagram is oftentimes visually striking.

Bold colors. Breathtaking landscapes. The sort of stuff that gets people to stop in their tracks and smash “Like.”

If you’re already creating eye-popping content, you’re ahead of the curve.

And if not, you may want to think about producing some professional visuals from time to time. Even if you’re in a seemingly “boring” industry, high-quality photos are an expectation rather than an exception to the rule.

Also, consider that there are tons of Instagram apps out there like VSCO which can give your imagery a more professional vibe on a budget.

How has the Instagram algorithm changed in 2019?

We need to talk about the Instagram algorithm.

And if just seeing the word “algorithm” freaks you out, we get it.

Many brands were absolutely rocked by the 2018 Facebook algorithm update that resulted in a nosedive of organic reach.

Meanwhile, you may have noticed that your Instagram content hasn’t scored the same engagement as it did in the past.

This has rightfully left brands wondering: what’s the heck is going on with the Instagram algorithm? Are we going to see a repeat of last year’s Facebook frenzy?

In this guide, we’ll break down the state of the Instagram algorithm as we know it. We’ll likewise dive into some specific strategies and tactics to ensure that you’re maximizing your organic reach as the algorithm continues to

To better understand the present day Instagram algorithm, let’s turn back the clock.

NASA's First Planetary Defense Technology Demonstration to Collide with Asteroid in 2022

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) – NASA’s first mission to demonstrate a planetary defense technique – will get one chance to hit its target, the small moonlet in the binary asteroid system Didymos. The asteroid poses no threat to Earth and is an ideal test target: measuring the change in how the smaller asteroid orbits about the larger asteroid in a binary system is much easier than observing the change in a single asteroid's orbit around the Sun. Work is ramping up at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and other locations across the country, as the mission heads toward its summer 2021 launch – and attempts to pull off a feat so far seen only in science fiction films.

Observing Didymos

To navigate the DART spacecraft to its intended target – a binary asteroid that consists of a small moon (Didymos B) orbiting a larger body (Didymos A) – scientists need to understand how the system behaves. Scientists have been making efforts to observe Didymos from Earth since 2015, and now, an international campaign coordinated by Northern Arizona University’s Cristina Thomas, DART’s Observing Working Group Lead, is making critical observations using powerful telescopes worldwide to understand the state of the asteroid system before DART reaches it. Current observations will help researchers to better understand the extent of the impact made when DART slams into its target – Didymos B – in September 2022.

The most recent observation campaign took place on Cerro Paranal in northern Chile, where scientists viewed Didymos using the Very Large Telescope, which is run by the European Southern Observatory. The “VLT” comprises four telescopes, each with 8.2-meter mirrors; two of them were used in the recent observations.

Epstein abuse probe steadfast despite his death

The FBI and the Justice Department's inspector general's office will investigate how Jeffrey Epstein died in an apparent suicide Saturday, while the probe into sexual abuse allegations against the well-connected financier remains ongoing, officials said.

Epstein, accused of orchestrating a sex-trafficking ring and sexually abusing dozens of underage girls, had been taken off suicide watch before he killed himself in a New York jail, a person familiar with the matter said.

Attorney General William Barr, in announcing the investigation, said he was "appalled" to learn of Epstein's death while in federal custody.

"Mr. Epstein's death raises serious questions that must be answered," Barr said in a statement.

Epstein was found unresponsive in his cell Saturday morning at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Fire officials received a call at 6:39 a.m. Saturday that Epstein was in cardiac arrest, and he was pronounced dead at New York Presbyterian-Lower Manhattan Hospital.

Epstein, 66, had been denied bail and faced up to 45 years behind bars on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges unsealed last month. He had pleaded not guilty and was awaiting trial.

The federal investigation into the allegations remains steadfast, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. He noted in a statement Saturday that the indictment against Epstein includes a conspiracy charge, suggesting others could face charges in the case.

Epstein had been placed on suicide watch and given daily psychiatric evaluations after an incident a little over two weeks ago in which he was found with bruising on his neck, according to the person familiar with the matter who wasn't authorized to discuss it publicly. It hasn't been confirmed whether the injury was self-inflicted or the result of an assault.

Jeffrey Epstein, accused sex trafficker, dies by suicide: Officials

Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced millionaire who was facing federal sex trafficking charges, died by suicide early Saturday in his Lower Manhattan prison cell, law enforcement sources and the Bureau of Prisons confirmed to 3m360 News.

Epstein hanged himself, the sources said.

He was found unresponsive in his cell at Metropolitan Correctional Center around 6:30 a.m., the Bureau of Prisons said. He transported in cardiac arrest to New York Downtown Hospital at 6:39 a.m., according to sources.

