If you use social media to market your business, you definitely have an Instagram account for your company. Not only is Instagram one of the most popular social networks in the world, but it also serves as a great place for people and businesses to connect with one another in a creative atmosphere. In order to make the most out of your Instagram business account, you need to create interesting content that encourages engagement among your audience. Likes, comments, shares, and interactions from real people will all go a long way in making your business stand apart from the competition. Here are a few tips for how to increase engagement on Instagram.
When it comes to your Instagram posts, you can share content in a variety of different post formats. You’ll notice that your Instagram Feed is filled with various post formats like single-image posts, carousel posts, Instagram Reels, and videos. Instagram stories are also a popular post type on the platform. Each of these posting formats offer different benefits in terms of engagement and interaction. That being said, videos are quickly going to become the most popular type of post on Instagram. They recently announced that Instagram’s primary focus will no longer be on photos, but instead will be a video sharing app. Utilizing a variety of post formats across your profile will allow you to see which ones are most popular among your target audience. It can be hard to know what post types to utilize, which is why we also wrote a blog with 5 tips to improve your Instagram Business Page!
Instagram captions are one of the most important elements of any post. Your caption can be up to 2,200 characters and can include as many as 30 hashtags. While their current algorithm prefers between 3 and 10 hashtags, you always have the option to include more! Take advantage of the caption area by crafting strong messages that add context, tell a story, and highlight your brand’s voice.
It’s no secret that people like to support businesses that they know, like, and trust. One of the best ways to establish this type of relationship with your target audience is by creating brand consistency on your social media platforms. Using your logo and brand colors in every post is a great way to increase engagement on Instagram. You can also utilize the same post layout for similar posts to help your audience feel better acquainted with your brand. The most important thing to remember when it comes to your feed is that users will look at it as a whole. When a user is really interested, they won’t just look at one individual post, they will look at your entire feed. That’s why it’s crucial for you to establish a clear look, feel, and layout for your feed.
Another technique we recommend for increasing your engagement on Instagram is to flood your followers’ Instagram feed with carousels. A carousel is Instagram’s terminology for a post that contains multiple images. Currently, Instagram’s algorithm re-serves carousel posts to users who did not engage with them the first time around so that they can have another chance to make an impression. In fact, a recent study from Social Insider showed that Instagram carousel posts reached higher engagement levels per post, up to 5.13% more than one-image or video posts.
You can also use your Instagram account to start meaningful conversations between you and your followers. There are several ways you can do this. First, we recommend including Instagram hashtags to each of your posts. Hashtags are searchable elements that can create a community surrounding a certain subject. Second, you can ask questions in your caption and encourage viewers to share their thoughts in the comments section. Third, make sure that you are participating in the conversation! Respond to comments, answer questions you’re tagged in, and follow accounts that frequently interact with your content. Finally, we recommend posting topical content. The more relevant your posts are, the more engagement they will attract.
Some of the most popular posts on Instagram contain some type of interactive content. Interactive content is anything that encourages users to take an action. Instagram Stories are one of the most popular forms of interactive content available today. With Instagram Stories, you can utilize any number of tools to create intrigue and boost engagement. One tactic we recommend is to include between 2 and 4 graphics on your story every time you post. Any time you have more than 1 slide, users will be more likely to tap on the screen to either hold the image in place or move on to the upcoming image. Another way you can increase interaction on your story is to include stickers. Many of Instagram’s pre-made stickers are interactive in some way, so it’s the perfect tool for lifting your average engagement rates. You can also create your own branded stickers on Instagram for an added touch of personalization. We also encourage you to consider posting videos to your account as often as possible. Videos generally get more engagement than photos, making it the perfect interactive post.
Our final piece of advice for increasing your Instagram engagement rates is to evaluate your efforts on a regular basis. While all the suggestions we’ve mentioned here are viable tactics, they may not work for your audience. Different industries require different methods of marketing to earn the best results, which is why we recommend that you take the time to regularly check on the way your target audience is responding to your content. Plus, Instagram recently launched new data insights which will provide you with more specific information about who is engaging with your content. Now, you’ll be able to see important data like if engaged users follow your profile and the total reach your posts receive. If something is working for you, be sure to create more posts in a similar style. If something really isn’t engaging your audience, stop designing that post type and try something else!
Instagram is an incredible marketing tool for businesses to increase ROI and encourage brand awareness with their target audience. Because it offers so many potential benefits, it’s extremely important that you do everything possible to attract users to your Instagram profile. If you would like help driving engagement to your Instagram account, fill out our contact form! We look forward to hearing from you soon.
