Instagram is the go-to place for hundreds of millions of people to share their photos, videos, and stories every single day. In this post, we’ll dive into how you can use Instagram for your small business, teach you what makes a great Instagram post, and show you how you can connect with your audience on the platform.
Learning how to be successful on Instagram is not just about follower count. Instead, success comes from engaged audiences and great content.
That’s why I’ve put together a simple but highly effective guide on how to be successful on Instagram. Follow these Instagram success tips to boost your strategy.
What makes a great Instagram post? Here are my top tips:
- Like all platforms, big numbers are not essential it is about connecting with the right audience.
- Set up your templates on Canva so you can create on-brand images easily.
- Do your hashtag research with tools like DisplayPurposes and Hashtagify.
- Use an automation tool to plan ahead like MeetEdgar so you can be active without having to always be there.
- Engagement converts to following so make sure you engage with your audience.
So, what are the components of a great Instagram post?
Captions encourage people to engage
Whichever social media platform you’re using, the caption should invite people to engage. The same, of course, is true of Instagram.
Short titles, and key phrases associated with the image you’re sharing, provide the viewer with something they can remember easily.
Asking questions in the caption will encourage viewers to comment, which in turn can spark conversations between users and raise brand awareness.
Images that match your brand
Instagram is a visual platform and that makes it essential to make sure that the images we share are on-brand.
Take your time to create templates, plan your fonts and colours so that when you start creating content it is on brand and #instagood!
A call to action
There are several different calls to action you can use in an Instagram caption. You can ask a question or request your followers to share related stories in the comments. These can be great for developing an interest or sparking debate.
As clickable links in captions are currently not possible, you should try and direct users to the link in your Instagram bio, if you have one.
Instagram contests are also a great idea to spread the word about your brand.
Feature a specific hashtag in your caption, and encourage your followers to post their own images using the hashtag.
Good use of hashtags
Depending on the industry you’re in, there are popular Instagram hashtags that can be used to get more visibility on your photos.
Tools like Display Purposes and Hastgaify will give you a filtered list of tags based on relevance or you can use a google search just be careful of banned hashtags
Some of the most trendy Instagram hashtags you’ll find include: #tbt (throwback Thursday), #instadaily, #photooftheday, #instagood.
Keep in mind: Don’t go nuts with your hashtags! A hashtag paragraph, as I like to call it, at the bottom of your photo is not savvy. It can look a little overzealous and cluttered. Just because you can add 30 tags does not mean you should.
Always check the background of your photos
This simple tip will transform your feed: Pay attention to the background of your photos and quotes. Keep it clean.
Don’t let the background distract from your main subject!
Have fun
This is the secret sauce of Instagram. Instagram is a FUN platform to engage with your audience on so remember to have fun. You won’t enjoy or post to Insta if you are not having fun!
Love what you do. Take your time to create what you want to see and share. There is no right or wrong with creativity. Have fun planning your feed!
Highlights:
[0:00] Introduction
[0:35] What makes a great Instagram post
[0:40] Before that, my top tips for Instagram
[0:50] Always create Evergreen content
[1:05] Big numbers are not essential – use images and videos
[1:25] Use Canva to create on-brand templates
[1:45] Do your hashtag research
[2:05] Use automation tools like MeetEdgar
[2:25] Engagement converts to following
[2:30] Now, what makes a great Instagram post?
[2:35] Captions encourage an audience to engage
[3:30] Images and visuals that match your brand
[4:20] Call to action
[4:36] What to do with links using LinkTube
[4:55] Instagram content are a great way to spread the word about your brand
[5:05] Make sure to follow Instagram’s terms of service
[5:10] Feature specific hashtags to get user-generated content
[6:15] Tools like Display Purposes and Hashtagify can filter useful hashtags
[6:40] Hashtag list exclusive for Marketing Circle members
[7:20] Always check the background of photos
[7:35] Have fun with Instagram
[8:05] Instagram toolkit
[9:05] Recap and follow me on Instagram @lindareedenever
[9:15] Subscribe for the next podcast episode
Resources Mentioned in the Podcast:
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