- Optimise Your Profile
- Post Consistently
- Engage With Your Followers
- Use Relevant Hashtags
- Post Interesting Content
1. Optimise Your Profile
Start with your Instagram bio. Never leave this blank. Your Instagram bio should be short, clear and include:- Who you are
- What you do
- Contact information
- A link to your website
2. Post Consistently
Post regularly to give yourself the best possibility to show up on your target audience’s feed. Posting regularly gives users more opportunity to interact and engage with your brand, after all, you can’t like what you don’t see. Instagram’s algorithm uses machine learning to look at what users like through their activity on the platform to customise what they see in their feed. So the more regularly you post the better it is for your brand to be seen. Seeing your brand regularly on their feed will also increase the trust users have for your brand. Instagram analytics tools will come in handy for this, in terms of looking at when your followers are most active.
Post at different times on different days to see when your engagement rate is highest. Then you will be able to optimise your post engagement by posting on the days and times your followers are more likely to engage with you. The more users see your name and profile picture posting, the more likely they are to remember your brand.
3. Engage With Your Followers
Building a relationship with your followers is important! By engaging with your followers you are not only communicating with someone interested in your brand but you are potentially building a relationship with a brand advocate who will create UGC (user generated content) for your brand. Responding to comments is a great way to engage with your followers and the wider Instagram community. It is important to remember that Instagram is a social media platform therefore socialising on the platform is encouraged to be successful. Don’t forget to like and comment on your followers’ posts too! Not only does this help you engage with your followers but it also gets your name out there to people who may not currently follow you. Engaging with your followers also humanises your brand, allowing you to show off the personality behind the brand. In the long term, this can help build your relationships and trust between users and the brand itself. Social media management services can help you grow your account and engage with your followers successfully.4. Use Relevant Hashtags
Using hashtags is a great way to get your post seen by a wider audience. When you use a hashtag your post will be seen on the page of that hashtag. It is important that the hashtags you use are relevant to the post and your brand. Relevant hashtags can attract new users to your post, helping to increase impressions, likes and potential followers. Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags in a single post. But this doesn’t mean you need to use all 30. Research hashtags on Instagram itself to see the number of posts related to the hashtag. Instagram will also show relevant hashtags to what you have searched. It is also a good idea to have a look at what hashtags your competitors are using as they are likely to be targeting the same people as yourself. Bear in mind that sometimes using very popular hashtags can also make it harder to be seen on the hashtags page as so many people are using the same hashtag. Use a mixture of popular and niche hashtags to reach different audiences. Don’t forget to create a branded hashtag! This could be your company name, slogan or campaign related. Be sure to put the hashtag in your post to get it seen by your followers. A branded hashtag can also help you collect UGC (user generated content).5. Post Interesting Content
There is so much competition in the world of Instagram that it is important to find ways to stand out through your content. Experiment with different types of content (reels, stories, carousel images).
Instagram users know what they like and if they decide they don’t like what they see it will be hard to regain the users attention. This is why it is crucial to plan out your content strategy and consider your grid! Think about the visual aesthetic of your profile as this is one of the first things people will notice when on your profile.
Consistency is key! Posting interesting content and posting it regularly helps to keep your followers engaged. Once the Instagram algorithm sees that you are posting content that your audience wants to see, the algorithm will be more likely to push your posts to be seen by your followers and other users.
Posting interesting content is also a good way to stand out to influencers. Instagram influencers can help your brand become more known by promoting your brand and the services you offer/products you sell.