Instagram is one of the largest and most personal social networks in the world. With over 600 million regular users and a growth rate 5 times faster than that of any other social media platform, it is a universe unto itself and a vibrant place to promote your brand.
If you’re not taking advantage of Instagram’s potential in this day and age, you’re losing out. But getting more exposure on Instagram (IG) is not always as simple as just creating an account and posting a few photos every now and again.
If you’re new to promoting your brand through Instagram or if you’ve been trying for a while without getting the results you hoped for, then this post is for you. The team at RAPTAP Marketing has compiled our top simple suggestions for getting your brand noticed on “the grid”, and we can’t wait to hear how they bring you more Instagram followers!
Maximize Your Brand’s Instagram Bio
Alright, let’s start with the basics: Think of your brand’s Instagram bio as your account’s “homepage” and optimize it clearly and consistently with a proper username and profile image.
Your brand’s handle should be short, recognizable, and consistent with your other social media handles so that people immediately understand it. It should not include extra numbers, letters, or symbols. Likewise, your Instagram profile image should be clearly recognizable and should obviously represent your brand.
Pay attention to details when creating your Instagram bio. Make sure that all images are captioned and that you have included a straightforward link to your website. Always consider how people will know the account belongs to your brand. It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many brands struggle to be recognized at a glance.
Post Regularly—But Not Too Regularly
Posting the right amount of content is a continual quest for every brand on Instagram. So let’s break it down:
Posting infrequently can damage your success. After all, why would followers stay loyal to your brand when there’s nothing to follow?
But if you post content too frequently, it can also be damaging. Followers can become annoyed at being bombarded with a plethora of posts and decide to unfollow your brand.
So, where’s the sweet spot? Well, the jury is out. It seems to be general Instagram wisdom that posting consistently—at least once per day—is critical. But, while some experts recommend posting once and once only per day, others suggest that up to four posts in a 24-hour period is ideal.
Ultimately, it probably depends on your specific followers. As you get to know your follower demographic, you’ll have a better sense of precisely how often to post.
Post at the Right Times
Along with posting the right amount of content comes posting at the right time. To maximize your chances of being noticed, it’s important to know when your followers on Instagram are most active and to post accordingly.
Sometimes this is easier said than done, but by tracking the popularity of your Instagram posts at different times of day, you can begin to pinpoint your brand’s most successful posting timeline. Once you know when you want to post each day, you can create posts in advance and set them to be posted at particular times.
Build Followers Organically
It might seem tempting to pay for fake Instagram followers (aka bots), and many brands fall into this trap. But you shouldn’t.
Not only can the Instagram algorithm detect accounts with fake followers (and penalize them accordingly by making their content less visible), but accounts with fake followers don’t generate a buzz. With no interaction, no sharing, and no one to discuss anything, they pretty much defeat the purpose of having an Instagram account in the first place.
Though it may take a little longer, building a real base of organic followers will pay off a lot more in the long run—and make you more proud to boot. You can trust us on this one.
Promote Your Instagram Account
How will people find your Instagram account if they don’t know it exists?
Take every opportunity to let people know about your account. You can promote it in your storefront and at events, and you can cross-promote virtually. Using other social media platforms, such as Twitter or Facebook, to link to your Instagram account is a great way to encourage engagement, as is inserting social media buttons onto your website.
Host a Contest
This is a really simple and effective way to increase your follower base. Post pictures of a prize you’re offering and then encourage followers to accrue entries by doing a variety of tasks such as liking your post, making a comment, sharing your post, and/or tagging friends in your post. Voila! You’ve started a buzz.
Know What Your Followers Want
Pay attention to what gains your brand traction on Instagram—and give them more of what they want! Remember that people spend time on Instagram for entertainment and friendship as much as for retail, so make your posts engaging.
It’s okay (and even encouraged) to post memes, questions, and even just updates or interesting images as you would with your friends. Mix up your marketing posts with more genuine and personal content, and you’ll see your follower loyalty increase—as long as they like what you’re posting. Experiment and see what works best!
Be Selective
They say a picture is worth a thousand words…but on Instagram a picture is also worth more than a thousand pictures. Don’t share too many photos. Be selective with what you post. Keep it professional, stunning, and minimal. Enough said.
Be Consistent
The most successful brands on Instagram are often those that are highly consistent. Keep your content, style, timing, and even filters the same as much as possible. Your fans will appreciate following a brand whose content and style they have come to recognize and trust.
Be Responsive
We’ve saved this one for last because engaging with your community on Instagram is perhaps the biggest key to success (assuming you engage in respectable and supportive ways). Part of the lure of Instagram is the fact that it is a social network—meaning your followers will love to see responses to their questions and comments on your account. In addition, they’ll love to see you comment on other accounts. Connecting with other favorite brands in your niche can also get you noticed by more people. So it’s a win-win all around!
RAPTAP Marketing Solutions
If you are looking for San Antonio SEO or other marketing support, the team at RAPTAP Marketing is always here to support you. Contact us today with any specific questions you may have about optimizing your brand’s Instagram account or website.
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