According to Statista, two-thirds of Instagram users are under the age of 35, making this visual platform a great way to reach younger consumers. Millennials and their Generation Z have trillions in purchasing power. Why not take advantage of the opportunity to grow your business using this popular social media channel?
Creating a successful Instagram presence requires more than just consistently posting a few photos. However, with the right tools and best practices, you can crack Instagram's algorithm and improve your return on investment.
Let's take a look at the basics of social media platforms and explore tips to grow your brand and engage with your target audience.
What are Instagram best practices?
Instagram and its algorithms can be complex. There are many guidelines, best practices, and tips you can use to get the most out of your app marketing efforts. It's important to consider these tips and best practices and find what makes sense for you and your business.
Committing to doing things right is one of the most important aspects of bringing your brand to Instagram. This can be the difference between success and failure, as you need to convince both the algorithm and your followers.
Follow these 15 best practices to set yourself up for success.
1. Post consistently.
You don't want to be the kind of account that shows up in a user's feed and makes them wonder, “Who is that?” To avoid this, set a posting schedule and stick to it.
There's no magic number of posts to post each week, but following industry trends can help you stay consistent. Take a peek at what's working and what's not working for your competitors.
Pay close attention to Instagram Insights and your own analytics to find when you think engagement is highest and target those times.
2. Don't overpost.
Instagram's main mistake is sharing multiple photos one after the other as separate posts. This seems out of context and can frustrate users. Because all these individual photos will show up in your feed and you'll wonder why he didn't combine them into one post.
Consider changing your posting style. Try Reels, Stories, or How-To posts to keep your followers entertained and increase your chances of reaching new leads.
3. Post only quality content that is meaningful to your brand.
The game on Instagram is quality over quantity. Please think carefully about what you post and why. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How does it relate to your brand?
- Will your followers like it and engage with it?
- What purpose does it serve for your business?
Instagram analytics allows you to see what content is most effective with your audience.
4. Tell a story.
Now that Instagram has gotten so big, it's easy to tell if a user or brand is just “doing it for the gram” rather than because they have an authentic message to share. We focus on telling stories through images, videos, and text and seek to connect with our audience.
Be memorable. When your followers feel an emotional connection to your content, they're more likely to engage with social media and become loyal viewers.
5. Know your brand.
To sell a brand, you need to know it inside and out. Like other social media apps, Instagram has its own culture and etiquette, so understanding how your brand fits into that culture is part of your initial marketing plan.
6. Be visually consistent.
Users expect visual consistency when they click on a brand page. This doesn't mean Instagram has to look like his one big ad, especially since today's users are gravitating toward more organic content.
However, visual consistency should be considered and decided upon early on. What look and feel do you want your profile to have? Moody? bright? organic? Nature? No matter what you choose, the tone should be consistent with the rest of your company's branding and recognizable to your Instagram followers.
7. Be cautious with hashtags.
Hashtags can make the difference between your post rising to the top of the feed or getting lost in a sea of other posts, so know which ones work for you and your brand. That is important. Hashtags that are too common or popular, such as #holiday or #fashion, can cause your post to be forgotten as it competes with millions of other posts.
Instead, use industry- or brand-specific hashtags that are easy for users to find and make your content stand out. According to the “Creator” on her Instagram feed, a good number of hashtags to use is 3 to 5 per post. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags on a standard post, but having too many hashtags under your post can look desperate and unprofessional.
According to a 2022 report from Statista, user engagement on Instagram decreased when posts had five or more hashtags.
8. Leverage user-generated content.
User-generated content is every marketer's dream. Create engagement opportunities for your users, reduce costs for your business, and show your users that your brand listens and values them.
Try creating a branded hashtag that your followers can use to submit content. Then, repost the appropriate content on your business page for everyone to see. Great examples of user-generated marketing campaigns include Starbucks' #RedCupContest and Coca-Cola's #ShareaCoke campaign.
9. Use stories for lighter content.
Instagram Stories are a great place for brands to give a little more personality and showcase daily content or personal information about their business. Stories will be published on his profile for only 24 hours and can include photos and video clips overlaid with music, text, GIFs, and stickers.
