Instagram has grown in popularity in recent years placing it among the top social media apps of all time. However, getting people to like and follow your content isn’t always easy. That’s why we’re going to give you 7 tips to get your profile up and running and gaining the attention you deserve.
1. Hashtags
If you’re not using hashtags, then you’re doing Instagram wrong! Using popular hashtags on your posts boosts your visibility and enables people to search your content amid relatable posts.
You can either choose local or global hashtags depending on your target audience. If you want to build up a local brand then use local hashtags, however, if you’re selling to GEOs worldwide, then global hashtags are the way to go.
There are a few ways to find out which hashtags are working. The first is to find out what top influencers are using. If you are in a niche area, then find the people who are dominating and look at which hashtags they are using. Alternatively, there are free tools available such as All-Hashtag which will enable you to type in a relevant word and get all of the top trending hashtags relevant to your post.
2. Time Posts with Traffic
Depending on where your target audience is, you’ll want to post your images when the highest number of users are active. This is generally a case of trial and error, but you should find that if you test post images at different times throughout the day, you’ll eventually see a spike in engagement. When this happens, you’ve probably found the right time to engage with your audience.
You should also be able to narrow down your time window if you know your customer habits. For example, if you’re targeting consumers who have a 9-5 job and commute, then posting at around 8:30 am and 5:30 pm would be a good time because they are most probably scrolling through their feed while on the train or bus.
3. Post Regularly and Consistently
This point is similar to the one above but with an important difference. Besides simply posting when people are online, you should also aim to set up a schedule of posts and decide how often you will engage with your audience. If you can post daily then great, however, there is such a thing as too much and too little. If you post too often, people might get annoyed and unfollow you, whereas, if you post too little, people will forget about you. Therefore, it’s important to find a balance!
4. Quality Matters
The images you post should always be of high quality, if not you will damage your page and make it look messy. Make sure every aspect of your post is in focus and don’t go overboard on the filters.
5. Uniformity
Your posts should have a certain look about them that makes them visually consistent. It can take a while to build your style, but once you have it, don’t change it. Random, unrelated posts can put people off if the content doesn’t speak to them.
6. Interact with People
If you don’t like and follow others then why would they like or follow you? Instagram is a two-way platform, and you’ve got to put some effort into engaging with people if you want to get them on your side! Therefore, comment on posts and DM your customers to let them know you care.
7. Stories
While Instagram Stories is still a relatively new feature, it has taken off and allows you to be placed a the top of people’s feeds for regular engagement. It also means that you can share a little extra and gain a more personal touch!