Have you tried to post on Instagram but either lacked consistency despite genuine intentions, or felt you no amount of time invested drew any “real” results? The truth is even though Instagram offers 10X more brand engagement than Facebook and 84X more than Twitter, many businesses are still intimidated by this platform.
Over 60% users log into Instagram daily, so writing it off altogether is not a good idea. However, unless you put in the right thought, effort and consistent commitment, you will not be able to make the most out of your brand’s Instagram page. The following 4 steps will help you give your Insta account and strategy a much needed social media face-lift!
1. Visuals Are Of Utmost Priority
Instagram tells a story through visuals – this is the precise nature of the platform. If your image uploads are mediocre, you’re not going to find much success. Remember, audiences are spoiled for choices, already.
So, how do you improve the visual presentation on your Instagram page?
> Preview – Input graphics in a preview app that allows you to experiment with how the layout will look before you actually stick to a pattern. Goes without saying that you will need to prep your content in advance!
> Think In 3’s – Instagram works in rows of 3 squares. Consider using blank spacer squares aligned with brand colors. Or, plan out content in themes of 3 part-uploads. You can even use quotes diagonally or horizontally to break away from the monotony of endless images.
> Be Distinct – Whether you use a “no crop” tool to add white borders to all of your graphics or use a consistent filter for all your uploads, let your Instagram feed look unique. Let it have a particular aesthetic quality all over it. Sometimes, sticking to a handful of colors across all graphics is a great strategy to let content pop out in a manner that is pleasing to the eyes – experts recommend no more than 5 colors and consistent backgrounds. Minimalistic is chic.
2. Marie Kondo Your Page
Most of the world’s biggest brands do not follow thousands of random accounts. Unfollow irrelevant accounts and de-clutter your follower : following ratio. It leaves a poor impression if you only have 1000 followers but are following 5000 people – it seems desperate. In addition, make sure your bio is updated and delete old posts that are irrelevant.
3. Grow Your Followers
Don’t want to buy bots as followers through all the third-party-sites out there? You can grow your following organically by keeping the following tactics in mind –
> Use Niche Hashtags – Although Instagram allows you to use 30 hashtags and the temptation is to use all the most popular seeming hashtags, it is actually better to balance out your hashtags list with a mix of popular ones and niche ones. Let’s face it – if there are nearly 20 million posts with #jewellery, #sterlingsilverjewelry, on the other hand, has less than 450,000 posts, so you’re more likely to rank higher here. Know where you’re more likely to be discovered! Take time out to do the research regarding all the relevant hashtags at your disposal and create a smart list.
> Change Up Hashtags – Once you’ve posted something on Instagram with a certain set of hashtags, you can actually edit the hashtags every couple of hours to witness the likes going up each time. Try it!
> Comment – Commenting on other posts using similar hashtags before/after you post on Instagram will bring the eyeballs of followers from other established accounts to your page, too.
> Contests – Instagram contests generate 3.5 times more likes and 64 times more comments than standard posts. Surprisingly, only 2% accounts host contents, nonetheless. Leverage the power of contests to draw more attention and to even collect email IDs for your database.
> Incorporate Photos – Instagram uploads with faces receive 38% more likes. Incorporate photographs of people as and when relevant. It seems more personal.
> Tag Accounts – Tagging other accounts in your Instagram uploads (directly on the graphic) allows people following those feeds to see you in their “tagged” images section. It’s free visibility.
> Right Timing – Rather than listening to generic stats about ideal posting days/times, use the insights feature on your Instagram business account to find out what days and timings perform best with your particular following. Post consistently using these stats. And, use a scheduler app, if needed, so you can stick to a set schedule.
4. Use Story Highlights
In 2017, Instagram Stories had 300 million daily active users. In 2018, this number shot up to 400 million daily active users! Nearly 1/3rd of the viewed Instagram Stories actually came from businesses. Use stories smartly with relevant hashtags and save them into categories such as “press,” “reviews,” “testimonials,” “product XYZ,” “contest XYZ,” etc. so potential followers can scan content that leaves the strongest impression quickly.
Need help with creating a solid Instagram campaign for your brand? Contact Pure Design Solution right here.