(MORE: The rise and fall of Jeffrey Epstein: A timeline of the financier's legal troubles)

Epstein, 66, was set to stand trial next year for allegedly sexually abusing dozens of girls in New York and Florida.


His death came less than three weeks after he was found unresponsive in his cell at the federal prison in Lower Manhattan, with marks on his neck that appeared to be self-inflicted, sources told 3m360 News. He was placed on suicide watch following the July 23 incident, but was not on suicide watch at the time of his death.

Epstein was arrested in July for alleged sex trafficking of girls at his Upper East Side mansion and his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Some of the charges date back to the early 2000s.

Epstein pleaded not guilty to the charges. He faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted.

Following news of his death, his alleged victims condemned his suicide and what they described as a lack of justice for them and other accusers.

"I am extremely mad and hurt thinking he once again thought he was above us and took the easy way out ... I still can't wrap my head around the fact that's really true," Jena-Lisa Jones, 30, an alleged victim of Epstein when she was 14 in Florida, said in a statement. "God will have his judgement now."

Jennifer Araoz, 32, who claimed that Epstein raped her when she was 14, called on authorities to "pursue and prosecute his accomplices and enablers.

New Movie - “MY LONDON SLAVE 🎬”

 📣Tells a Thrilling story of Ada, a medical doctor in the UK trapped in a sham marriage.
💔And the Culprit 🎩Raymond (Daniel Lloyd) a rich spoilt Lazy brat played into a murkie relationship 💣

📺Watch the twist & turns as the 📽movie critically sheads light  the endemic situation of relationships in diaspora,

#Like Follow Share
@mylondonslavemovie
@ceni_plug

In cinemas nationwide
September 6th

PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES & WHERE TO BUY THEM ONLINE

If you don't already own a pair, you may be unclear on the benefits. We'll run through a list of a few. 

So, what are prescription sunglasses? 

 Well the answer is pretty self-explanatory; they are a pair of sunglasses with your own corrective lenses built in. For people with refractive errors, they are perfect as they protect the eye from sun, whilst offering you focused vision. 

  

You can get most common prescriptions fitted into a pair of sunglasses, with the option to customize the frames to be bi-focal or light changing. Almost any pair of sunglasses can be fitted with a prescription lenses so you don't need to battle with style over substance. Gone are the awkward days of wearing two pairs of glasses come summer (sunglasses over prescription chic) or dry eyes due to excessive contact lenses use. 

Next we'll look at the best prescription sunglasses, because they are gaining in attention and are the best way to keep your eyes protected and look fashionable come the summer days. 

From Charlie Gard to separating conjoined twins: the agony of life and death decisions on the hospital frontline

The sort of impossible ethical dilemma thrown up at the start of a new BBC documentary on Great Ormond Street Hospital aired tonight, is something to which Dr Joe Brierley has become well-accustomed.

The programme follows a set of conjoined twins, Marieme and Ndeye, who have defied all medical expectations to survive to two-and-a-half-years-old. The twins are conjoined in a certain way meaning they have shared circulation but separate hearts and lungs. While Ndeye’s vital organs are healthy, Marieme’s heart is desperately weak. If she dies, her stronger sister will die with her.

As their health deteriorates the hospital – and their father, Ibrahima – are forced to discuss whether or not they should operate to separate them: perhaps prolonging one twin's life but almost certainly ending another.

As chairman of the hospital’s ethics committee, Dr Brierley, a consultant in paediatric intensive care, leads a series of discussions with colleagues and the father of the girls to determine the best way forward. It is tense, painful viewing as they consider an effective death sentence.

“As a father, how do you get your head around the fact people are even thinking like that?” says Dr Brierley, 50, himself a father of four children, one of whom has suffered their own health complications. “If a decision like this doesn’t weigh on your mind you’re in the wrong job.”

Black women on Twitter drag A$AP Rocky after old photos of him partying with White girls resurfaced

A photo was circulated online shortly after A$AP Rocky was released from prison and it was claimed that the rapper was pictured partying with some white girls shortly after regaining freedom. This angered black women and they took to Twitter to drag him.

The rapper who was locked up in jail in Sweden and faced trial for assault charges, was freed on Friday and he returned to the US on Saturday.

Boy 'Thrown' From 10th Floor Of Tate Modern Now In Stable Condition

The six-year-old boy who is believed to have been thrown from the 10th floor of the Tate Modern art gallery in London is now in a stable condition, police have said.

