Instagram is a great way to share favorite moments with your friends and family.
Because there are millions of active users on this social media site, it is a brilliant platform for businesses to use for advertising their products and services as well.
But as a business owner, how do you ensure that you maximize your Instagram posts to get more visibility and followers on the internet?
Below are some tips and tricks to help boost your Instagram game.
Use High-Quality Photos
The most cardinal rule on Instagram is to post high-quality photos. You do not necessarily need a professional camera for this. All you need is to focus the image and ensure that the photo you want to snap is under a really good lighting.
If you are serious about capturing great-looking shots, it is a good idea to use a modern smartphone with a high-end camera as this will get the job done.
Schedule Your Posts
If you want people to notice your photos, schedule a time when your followers are most active. For example, teens engage in Instagram more on their lunch breaks and after-school hours. If you are targeting working individuals, then it would be best to post from 8 PM to 3 AM as this is the time frame when busy adults get to use their smartphones freely.
If you have an extra budget and would like to seriously market your business, you can use automation apps for your Instagram posts.
Utilize Hashtags
Categorizing in Instagram is essential, and this is where hashtags become useful as they help your posts get discovered by other users. Furthermore, there are greater chances for the photos to get liked as they are easily visible to anybody who uses the hashtag search.
Try using local and popular hashtags to increases the likelihood of gaining more followers, likes, and shares. In fact, you can use any tag as long as it is appropriate to your photo. One tip is to go to a popular feed in your niche and copy the hashtags they use.
Have A Consistent Scheme
One of the most effective ways to develop your brand on Instagram is by being consistent with your profile scheme. This means you have to edit your photos and use a similar filter all the time to set a visual identity.
For example, if you are selling winter coats, then it might be a good idea to use a bluish hue to achieve a winter vibe. Once your photos become recognizable, you will consistently get more likes.
Follow People and Like Other Posts
In Instagram, there is this unspoken rule that when somebody follows you, you should follow them back. Though it may not be true to everybody, some people who are still trying to build their number of following definitely live by this rule.
Once you start liking their photos, there is a clear-cut chance that they will also check your account to see what you have. If they like it, they will naturally double tap your photo. So make it a habit to go through popular IG feeds and like their posts.
Run Giveaways
Businesses use “tag-to-enter” or “like-to-enter” giveaways. These two are techniques in gaining more likes and followers on their account by giving away prizes, tickets, goodies or even coupons.
Post an attractive and engaging photo of your giveaway and put a simple call-to-action caption such as “Double tap to get the chance to win…” or “Tag 5 people to get the chance to win…”.
Run Instagram Ads
You can promote your posts by taking advantage of the Instagram Ads platform. It allows you to reach people that do not follow your feed. It works similarly to Facebook Ads but is not nearly as strict. You can select the people who will see your ads with pinpoint precision, but of course, this is a paid service.
Be an Active Member of the Community
Getting acknowledged can actually help you gain more followers and likes. One way to accomplish this is by becoming an active user in your community. You need to take some time to reply to the comments on your post.
You can also like and leave comments on the photos of the people you want to attract. If you continue to implement this, people will appreciate you and will eventually reciprocate.
After deciding on your strategies, make sure that you link your Instagram to your Facebook and other social media accounts. You can also sync your photos and showcase them on your website. This is another way of enticing more people to check your Instagram feed.
