Instagram has taken off and become one of the go-to tools for small businesses and self-employed people looking to create an online presence. Even if you aren’t necessarily looking at Instagram as your primary social network, you should still take some time to engage with the people who are following you there. More followers means more opportunities to sell products and services, right?
When it comes to growing your Instagram presence, you can surely visit Boost Social Media for increasing engagement.
Why should you care about Instagram?
Because, as of June 2015, there were roughly 400 million monthly active users.
The competition for a user’s attention is at an all-time high. There are tons of stories being told every moment on the platform. Picture-worthy moments are happening everywhere from your backyard to distant lands. If you aren’t telling your story visually, you are at a disadvantage.
There’s also the matter of time. Many folks spend hours scrolling through their feed catching up on what friends and family have been up to lately. There are accounts out there that tell hundreds of stories using just one photo per day! 500 million photos are being shared each day , which means your story could easily get lost in the shuffle.
What is engagement?
Engagement is when someone chooses to interact with your content by liking, commenting, following/other action on social media. It’s proof that your content has resonated with someone and that you’ve piqued their interest. A high-engagement rate shows that you are a thought leader in your field and that you have fans who appreciate what you do. Keep in mind, it can take a while for someone to engage with your content if they don’t know the first thing about you or what you do.
There are two main types of engagement happening: 1) Engagement between you and other users (dubbed “two way”), and 2) Engagement between users who are following you (dubbed “one way”).
Here are 12 ways that will help increase engagement on Instagram:
1 . Use hashtags wisely.
A number of folks are under the impression that using hashtags is against Instagram’s Terms of Use Agreement . I’ve even spoken with some folks who work at Instagram and they say it really isn’t a problem. However, if you plan to use them regularly, I do recommend making sure your profile is set to “public.” This means anyone can follow you, including people who have never heard of your business.
2 . Make your account public
- Keeps things fair among all businesses. If I turn my profile to private, it means no one can view or engage with any content that has a #hashtag in the caption. Although using hashtags is against Instagram’s policy when you have a private account, I’m okay with this.
- Could be a great opportunity to connect with new people who are not in your network or following you.
3 . Once you add a hashtag, add it to every photo with the same theme/topic/branding
4 . Only use relevant hashtags
5 . Use your bio to tell your story
- Include a link to your website.
- Give people a reason to follow you.
6 . Be consistent across all social networks
7 . Tell multiple stories in one photo or video
8 . Entertain, inspire, educate, inform, resolve conflict
- These are just some of the many reasons we engage with one another every day. How do you plan to engage your audience?
9 . Ensure that you’ve got a solid bio and #hashtag strategy before promoting products or services in your posts
10 . Innovate and try something new
- Instagram is best when it’s real, honest, and human. Before you start selling, engage with your audience. Show them what you’re all about and how you can add value to their lives before asking anything from them.
11 . Be consistent, not repetitive
12 . Engage with others in your industry
- Share other people’s content on a regular basis – but don’t spam.
- Comment often – saying something relevant and interesting.
- Highlight other’s work by using the “share” feature on an individual post to spread it around your network. This is much better than sharing someone else’s overall feed.
I hope this helps you set up your strategy for increasing engagement on Instagram! If you have any questions, please reach out to me in the comments below.
It sounds like fashion blogger could use some help growing your Instagram presence – take a look at the services that I offer . I also like to do custom packages for small businesses that want to gain more exposure in their communities/industries. • If you found this helpful, please share it with your friends and connections! I’m not getting anything out of it, but maybe they will. 🙂
