With Instagram becoming the most frequently visited social network among users, marketers cannot afford to be absent from the platform. The fact is, merely creating an Instagram profile for your company and leaving it at that isn’t enough anymore. If you want to be successful on the platform, your presence should have a clear purpose and contribute to the company’s success.
Following these best practices will help you get ahead of the competition for making Instagram work for your company. This entails taking actions to increase your brand’s presence on the platform, attracting new followers, and engaging your target demographic.
Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most effective Instagram best practices that may help you grow your following.
- Provide a constant stream of high-quality graphics regularly.
On Instagram, pictures are essential, so be sure you use them. A poorly taken picture or a graphic that has been poorly produced will not be sufficient. You need high-quality photographs and videos that stand out and capture the attention of your target audience right away.
Colors and filters should be used intelligently so that your photographs not only appear excellent but also have a consistent look and feel throughout your whole Instagram feed. Ideally, adhere to color schemes and visual styles aligned with your brand’s personality and look for various Instagram story ideas to make your content more visible.
Instagram is continuously growing. So, marketers must stay on top of the newest trends and features to remain competitive. These adjustments and upgrades will offer you an advantage over your competition since you will have the foresight to take advantage of them.
- Pay close attention to what your target audience wants.
Even if your audience does not voice its ideas directly, its actions and behaviors may provide you with valuable information about what they want to see. Use the information gleaned from your social media analytics to determine what kind of content your target audience is most interested in engaging with.
Social insights may assist you in answering questions such as: What kind of content formats get the most interaction? Was there a particular strategy that worked best in encouraging them to comment? Does it make a difference if you put questions in your captions?
Answering these questions, as well as others that will help you connect with your audience, can assist you in coming up with some unique post ideas to include in your content schedule.
Make adjustments to your Instagram content plan to ensure that you provide your audience and prospective consumers with precisely what they want to see on the platform.
- Get your timing down.
Even though the Instagram algorithm is continually changing, one thing that has stayed constant is the importance placed on interaction. Posting during the appropriate times of day when your target audience is most engaged might increase exposure and interaction.
You want to upload your content at the optimal time when visitors are most engaged and most likely to interact with it. Most recent data revealed that Tuesdays were often the most significant days to post, with peak hours being 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On the other hand, specific best hours may differ based on variables such as where you are situated, what business you are in, and how your audience interacts. You can then schedule your posts to go live at the specified times in your calendar.
- Create visual narratives
Your brand needs to be remembered if you want it to have a long-lasting influence. The importance of narrative cannot be overstated. Instagram is the ideal medium for creating visually compelling tales about your company that are unique and appealing. Invest time in building visually appealing narratives that communicate stories about your brand’s history, customers’ experiences, employees’ experiences, and the brand’s influence.
- Make use of hashtags to increase the visibility of your content.
In the world of Instagram, hashtags are your closest friends. They assist in the visibility of your content in the search results for specific hashtags as well as on the Explore pages of individuals who have watched or engaged with comparable material in the past. As a result, hashtags on Instagram are an excellent tool for increasing content discovery as well as overall brand exposure.
Use specialist hashtags and industry-related hashtags to help you narrow down your target and reach them more effectively. Choosing the most popular hashtags internationally or regionally may result in your material being lost in the shuffle. Targeting meaningful hashtags related to your product or service is more likely to get your content in front of prospective clients. Also, don’t forget to utilize branded hashtags to encourage others to post their material (UGC).
- Make the most of the games, competitions, and challenges available to you.
Using games, competitions, and challenges is one of the most effective Instagram best practices for generating a large amount of interaction. This presentation is often very engaging since it actively solicits audience involvement. Suppose you include a prize with your competitions and games. In that case, your audience will be more inclined to participate because they will have the possibility to win products from businesses that they already support or that are relevant to their interests.
You may build entertaining quizzes and trivia games to get your viewers to participate and leave comments. Alternatively, you may have giveaway competitions in which participants are rewarded for liking, commenting, sharing, or tagging their friends in the comments section.
Conclusion
These Instagram best practices are a great place to start for businesses of any size looking to grow their following or take their account presence to the next level on the platform.
Take advantage of our free and thorough guide, Instagram for Brands, for even more in-depth information on effectively utilizing Instagram for your brand.