Try live streaming company events or taking over your employees' day.
10. Use Instagram to increase your website traffic.
Instagram allows you to include one clickable link in your profile bio. This means everyone who visits your Instagram page will be provided with a link to your girlfriend's website. You can also insert a “swipe up” call-to-action link in your Instagram Stories, and any Instagram ads you purchase will also include a link to her website.
11. Apply SEO to your Instagram strategy.
Search engine optimization (SEO) and Instagram may not normally go hand in hand, but applying SEO to increase your Instagram presence can go a long way, especially as Instagram becomes more competitive.
Your Instagram account has two main SEO-related areas: the account handle and the account name. The handle name is @. It should be short, easy to remember, and applicable to your business.
Your account name appears below your profile photo and must reflect your account handle and industry. When people search for you on Instagram, they usually see your account name.
In addition to optimizing your handle and username, add relevant keywords to your profile and captions, write alt text for photos, ask followers to tag you, and use social media analysis tools. should be considered.
12. Be selective about your influencers.
If you're considering Instagram marketing with influencers, it's important to carefully consider who you choose to work with. No two influencers are the same, and each has its own audience and specialty.
This is where it's helpful to know your brand and how it's reflected on Instagram. Influencer marketing is very effective because a particular influencer can reach thousands of users with just one post, a relevant hashtag, or a highlight of a story.
13. Explore Instagram Ads.
Instagram's advertising program allows you to create campaigns that engage users at all sales funnel stages as part of your Instagram marketing strategy. Instagram users have higher engagement rates with ads, with ad recall rates 2.8 times higher on Instagram than on other social platforms. Learn more about advertising on Instagram.
14. Maintain your brand voice across all content.
Make sure your Instagram posts and Stories match your business' other communication styles. Social media content should be an extension of your company's culture and voice, so drastically different communication styles can be off-putting to your customers.
To ensure consistency, create a set of brand guidelines for all promotional materials, including advertising, internal documents, and social media marketing.
15. Participate in the comments.
One of the best ways to increase engagement on your posts is to increase engagement yourself. We will respond to your comments to the best of our ability. This helps build credibility by showing that you value your customers' opinions and that you're using social media for a good reason.
Follow our brand guidelines to maintain consistent claims. Lululemon's Instagram page is a great example of a consistent voice in response to comments.
Instagram success story
These companies are doing social media the right way. The company's social media marketing is on point and has seen unprecedented growth in a short period of time. Use their strategies as inspiration to create unique Instagram posts that will grab your customers' attention and keep them coming back.
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburger
Source: Freddy's Steakburger Instagram
Chain restaurant Freddy's uses a simple strategy of posting as many delicious food photos as possible to increase followers and improve brand awareness. The company is having fun with its Instagram Stories feature by highlighting interactions with founder Freddie Simon, while letting the menu speak for itself. This grounds your restaurant and makes your followers feel like part of your restaurant's family.
NASA
Source: NASA Instagram
NASA's social media team used Instagram Stories to engage with visitors. The content is easy to understand and can be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups. Instead of posting complex space news, NASA uses great visuals to attract viewers.
america's test kitchen
Source: America's Test Kitchen Instagram
America's Test Kitchen found success on Instagram by leveraging surveys. One poll asked visitors whether they preferred crispy or non-crispy bacon. The company includes a handle for users to increase their followers after viewing a survey. The brand also uses eye-catching food visuals in all its surveys and other posts to increase clicks.
tent sails
Source: Tentsile's Instagram
This outdoor retailer attracts users by displaying attractive locations within product placements. This marketing campaign aims to make Instagram users want to share these experiences. Another great way Tentsile connects with social media users is by sharing user-submitted photos on its Instagram page. Visitors feel more impacted when they know the photo was not staged by a company.
go pro
Source: GoPro Instagram
Another company that uses great images in their products is GoPro. The Instagram post is informative and shows exactly what kind of photos you can take with a GoPro camera. The company also uses posts to highlight special sales.
julie thompson Contributed to this article.
