<p><img src="https://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5ff367616056b60018721cce-2400/instagram advise creators on how algorithm works 4x3.jpg" border="0" alt="instagram advise creators on how algorithm works 4x3" data-mce-source="Instagram/Samantha Lee/Business Insider"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p><em>Hi, this is Amanda Perelli and welcome back to Insider Influencers, our weekly rundown on the influencer and creator economy. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/influencerdashboard" data-analytics-module="body_link" data-analytics-post-depth="20" data-uri="98017caaffd93628e1217254a790380a">Sign up for the newsletter here.</a></em></p><p>Behind closed doors, Instagram is telling some influencers how frequently to post on the platform and what types of posts could help them boost their follower counts and engagement rates.</p><p>My colleague Sydney Bradley spoke with three creators who said that Instagram had privately shared specific guidance with them.</p><p>This guidance was a rare glimpse by Instagram into how influencers can grow on the platform and into how its mysterious algorithm works.</p><p>Some creators and industry experts said they felt the volume of posts recommended by Instagram was unsustainable and others said they appreciated the recommendations. </p><p>Here's a glimpse at what Instagram recommended, according to one creator:</p><ul><li><p>3 in-feed posts a week (including in-feed Reels or IGTV posts).</p></li><li><p>8 to 10 Stories a week (and at least 2 a day).</p></li><li><p>4-7 Reels a week.</p></li><li><p>1-3 IGTV a week (including Instagram Live). </p></li></ul><p>"When I first heard the ideal amounts, I had to stop myself from laughing out loud," said artist and small-business owner Rachel Reichenbach.</p><p>She said she felt the volume of content was "unrealistic."</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-gives-some-influencers-recommendations-on-how-much-to-post-2021-1">Read more on the advice Instagram shared with creators here.</a></p><section><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-influencer-sold-100000-of-slap-masks-in-2-days-2020-12">A pair of TikTok influencers sold $100,000 worth of masks in 2 days</a></h2><p><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5fcf8216037cbd0018614715-2000/image0.jpeg" border="0" alt="NateTwer_GregAuerbach" data-mce-source="Greg Auerbach" data-mce-caption="TikTok creators Nate Twer and Greg Auerbach"></p></section><section></section><p>TikTok creators Greg Auerbach and Nate Twer earned a living in 2020 by posting sponsored videos for brands.</p><p>And my colleague Dan Whateley wrote that Auerbach and Twer are now moving beyond brand deals to direct-to-consumer sales by selling a mask that you can wear on your wrist when it's not on your face.</p><p>To promote the "Slapmask," the pair turned to TikTok:</p><ul><li><p>They posted a TikTok video on December 9 directing followers to a custom link to the Slapmask's e-commerce page.</p></li><li><p>The TikTok post helped drive over $100,000 in sales without any paid promotion on the app.</p></li></ul><p>"The bulk of the views were in the first few days, and most of the sales came from that video," Auerbach said.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-influencer-sold-100000-of-slap-masks-in-2-days-2020-12">Read more about how they used TikTok to market their product here.</a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-marketing-holiday-trends-and-rates-in-2020-analysis-2020-12">Influencers and experts say Q4 was packed with deals as the industry came roaring back</a></h2><p><img src="https://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5fecdd40b7ab82001943eac4-2084/influencer holiday sponsorship 4x3.png" border="0" alt="influencer holiday sponsorship 4x3" data-mce-source="@itsbittanybright/Instagram; Samantha Lee/Business Insider"></p><p>Q4 is typically the busiest season for an influencer's business with holiday campaigns and sponsorships. </p><p>The influencer-marketing industry took a major hit in early 2020 because of the pandemic, but insiders said it began to rebound with a packed holiday season.</p><p>Sydney and I spoke with influencers, talent agents, and managers about the impact of the coronavirus on the influencer industry.</p><p>Here are some holiday campaign trends and rates they saw in 2020:</p><ul><li><p>One influencer was offered $6,000 for an Instagram package (in-feed photo, a Reel, and a few Stories)a higher rate than her average starting prices. </p></li><li><p>Brands adapted their strategies this holiday season with elements like livestreaming and giveaways gaining popularity.</p></li><li><p>One agent said merchandise sales had also steadily increased this year, making influencer-led direct-to-consumer products a major revenue source for his digital client.</p></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/influencer-marketing-holiday-trends-and-rates-in-2020-analysis-2020-12">Read more about the marketing trends from this past holiday season, here.</a></p><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-a-job-as-youtube-star-editor-network-2020-12">What it's like working for a YouTube star and how to get a job in the influencer industry by networking</a></h2><p><img src="https://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5fd38f9e9cf1420018d2ec69-2400/Taylor large.jpg" border="0" alt="Taylor King" data-mce-source="Taylor King"></p><p>Taylor King is a YouTube video editor and creator known for appearing in and working for Alisha Marie, who has 8 million subscribers.</p><p>I spoke with King who shared what it's like to work for a top creator on YouTube and her networking tips, which included:</p><ul><li><p>Using Instagram to reach people by regularly commenting on photos. </p></li><li><p>Responding to people's Instagram Stories.</p></li><li><p>Starting up conversations by direct messaging people. Instagram users can direct message anyone no matter how famous they are.