The child had fallen onto a fifth floor roof after dropping from the viewing platform yesterday afternoon (4 August).

He was airlifted to hospital, where his condition was initially described as critical.

However, the Met Police have now said that the child is 'no longer in a life threatening situation,' and that he is critical but stable.

They added that the 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of attempted murder remains in police custody.

"Enquiries are ongoing," the statement said.

People Watch Sea Turn Red As 23 Whales Are Killed On Faroe Islands

The pilot whales had been slaughtered for their meat and blubber, while an unborn calf had also been cut from the womb of its dead mother.

People, including young children, could be seen looking on at the bloody animals on the dockside, with many stopping to snap the dead mammals lying just metres away.

The killings are a centuries-old tradition on the Faroe Islands, known locally as a 'grind' or 'grindadrap'. It apparently helps feed the population of the remote Atlantic community over winter.

But while the Faroese claim the practice is both sustainable and regulated by law, campaign groups say it is inhumane and are calling for such hunts for banned.

Charity Sea Shepherd UK documented the killing on Friday 2 August in the bay of Hvalvik, saying this is the 10th whale hunt on the Faroe Islands this year - with 536 pilot whales slaughtered in total.

In September 2018, the charity offered the Faroe Islands €1m (£920,000; $1.1m) for 10 consecutive years with no whale hunts.
A spokesman for the campaign group said: "Over the course of the lengthy drive more and more members of the public and tourists could be seen stopping along the coastline to watch the family of pilot whales struggle and resist.

"As is often the case, the grind was swiftly becoming a social event, with parents laughing and chatting as children played on the killing beach.

Man who was circumcised in hospital mix-up awarded $24,000 compensation

A man who was mistakenly circumcised in a hospital mix-up has been awarded compensation, the hospital said.

Terry Brazier, aged 70, went into Leicester Royal Infirmary for a bladder procedure known as a cystoscopy but was mistaken for another patient by hospital staff and circumcised.
The hospital apologized and carried out an investigation, before confirming on Monday it had awarded Brazier a £20,000 ($24,300) payout.

Brazier told the British newspaper the Daily Star that he was so distracted talking to hospital staff that he didn't notice he was getting the incorrect procedure until it was too late.
"They didn't know what to say when they found out they'd done it, they said they can't send me back to the ward and they needed to talk to me," he told the newspaper.

Flights canceled, major roads blocked as Hong Kong protests escalate

A huge day of protests: People are striking and protesting across seven districts of Hong Kong in the most ambitious and wide-ranging day of demonstrations this summer.
Strikes across all sectors: With strikers including teachers, aviation workers, finance employees and civil servants, major sectors of the Asian financial hub are likely to screech to a halt today.
Tear gas fired: Riot police have fired tear gas at five different locations, as clashes with protesters intensify.
Summer of discontent: This is Hong Kong's ninth consecutive week of protests. They started in early June over a now-suspended extradition bill, but demands have evolved to include greater democracy and police accountability.

Brazil gang leader dresses up as daughter in jail escape bid

 

A Brazilian gang leader tried to escape from prison by dressing up as his daughter when she visited him behind bars and walking out the penitentiary's main door in her place, authorities said Sunday.

But prison officials said the nervousness displayed by Clauvino da Silva, also known as "Shorty," as he tried to leave the prison in the western part of Rio de Janeiro dressed as a woman gave him away.

His plan was apparently to leave his 19-year-old daughter inside the jail. Police are looking into her possible role as an accomplice in Saturday's failed escape attempt from Gericinó prison.

AI breast cancer diagnostic tool Gets FDA clearance

There are few things in life more frightening than a possible cancer diagnosis. Now the machines are here to help. Paragon Biosciences and Qlarity Imaging have figured out a way to harness the power of artificial intelligence to help humans catch cancer earlier and more accurately.

QuantX recently became the first-ever computer-aided breast cancer diagnosis system cleared by the FDA for use in radiology, but it’s not putting radiologists out of a job any time soon. “Radiology is the backbone of diagnosing many diseases today,” said Jeffrey Aronin, chairman and CEO of Paragon Biosciences. “We believe the future is radiologists with technology.”

The combination of humans and machines apparently works really well. In a clinical study, QuantX helped radiologists interpret MRIs, noting the differences between cancerous and noncancerous breast lesions. Using the AI-fueled software led to a 39% reduction in missed breast cancers, as well as a 20% overall diagnostic improvement. It’s a win for the machine age as well as for women anxiously awaiting the results of their breast MRIs. (Currently, the technology is just for women who require a breast MRI, typically used for women with a higher than average risk of breast cancer.)