With over 800 million users on Instagram, it should come as no surprise that your business needs to be active on this social media platform. Throughout the years, Instagram has grown into an incredible platform to interact with potential customers and increase brand awareness.
Recently, I listened to a Social Pros podcast that has completely revolutionized the way I view Instagram. Within the first 15-minutes of the podcast I already had a page full of notes. It was life-changing. Below I’ve compiled a list of three things I learned from that podcast as well as tips and tricks I’ve picked up throughout the years.
1. Hashtags are everything!
If you’re going to use Instagram to market your product or service, you need to know where your target audience is hanging out. Researching hashtags that are relevant to your brand or your brand’s mission, is integral to Instagram success. This is how Instagram users will find your post and your page.
At the same time, it’s important to not just use the popular hashtags that all of your competitors are using. According to the Social Pros podcast, this is just going to attract your competitors. Additionally, it’s just going to get you engagement from a bunch of spam accounts – not potential customers. Unique hashtags are what will give you the most meaningful engagement.
2. Aesthetic, aesthetic, aesthetic!
I cannot stress this one enough. Visual content is processed 60,000 times faster than text so it is imperative that your images are both creative and inviting. The most successful Instagram accounts are ones that have consistent imagery throughout. Make sure all of your photos are promoting the same feel and message! This takes a bit of a creative eye, but with time, you’ll start to get a feel of what imagery does and does not work for your account. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration, check out some of the images our Director of Social Media, Taryn, has taken recently for our clients!
3. Utilize Instagram Stories!
Instagram Stories are all over now and there are so many benefits of using this feature! First, you can stay on your followers’ minds. With Instagram stories, you can get away with posting more “average” looking content on a frequent basis, as your followers will be continuously checking back for more posts and tips.
Additionally, you can appear on your followers’ feeds more often! Knowing the algorithm is the key to social media success, and Instagram’s newest algorithm reduces the number of times you show up in a follower’s newsfeed. Instagram Stories allows you to appear at the top of the page once more increasing your Instagram exposure.
Which of these Instagram tips will you be incorporating into your social media strategy?
You’re a genius, Vi!