</p></li></ul><p>"No one remembers you liked a photo, so I will comment something that stands out, like something that will make them laugh or know I watch their videos," she said. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-a-job-as-youtube-star-editor-network-2020-12">Read more on how King landed her job working for a YouTuber, here.</a></p><h2>More creator industry coverage from Business Insider:</h2><p><strong>Instagram </strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-influencer-media-kits-3000-to-1-million-followers-2020-12">6 real media kit examples that Instagram influencers use to land brand deals</a> (Dan Whateley, Sydney Bradley, and Amanda Perelli) </p></li></ul><p><strong>YouTube </strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-money-youtuber-with-one-thousand-subscribers-makes-2021-1">How much money a nano influencer earns on YouTube with 1,900 subscribers</a> (Amanda Perelli) </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-money-youtube-stars-make-per-month-creator-income-2020-5">15 YouTube stars break down how much they get paid per month</a> (Sydney Bradley and Amanda Perelli)</p></li></ul><p><strong>TikTok</strong></p><ul><li><section><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ratatouille-musical-tiktok-earned-1-million-in-ticket-sales-2021-1">The 'Ratatouille' musical that began as a TikTok trend earned over $1 million in ticket sales</a> (Dan Whateley) </section></li></ul><h2>This week from Insider's digital culture team:</h2><p><img src="https://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5ff5e810d184b30018aad493-1827/Screen Shot 2021-01-06 at 11.28.27 AM.png" border="0" alt="Kanye West is the subject of unfounded Twitter gossip linking him with Jeffree Star." data-mce-source="Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Sean Combs, Photo by Santiago Felipe/FilmMagic" data-mce-caption="Kanye West is the subject of unfounded Twitter gossip linking him with Jeffree Star."></p><h2><a href="https://www.insider.com/kanye-west-jeffree-star-tiktok-rumor-dating-cheated-kim-2021-1">Here's how the bizarre theory that Kanye West cheated with Jeffree Star got started</a></h2><p>Thanks to TikTok, a rumor has gone viral online about rapper Kanye West and the beauty guru Jeffree Star. </p><p>Insider reporter Kat Tenbarge wrote that there's no actual evidence to suggest that West and Star have ever dated, met up, or had a romance.</p><p>Page Six reported on Tuesday that Kanye and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, were headed toward a divorce. Then a TikTok video claimed that gossip in Los Angeles had been revolving around Kanye and Star "for months."</p><p>The video was created by Ava Louise, the internet troll who last year filmed herself licking a toilet seat in an airplane for a "coronavirus challenge."</p><p>When the YouTube drama personality Keemstar asked Star about the rumor, Star said, "I'm having the best time in Wyoming, come visit sometime!"</p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/kanye-west-jeffree-star-tiktok-rumor-dating-cheated-kim-2021-1">Read the full story here.</a></p><h2><strong>More from Insider: </strong></h2><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/nikita-dragun-caught-without-mask-miami-video-influencers-partying-2021-1">Beauty influencer Nikita Dragun who flew to Miami for New Year's Eve was caught maskless in an elevator</a> (Kat Tenbarge)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/gaysovercovid-gay-party-boat-exposing-influencers-instagram-mexico-puerto-vallarta-2021-1">An anonymous Instagram account exposing LGBTQ influencers partying in Mexico has set off what some are calling a 'gay civil war'</a> (Moises Mendez II)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/bean-dad-john-roderick-thread-mbmbam-ken-jennings-tweets-song-2021-1">Old tweets that contained anti-Semitic and offensive language resurfaced from 'Bean Dad'</a> (Palmer Haasch)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/instagram-influencer-died-pregnant-with-fifth-child-emily-mitchell-thehiddenway-2021-1">An Instagram parenting influencer died while pregnant</a> (Rachel E. Greenspan)</p></li></ul><p><img src="https://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5e610b72fee23d06c234d554-1438/gettyimages-501661062.jpg" border="0" alt="pewdiepie" data-mce-source="Karwai Tang/WireImage"></p><h2>Here's what else we're reading: </h2><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cameo-on-the-rise-with-celebrities-and-fans-adds-to-c-suite">The personalized shout-out app Cameo says it fulfilled 1.3 million videos in 2020</a> (Natalie Jarvey, from The Hollywood Reporter)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.inputmag.com/features/how-pewdiepie-is-trying-to-dodge-his-taxes">A tax expert believes YouTube star PewDiePie is trying to dodge his taxes</a> (Chris Stokel-Walker, from Input Magazine)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2021-01-04/youtube-hollywood-kelly-merryman-netflix-disney">Meet the executive who changed Hollywood's image of YouTube</a> (Wendy Lee, from the LA Times)</p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-12-14-facebook-gaming-creators-have-earned-usd50m-in-stars-in-2020">Over 2,000 Facebook Gaming creators are making more than $1,000 per month on the platform</a> (Rebekah Valentine, from GamesIndustry)</p></li></ul><p><em>Thanks for reading! Send me your tips, comments, or questions: aperelli@businessinsider.com</em></p><h2><a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/influencerdashboard" data-analytics-post-depth="100" data-uri="98017caaffd93628e1217254a790380a"><strong>Subscribe to the newsletter here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-and-influencer-business-trends-newsletter-january-7-2021-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-make-beer-with-picobrew-c-home-brew-2020-3">We tested a machine that brews beer at the push of a button</a></p>
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