Everything You Need to Know About Topics on Instagram

Everything You Need to Know About Topics on Instagram


Are you interested in discovering how to add Topics to your Reels on Instagram? If so, you've come to the right place.
Instagram has introduced a new feature that allows users to add a topic to their Reels, which aids the platform's algorithm in recommending content to users. But what exactly are Instagram Topics? 
Topics refer to tags that can be added to your Reels on Instagram to classify your content. These tags, are designed to boost the visibility of your content and link it with individuals who share comparable interests.

By adding Topics to your Reels, you are communicating to Instagram about your specific niche. As a result, both the platform's algorithm and your followers will have an idea of what type of content to anticipate from you.

Most social media managers employ content pillars as part of their social media strategy to maintain consistency, organization, and brand alignment. These pillars consist of three to five topics that a brand will regularly discuss, promote, and generate content for on social media.
Instagram influencers have credited content pillars as the key to their success on the platform, and with Instagram Topics, you can include your content pillars in your Reels to ensure that it reaches the appropriate audience.

What about Hashtags?

Now, you might be wondering about the difference between hashtags and Topics on Instagram.
The question on many people's minds is whether hashtags are still relevant.
And if they were still relevant before, they might not be anymore, thanks to Instagram's latest addition, Topics.
Hashtags were initially meant to group content, but they became associated with keyword stuffing (#follow4follow) and lost their effectiveness.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri stated that hashtags "don't actually help you reach more people." Instagram Topics, on the other hand, could be a more intelligent recommendation engine and one of the most effective methods for reaching new audiences within your niche.

So, why is Instagram focusing on classifying Reels?
Similarity to Tiktok
As Oscar Wilde famously said, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
There has been a long-standing joke that Instagram has been copying features from TikTok.
So, are Instagram Topics a copy of TikTok's features? The answer is both yes and no.
Content categorization has been around for a while, as demonstrated by hashtags.
However, TikTok's For You Page (FYP) has been instrumental in recommending appropriate content to the appropriate audience and has proven to be successful.
According to The Wall Street Journal, TikTok users spend over 10 times as many hours on the app consuming content as they do on Reels.
An Instagram report that was leaked revealed that Reels engagement has decreased by 13.6% recently, with many Reels receiving little to no engagement. Some attribute this to Instagram constantly pushing content from accounts that you do not follow into your main feed.

To maintain competitiveness with TikTok and address declining engagement, Instagram Topics could be their saving grace.
What’s Next?

Since this is a new feature, there is limited concrete data on whether it actually improves reach.
As with anything in social media, we suggest trying it out, keeping track of the outcomes, and optimizing your approach.